Called and said I owed on a pay day loan. Leaves messages like,"my office has been retained to collect on this matter. Since They Have contacted you and you refuse to take care of this matter." I talked to them once and asked per fair debt collecting practices they provide proof of a debt by sending it to me via mail. They asked for my address! Well if it was a true debt they would have my address. So I hung up, still weeks later nothing to prove the debt in the mail. This number is either a scam or a shady collection agency who makes it sound like you have an attorney calling you.
Called and said I owed on a pay day loan. Leaves messages like,"my office has been retained to collect on this matter. Since They Have contacted you and you refuse to take care of this matter." I talked to them once and asked per fair debt collecting practices they provide proof of a debt by sending it to me via mail. They asked for my address! Well if it was a true debt they would have my address. So I hung up, still weeks later nothing to prove the debt in the mail. This number is either a scam or a shady collection agency who makes it sound like you have an attorney calling you.
Claims to be Bill Dugan which is a name used by scammers. Has not called back in a week. Hope the Buffalo attorney generals office got him. Last message he said he was going to contact my county and would have to talk to my employer.......to anyone reading per fair debt collection act. If it is a real debt you ask for validation of the debt be sent to you in the mail. They have 5 days to send it to you. They CAN NOT send the police to your house or work. They CAN NOT talk to your employers, neighbors, friends or relatives about your debt. They can not take your house, car, pay check without first taking you to court. Please pass this on to anyone you know especially elderly.
Do you have the company name they are using? How do you know they are in Buffalo (although it wouldn't surprise me since that is a known haven for criminal debt collectors).
This is a common ploy by criminals masquerading as debt collectors who are attempting to extort money from people by scaring you into believing that you will be criminally charged, go to jail, lose your driver’s license, have wages garnished, be sued, and a variety of other variations on this, all for an alleged or nonexistent debt. One of the tricks they use is to call your work place, friends, or relatives repeatedly in an attempt to shame you into paying. They also use the “process server” ruse who calls and claims he is going to serve you, but then says you could avoid it by calling another number
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) 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, get template letters to send 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://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php
File a complaint at the NY State AG's Office here: http://www.ag.ny.gov/