The "good luck as this situation unfolds" line and the vanilla-sounding alias names for the reps strongly suggest a South Asian fake debt collector. If you really want to know how they've found you and Gramma and the neighbor's pet ferret, think back to when you or someone related gave away a pile of sensitive data to strangers through an online application form.
To be clear, this is extortion dressed as debt collection. The agents' horrid threats are empty and their conduct is illegal. As early as possible it's critical to determine if your collector is domestic or yet another South Asian faker. The former you can sue into submission; the latter tend to be out of reach.
My notes from October 2011 on payday loan and "hot check" collectors are linked below.
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-429fb24ec2162e3/ ... -numbers-here-2
See also this FTC alert: "Fake Debt Collectors"
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
(former title: ''Who's Calling? That Debt Collector Could Be a Fake'')
The following will be useful if you have a US domestic collector calling, and will in general help you sniff out the frauds:
official FTC guidance and staff opinions on the FDCPA, PDF copy of the Act
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
CFPB Q&A on debt collection practices
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ... bt%20Collection
I recieved a call at work today in which my coworkers said was very rude and demanded to speak with me. I answered and they told me i must call Michael Cartel and speak with him because tomorrow at 11am i would have papers served to me and will be getting arrested for failure to pay a cash advance loan. i asked them a bunch of questions because i never received any notices about not paying back any loans.. thwy refused to give me any information so whwn i asked when this Michael Cartel would be back in so i could speak to them they said they didnt know than was very rude when i asked to speak to someone else who would know when he would be back in. I tried calling back when i got off work andeither somwone would pick up than hang up or i would get that beep. I talked to a cousin who works for a courthouse and she said it was a scam and if it was real they wouldonly be serving me papers tomorrow not arresting me at work. If they call back i will play along with them than start cursing them out for being rude pricks
I got a call from 415-952-5630 left a message, but continue calling back to back. When I answered it was a male with a heavy Indian accent telling me that I need an attorney because my name and social security number is being sued. He ask me to call back the same number and ask for David Green. I called back and David Green is an Indian! LOL. Well he told me I was going to be arrested at my job, then he said my paperwork was going to be process in court and if I do not attend the hearing I will be arrested. OKKKAAAYYY. I called back and pretented to be an attorney. they wanted an RR# from the attorney, they said they cannot release the name of the company without the attorney RR#. Then they say all they can say is that my customer (which was me) is involve in a fraud. I asked them if threatening to arrest people was their collections tactic they mumble and hung up! I kept calling with my number blocked and they kept hanging up!! This got me really frustrated and then I found out they also call me at work on my private line!!!
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.
The FTC has indicted one of its ringleaders for criminal fraud:
I just received a call today Oct 16 from the same person threatening me with an arrest warrant etc. He has my bank info too. I will call the FTC at the number to file a complaint. DId you get new bank info?
I received a message today Oct 16 from the same company asking me to call (415) 952-5630, saying that cash advance was filling charges against me. Please let me know if you get a lawyer to help you. I would be interested in filing.