This number called me yesterday on both my personal cell and work phone saying they were some type of company and that they were sending a police officer to arrest me and asked if I have a lawyer. When I asked what this was about they said it was from a payday loan but could not tell me a specific date or company only a website that I had never heard of. Although the website is legitimate it still was not a lender. When I called the number back and stated this the guy (Nicholas) stated that I had until noon to make a payment of $300 or I would be arrested. Of course this scared me so I did what I was told. It didnt dawn on me until this morning to google the number because it just really seemed like a scam after I thought about it. And now I'm so upset because I am out of the Christmas money I had for my niece and nephews. Is there any way to get the money back? Someone please help me. After reading various comments I am so upset to find out after the fact that it is all a scam. Someone please help. What should I do? These people knew what city I live in and my employer and social security saying I had a lawsuit out against me for fraudulent checks and when I asked how they got my work # he said when they put my social in it brings up all numbers I still don't think because my name is not on my work cell but I'm still wondering how they got my employer name and info. Can anyone help me please what do I do now?
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:
These people call my phone giving me all of my personal information and states that the police will be to my house tomorrow to take me to jail. And they don't know when I had this loan out all they know is that it was from September 2005 through December 2012. They were rude and hung up on me after I cursed them out. But little do they know if you call and harass me I will call everyday to harass you. He answered the phone after I called about 15 times and said don't call no more your papers will be delivered tomorrow. Like I told him I have been to jail before so you really aren't saying anything and I'm not going to jail for a loan that I never got.