Collections fraud

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Complaint

0
polly
Country: United States
My husband was sent a letter saying we owed for a past qwest accout.  Now I'm mad because I see we were taken advantage of.  I'm not going to sit here and take it!  Anyone who has recieved a letter from afni collecting on an account that is not theirs send me an E-mail telling your story, and where your from.  I am putting a case together to shut down this company!!

Polly Moorman
polly7002@hotmail.com

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    Call the Minnesota Attorney General.  AFNI was recently sued by them for failing to validate alleged debts disputed by Minnesota residents.

    You might also call the Illinois Attorney General.  An article on consumeraffairs.com reported that the IL AG was investigating them.

    While you are at it, why don't you contact Bob Sullivan, on msnbc.com?
  • 0
    tj
    Bob Sullivan writes on issues around internet consumer issues including security, identity theft, and red tape, under the Red Tape Chronicles, on msnbc.com.

    This is his book on identity theft:
    http://www.amazon.com/Your-Evil-Twin-Identity-Epidemic/dp/0471648108

    He might be interested in the accumulating reports of AFNI using deceptive claims of "identity theft" as a debt collection tactic, and the resulting skewed id theft statistics showing up in Chris Hoofnagle's review of 2007 FTC id theft complaints.
  • 0
    tj
    Lest you think that there is nothing wrong with "accidentally" billing and harassing people who don't owe you, here is a recent settlement between the Texas AG and NCO:

    http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?id=2757

    "Friday, December 5, 2008

    Attorney General's Enforcement Action Leads To Better Protection, Restitution For Texas Consumers

    NCO Financial Systems agrees to implement important changes in business practices

    DALLAS – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today resolved the state’s enforcement action against debt collection firm NCO Financial Systems Inc., which was charged with violating the Texas Debt Collection Act. According to state investigators, NCO unlawfully made harassing and threatening phone calls to purported debtors. Under the settlement, NCO must implement policies that ensure its debt collection efforts fully comply with this law.

    “Today’s agreement protects Texans from unlawful debt collection practices,” Attorney General Abbott said. “Texas law prohibits collection agencies from using unlawful threats and coercion to collect debts. With today’s agreement, the world’s largest debt collector agreed to implement safeguards that will protect debtors and ensure full compliance with the law.”
    ...
    According to consumer complaints, NCO Financial Systems representatives made harassing and sometimes profanity-laden telephone calls to Texans, some of whom had never incurred the debt at all. NCO Financial Systems also improperly claimed that certain individuals owed debts when, in fact, the actual debtors had different middle initials or Social Security numbers.

    Many Texans also complained that NCO Financial Systems failed to verify that debts were actually owed. Thus, the defendant continued its billing process even after frustrated recipients disputed their bills or sent cease-and-desist letters. NCO Financial Systems also threatened to report debts to credit reporting agencies that were more than seven years old.
    ..."

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