The call I received was from Angela Jones. She has left me "many many" messages to give her a call and it is very important that she talks to me. The first Angela Jones that called had a very thick accent and couldn't pronounce IAM Incorporated never mind my name. I just listened to the message Anegela Jones left on November 12 (forgot to delete). It is a completely different voice than the Angela Jones who left the message today. Todays Angela Jones started giving me a different phone number and then corrected herself. The reference number provided was proceeded with my state's abbreviation and sounded very legal. I'm glad I googled the number before returning the call.
I didn't answer this call. This is probably the sixth call from this company in the past several months. This number is new. Here's the voicemail:
Hello, this call is for [First Last Name] . My name is Carolyn Hamilton. I'm calling on behalf of IAM Incorporated. I have been instructed to make contact and forward formal notice of intent in a matter naming the person or property of [First Last Name]. Either [FirstName] or representing counsel are strongly advised to make immediate contact with my office. I can be reached direct at 425-949-5925. Wen calling please reference [six digit number]. Thank you.
I did call her back, and she provided me my complete social security number (violation) and asked me to verify that it was correct. She told me that she was calling with a mediation firm regarding a SEARS charge accoutn debt from 2000. I mentioned the statue of limitations in the state, and her supervisor Scott Cline (Kline?) got on the phone and told me that I'm an idiot and I need to go read the law and not just stuff off the internet. I mean, he was insulting to me from the get.
Don't call them back, and don't ever ever pay them anything. This is a legal scam, where they buy your very old alleged debt, and attempt to sqeeze it out of you, even though they have no legal recourse to do so.
This is a scam. Collecting old supposed debt from you under the names of corporations you may have been associated with many years ago. BEWARE! It may sound familiar and picque your interest. Just ignore it and hang up. They insult you by saying the debt is so old because you've been hiding out all these years. Here's the best part. My first encounter said it was a credit card for a certain amount but they would settle for less. Then they called a month later with the exact amount only a different creditor name. They threatened me with a lawsuit and said good luck and hung up on me. Dont answer and report them.
The call I received was from Angela Jones. She has left me "many many" messages to give her a call and it is very important that she talks to me. The first Angela Jones that called had a very thick accent and couldn't pronounce IAM Incorporated never mind my name. I just listened to the message Anegela Jones left on November 12 (forgot to delete). It is a completely different voice than the Angela Jones who left the message today. Todays Angela Jones started giving me a different phone number and then corrected herself. The reference number provided was proceeded with my state's abbreviation and sounded very legal. I'm glad I googled the number before returning the call.
These people started calling me last summer. They stopped after I told the guy I wasn't paying the debt. Now in December they have started bugging me again. I even told them that they were a scam and can't produce proof of such said debt. They emailed me this letter stating that it was very important that I take care of the debt. I told them they were crazy if they thought I was going to hand them over a few grand. Anyone can make a letter like that on line. Also you can't even open the email on my laptop because it pops up that it is an insecure site. I was able to open it on my phone though.
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.>