The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is warning consumers to be on the alert for scam artists posing as debt collectors. It may be hard to tell the difference between a legitimate debt collector and a fake one. Sometimes a fake collector may even have some of your personal information, like a bank account number. A caller may be a fake debt collector if he:
•is seeking payment on a debt for a loan you do not recognize;
•refuses to give you a mailing address or phone number;
•asks you for personal financial or sensitive information; or
•exerts high pressure to try to scare you into paying, such as threatening to have you arrested or to report you to a law enforcement agency.
If you think that a caller may be a fake debt collector:
•Ask the caller for his name, company, street address, and telephone number. Tell the caller that you refuse to discuss any debt until you get a written "validation notice." The notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor you owe, and your rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
If a caller refuses to give you all of this information, do not pay! Paying a fake debt collector will not always make them go away. They may make up another debt to try to get more money from you.•Stop speaking with the caller. If you have the caller's address, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling you if you ask them to in writing.
•Do not give the caller personal financial or other sensitive information. Never give out or confirm personal financial or other sensitive information like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you know whom you're dealing with. Scam artists, like fake debt collectors, can use your information to commit identity theft – charging your existing credit cards, opening new credit card, checking, or savings accounts, writing fraudulent checks, or taking out loans in your name.
•Contact your creditor. If the debt is legitimate – but you think the collector may not be – contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.
•Report the call. Contact the FTC and your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers. Many states have their own debt collection laws in addition to the federal FDCPA. Your Attorney General's office can help you determine your rights under your state's law.
Spoof number for Legacy Asset Management from post on #866-795-6989. Shows it is coming from Tennessee
Same scam BS-they do not say who they are calling for, where they are from but are trying to verify an address for legal delivery? For a cell phone no less. They are also using a Allentown, PA number of #484-538-2281 and a Gulfport, MS number of #228-236-3593 yet they are supposed to be in New York?
I have been getting calls from this number they say they use to be legacy assets management and some gut named steve said he bought the company they are now. they have been calling me for almost a year or more. they have named statements that I owe for a payday loan and that I need to pay 100.00 by dec 11, or they are going to file on me in my county. I paid 20.00, that is suppose to hold them of until dec.11 at 12 noon. I was told that papers were already filed in my county . I would have to go talk to a judge and pay a bigger fine. I have all sorts numbers calling me from this company, saying they are legal attorney and etc. I need advice , is this real or a scam? can they do something like this?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is warning consumers to be on the alert for scam artists posing as debt collectors. It may be hard to tell the difference between a legitimate debt collector and a fake one. Sometimes a fake collector may even have some of your personal information, like a bank account number. A caller may be a fake debt collector if he:
•is seeking payment on a debt for a loan you do not recognize;
•refuses to give you a mailing address or phone number;
•asks you for personal financial or sensitive information; or
•exerts high pressure to try to scare you into paying, such as threatening to have you arrested or to report you to a law enforcement agency.
If you think that a caller may be a fake debt collector:
•Ask the caller for his name, company, street address, and telephone number. Tell the caller that you refuse to discuss any debt until you get a written "validation notice." The notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor you owe, and your rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
If a caller refuses to give you all of this information, do not pay! Paying a fake debt collector will not always make them go away. They may make up another debt to try to get more money from you.•Stop speaking with the caller. If you have the caller's address, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling you if you ask them to in writing.
•Do not give the caller personal financial or other sensitive information. Never give out or confirm personal financial or other sensitive information like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you know whom you're dealing with. Scam artists, like fake debt collectors, can use your information to commit identity theft – charging your existing credit cards, opening new credit card, checking, or savings accounts, writing fraudulent checks, or taking out loans in your name.
•Contact your creditor. If the debt is legitimate – but you think the collector may not be – contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.
•Report the call. Contact the FTC and your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers. Many states have their own debt collection laws in addition to the federal FDCPA. Your Attorney General's office can help you determine your rights under your state's law.
Contact your county Clerk of Court and inquire if any paperwork has been filed. My guess is that is has not.
Inform this firm that you are demanding a notice of validation be mailed to you. NOT e-mail or fax. As per federal regulations under the FDCPA. By paying them that $20.00 you may have made a mistake. You have basically "validated" their claim by doing so. Regardless, if they are legitimate they will have no objection to supplying you with written proof of their claim. If they refuse to do so it can be construed that they have no valid claim to the debt.
Contact a consumer attorney or your local legal aid organization for advice. These types of collectors rely on the ignorance of their targets. By educating yourself as to the laws in your state regarding the collection of debt you will have armed yourself with the tools necessary to combat unethical debt collectors.
If you do legitimately owe this debt, by all means, pay it or make arrangements to do so. But VERIFY that the collection firm is legitimate and is acting in accordance with state & federal law. A legitimate firm will be more than happy to provide you with a valid, physical address. If they refuse to do so, pay them nothing. NEVER pay a collector via a pre-paid card or authorize access to your bank accounts or credit card numbers. A legitimate firm will be more than willing to accept payment by mail. USPS money orders are, by far, the best method of payment. A legitimate firm will have no objection to this method. A shady one will not for fear of government reprisal should violations of the law become apparent. If you can afford the extra few bucks, mail all payments via registered mail/return receipt requested. This may be unnecessary, but it will have the effect of keeping "Honest people honest".
I suspect that you're dealing with a fraudulent and/or bogus collection outfit. Do your homework and ascertain their authenticity before you pay another dime. Research & know your rights as a consumer under the FDCPA. It's easy. Just Google it. Look to the right of your screen. Under Latest Articles" you will find "Harassing calls from...". Read through it. You will learn of all the things that shady collection outfits do NOT want you to know.
Good luck to you & keep us posted. 'Til then...
Live Well.
Gunnar