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.
girl calling herself brooklyn called asking for my wife using her maiden name and an address she hasn't lived at in 7 years. claimed it was second attempt to deliver legal documents and she was a process server. i told her process servers work for the sheriffs dept. she claimed to be an independent contractor. she then claimed that if she couldn't deliver the documents my wife would be taken to court in absentia and would automatically lose. she was to call 844 324 0457 and gave me a case number. she never asked me for the correct address. i told her to go back to the street corner where she belonged because at least the people would get something in place of the money she was trying to [***] them out of. she told me i needed a better attitude i told her my attitude was just fine until someone called and tried to extort money from me.
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. Please note that process servers do not ever call ahead. That way you can’t dodge them.
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
Twice called this week. Answered both times because we are setting my mom up with hospice and I thought it could be them. Both times it was a recording that i was not reachable this time but it was about a complaint filed and to call another number that i have not had a chance to write down, even though I answered on the 2nd ring today. Will be filing my own complaint and another one when i get the return message on a voicemail where i can get it. There is no human on the other end, just a female recorded message. Will also be listed under scam calls on my phone.
Lady called from a local area code and left a voicemail saying it was her last attempt to reach me. It was the first time this number called. She left an entirely different number to return the call and said this matter was being turned over and my wages could be garnished.
I called back private. The local number hung up straight away. I then called the number in the voicemail. The lady was very fast speaking and gave a story of an er doctor from a hospital I habe never been too that was taking me to court if I can't make payment. I asked for some type of paperwork and was told she couldnt send me any.
I told her then I couldnt send her any money. She said this matter would be sent to an attorney and I would have a court date. I told her I wasnt missing work for something I know nothing about and ask if the call was being recorded. She said no. I told her this call was now ending. She was quite rude and tried over talking me.
She proceeded to tell me I would be held in contempt of court and could be incarcerated and a lien put on me as well as garnishing my wages.
I told her do what she had to do.
After hanging up I remembered my brother having a similar incident so I called back to ask what I needed to do to pay this bill.
Her tone immediately changed and she said I could go to CVS or Walmart and get a prepaid card to make this payment. That is when I knew it was a complete hoax and told her I was taking a shower, going to get a prepaid card and would get back with her within an hour. Hope she isnt holding her breath waiting on my call!
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.