They call family, friends, neighbors and/or places of employment (past or present or both) to create panic and embarrassment so that their intended victim calls them and they can scare that person into paying their extortion money.
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices: http://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general
If you KNOW you owe no money, or believe the call was from a fake debt collector, please take the time to read this:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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Please reply to this post, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.
Ignore anything from these places they are a scam n they just make threats they been calling me off n on for 2 years n there is nothing on my credit nor any court cases against nor been arrested JUST IGNORE THEM N BLOCK UR # IF U APPLIED FOR AN LOAN ONLINE ANYWHERE THEY GOT HOLD OF UR INFO N NOW TRYING 2 SCAM U OF UR MONEY!!!!!
This number called me today and I know for sure this is fraud because I recently filed bankruptcy and I am currently rebuilding my credit and only have valid credit cards and no outstanding loans. I had to block this number because the would call back to back.
They called my in-laws today (just happened to be visiting) and demanded $945 either by debit or credit card or they were sending a Sheriff to come take me to jail. He said he was an attorney representing a company called "Inside Capital" and said I committed wire fraud in 2012. He had names of family and the last 4 digits of my Social Security number.
When I asked him for more information on what this was about, account numbers, he said since I was playing "hard ball" he'd give me just one more chance or he was calling the police. I told him "You, sir are committing fraud and harassment." He said he was then going to see me in court and then hung up.
Seriously????
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Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
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