"THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL?!" You are in luck because it is!.
This is a common ploy by criminals masquerading as debt collectors who are attempting to extort money from people by scaring you into believing that you will be criminally charged, go to jail, lose your driver’s license, have wages garnished, be sued, and a variety of other variations on this, all for an alleged or nonexistent debt. One of the tricks they use is to call your work place, friends, or relatives repeatedly in an attempt to shame you into paying. They also use the “process server” ruse who calls and claims he is going to serve you, but then says you could avoid it by calling another number
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here, get template letters to send and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php
Received a voicemail with a case number and a message to call 405 421-0979, referencing my son's name. States he has been notified and that there is a "case" against him. I called the number back and the number goes to a "National Information Center" and the recording states to wait for a representative. The line rings, and then a message plays that claims you are calling the "national information center" and a recording gives their hours of operation, Eastern time.The message also states" If you have questions and concerns, please leave your number and message with the case number", then after 2 seconds you hear a beep, and a "thank you". You are not able to get a hold of anyone or leave a message.
I called them repeatedly. This morning they ask for my number stating they would be happy to remove it from their database if I would stop calling. I told my goal is to harass them until they cannot use this number to conduct fraud. I filled their voicemail on Friday night with various songs. Tonight I could not leave a message since their voicemail was full. Join in and call them while blocking your number. The more we tie them up the less people they can scam. Fight back. Fight fraud. Fill their voicemail too.
They are 3rd party debt collectors that go around buying old debt and try to harass people into paying things that have either been paid off OR has been charged off by the company they bought it from. This is the lowest form of debt collection there is and ask them to provide proof of debt OR give you more details and if they can't or won't do it they are usually low life bottom feeders sucking off the tit of society!! I told them I was recording the call to give to my attorney to play in open court if they were really who they said they were. I said my attorney is ready, willing and able...They also stated they were talking to my employer which is a LIE , because I would be the person they talk to about it... FOOLS!!