Calls from "process servers" calling to "serve papers" are often shady or fraudulent debt collectors collecting on equally shady or fraudulent "debts", using the implied threats of a "lawsuit" to evade their legal obligation to produce proof (validation) of alleged debts if consumers dispute them.
Receiving such calls providing some callback number "to resolve the matter before it goes to court" are a further indication of illegal deceptive collection, as process servers have no interest in "resolving" a lawsuit. They are just hired to serve papers on already filed lawsuits, and sign an affidavit certifying that they did so.
Receiving a collection call when you know you don't have any delinquent debts is an indicator of potential fraudulent collection.
Using an old or maiden name is a further suspicious indicator, as it suggests the debt collector "located" you via skip-tracing, and such identification is no more reliable than the competence and honesty of the debt collector, which you already have reason to suspect.
As for not being able to give you any information, that is how this "con" is played. The whole goal is to get you to pay, due to this implied yet unproven threat, and allowing you to dispute or forcing them to validate is what they are trying to avoid. The less information you have, the better, as information might only make you more sure that the alleged debt isn't owed by you, and undermine their various deceptions.
You have four separate indicators of potential fraud:
1) "process server calls"
2) use of your maiden name
3) you don't owe anything
4) they can't give you any information
Additional indicators, noted for their absence:
5) You haven't receiveg an FDCPA required "g" letter, notifying you of the alleged debt and your right to dispute it, yet they clearly know how to contact you.
6) Check your local courthouse, if you want, to verify there is no lawsuit filed against either your current or maiden name.
Note how rapidly these scams produce multiple indicators of fraud, by their deviations from normal expected legal debt collection practice, even in just one call.
You can contact FTC, your state Attorney General, or a consumer attorney.
You can find an attorney in your state through www.naca.net
Calls from "process servers" calling to "serve papers" are often shady or fraudulent debt collectors collecting on equally shady or fraudulent "debts", using the implied threats of a "lawsuit" to evade their legal obligation to produce proof (validation) of alleged debts if consumers dispute them.
Receiving such calls providing some callback number "to resolve the matter before it goes to court" are a further indication of illegal deceptive collection, as process servers have no interest in "resolving" a lawsuit. They are just hired to serve papers on already filed lawsuits, and sign an affidavit certifying that they did so.
Receiving a collection call when you know you don't have any delinquent debts is an indicator of potential fraudulent collection.
Using an old or maiden name is a further suspicious indicator, as it suggests the debt collector "located" you via skip-tracing, and such identification is no more reliable than the competence and honesty of the debt collector, which you already have reason to suspect.
As for not being able to give you any information, that is how this "con" is played. The whole goal is to get you to pay, due to this implied yet unproven threat, and allowing you to dispute or forcing them to validate is what they are trying to avoid. The less information you have, the better, as information might only make you more sure that the alleged debt isn't owed by you, and undermine their various deceptions.
You have four separate indicators of potential fraud:
1) "process server calls"
2) use of your maiden name
3) you don't owe anything
4) they can't give you any information
Additional indicators, noted for their absence:
5) You haven't receiveg an FDCPA required "g" letter, notifying you of the alleged debt and your right to dispute it, yet they clearly know how to contact you.
6) Check your local courthouse, if you want, to verify there is no lawsuit filed against either your current or maiden name.
Note how rapidly these scams produce multiple indicators of fraud, by their deviations from normal expected legal debt collection practice, even in just one call.
You can contact FTC, your state Attorney General, or a consumer attorney.
You can find an attorney in your state through www.naca.net