Received $281 collection notice for a bill from Sprint. I have never had an account with Sprint or been associated with the company in any way.
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tj
There are numerous complaints against this company for sending collection letters to people who claim they never had the alleged account, with reports of various allegations by AFNI employees that "it must be identity theft", or that consumers have to somehow prove they don't owe some "debt" they never heard of, otherwise they have to pay it.
The pattern of complaints indicates they may be sending collection letters to any near name match to the name on alleged telecom accounts, with little concern for locating the correct debtor, followed by various deceptive or evasive tactics aimed at continued collection even from people who dispute their "mistakes".
In 2007, Verizon and AFNI were the #1 and #2 companies reported to FTC in connection with id theft complaints by consumers. At the time, AFNI was collecting on millions of old Verizon accounts it had purchased, left over from Verizon's mergers with other telecom companies years earlier. Many consumers reported that they were told that unrecognized accounts "must be due to id theft", or were "obviously id theft by a relative", but that it would be easier to just pay them that file all the id theft paperwork AFNI would demand.
In a recent federal class action lawsuit, Hale v. AFNI, a federal judge found that a letter routinely sent by AFNI in response to consumer disputes under the provisions of the FDCPA, was deceptive, deciding that they were liable under the FDCPA prohibition against deceptive collection. He found their explanation for use of the letter "insincere".
The Minnesota Attorney General is investigating a number of complaints by Minnesota residents that AFNI has sent collection letters for unowed debts, this after reaching a settlement with AFNI on the same issue last year. AFNI has supposedly suspended debt collection on Qwest accounts in MN until the "erroneous" accounts are resolved.
Send them a letter, disputing the alleged debt, requesting that they provide the name and address of the original creditor, and that they obtain proof you owe it from the original creditor and send it to you. Mail this letter certified so you have proof of when you mailed it and when they received it, since there are numerous reports that they attempt to evade their FDCPA responsibility to provide validation of alleged debts.
Be aware that they have been reported to send "verification" letters of their own creation that leave out any information (such as original billing address, account number, or phone number) that might be useful in establishing that an alleged debt is not owed. They are also commonly reported to deceptively "suggest" in phone calls, various "reasons" why unrecognized bills are supposedly valid, while attempting to deflect consumers from sending written validation requests.
If you find their collection account on your credit reports, dispute it through the credit reporting agecies. If they "verify" their erroneous information, file complaints with FTC, your state Attorney General, and the Illinois Attorney General. Don't waste your time contacting the BBB, as they appear to have been compromised, removing even previously reported information on the Minnesota Attorney General's lawsuit.
You can find attorneys with experience in FDCPA and FCRA law through www.naca.net
Comments
The pattern of complaints indicates they may be sending collection letters to any near name match to the name on alleged telecom accounts, with little concern for locating the correct debtor, followed by various deceptive or evasive tactics aimed at continued collection even from people who dispute their "mistakes".
In 2007, Verizon and AFNI were the #1 and #2 companies reported to FTC in connection with id theft complaints by consumers. At the time, AFNI was collecting on millions of old Verizon accounts it had purchased, left over from Verizon's mergers with other telecom companies years earlier. Many consumers reported that they were told that unrecognized accounts "must be due to id theft", or were "obviously id theft by a relative", but that it would be easier to just pay them that file all the id theft paperwork AFNI would demand.
In a recent federal class action lawsuit, Hale v. AFNI, a federal judge found that a letter routinely sent by AFNI in response to consumer disputes under the provisions of the FDCPA, was deceptive, deciding that they were liable under the FDCPA prohibition against deceptive collection. He found their explanation for use of the letter "insincere".
The Minnesota Attorney General is investigating a number of complaints by Minnesota residents that AFNI has sent collection letters for unowed debts, this after reaching a settlement with AFNI on the same issue last year. AFNI has supposedly suspended debt collection on Qwest accounts in MN until the "erroneous" accounts are resolved.
Send them a letter, disputing the alleged debt, requesting that they provide the name and address of the original creditor, and that they obtain proof you owe it from the original creditor and send it to you. Mail this letter certified so you have proof of when you mailed it and when they received it, since there are numerous reports that they attempt to evade their FDCPA responsibility to provide validation of alleged debts.
Be aware that they have been reported to send "verification" letters of their own creation that leave out any information (such as original billing address, account number, or phone number) that might be useful in establishing that an alleged debt is not owed. They are also commonly reported to deceptively "suggest" in phone calls, various "reasons" why unrecognized bills are supposedly valid, while attempting to deflect consumers from sending written validation requests.
If you find their collection account on your credit reports, dispute it through the credit reporting agecies. If they "verify" their erroneous information, file complaints with FTC, your state Attorney General, and the Illinois Attorney General. Don't waste your time contacting the BBB, as they appear to have been compromised, removing even previously reported information on the Minnesota Attorney General's lawsuit.
You can find attorneys with experience in FDCPA and FCRA law through www.naca.net