Yes, I got this call at work threathing me that if I don't pay this payday loan back they are having officer come to my job and severe me papers. I have paid this company back that I owed. They said I need to send approve. They made me scared when they said there calling the cops. They have not sent anything in the mail! Has anyone try to say they are attonory to these people do they leave you alone after that?
This is a criminal extortion scam operating out of India. They are making the calls utilizing VOIP and the names of legitimate firms to make it appear the calls are originating from within the US. There is NO "company" or "debt" and you will NOT be arrested. They are harvesting and/or buying consumers' personal identifying information from unscrupulous websites like the one you may have filled out an application with, and you need to do whatever you can to protect yourself. This includes: Notifying the FTC: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/, placing fraud alerts with all three credit bureaus, notifying your bank and employer and letting these criminals know you are aware they are attempting to extort money for a non-existent debt and have alerted the authorities.
ABC News released an investigative report on this scam in June. The FTC has indicted one of its ringleaders for criminal fraud:
A lady by the name of Mary Richardson called me from this number saying that I have pay a payday loan amount that I owe or else the Legal Court will step in and process me and take me to jail for not paying back a payday loan I had. The thing is I had an outstanding balance with the payday loan people but its all clear. I pay off all my balances so I'm not sure why these people are calling and harassing me for this matter. Please do something.
Yes, I just received a call on my cell phone from dear old "Mary Richardson". She had my name right but wanted to verify the last 4 digits of my social security, when I refused she told me 4 random numbers and I said those are not mine. Then she asked for my address and when I refused she told me some random address and said it was not mine. Then she asked me for my email address and when I asked her for what she had it as, she said she was "not at liberty" to disclose that to me. So I said, well you called me, why dont you give me a number to call and verify who you are and she said I just said I am Mary Richardson from ...Kaufman and Associates. So after I refused to give her any information she said well have a nice day. Right, am I an idiot!