threatening phone calls trying to obtain credit card info
Complaint
Yamilb Anderson
Country: United States
called my employer threatening to take me to court for a payday loan called Cash Advance. Threatened fines and jail time if i didnt give my debit information
Comments
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/UiOfDRYbAADvxAjM9mMpsg
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/SuECI69YtAA_NAjNJLINEA
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/2y5wTPMhBgDEGwjNBt53YQ
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/_dK2egnOUgBqqAjMTkez8Q
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/RiRDV_OcCwBMagjLnNgQqQ
Reported to be scammers based in India attempting to con people using threats. They are running a phony "payday loan debt collection" extortion racket.
Some reports indicate they may have obtained access to old payday loan information, which would give them identity and bank account information, but many consumers claim any past payday loans were already paid off, and others claim they never had any such loan. Most consumer complaints indicate the allegations of any owed debt are bogus.
They may have access to credit reports or skip trace services, which would give them SSN, DOB, past addresses, employer names and addresses, and old accounts usable to fake a claim in a scam. They might also be obtaining information from phony on-line payday loan sites.
There were several related debt collectors in the Jacksonville FL area employing similar tactics. The Florida AG shut down several of them, including one, "Ellis Crosby", that was reported to have had an Indian call center. ABC News has done a story on these crooks, and the West Virginia AG had a press release warning of their calls.
They commonly make threats, claim to be attorneys, claim to be suing, claim they will arrest you, claim you will be prosecuted, etc. They also commonly use names chosen to sound very "American", even though they have thick Indian accents that many report they can hardly understand.
They are not "attorneys", not a "law firm", not in "California", not "American Credit Services", they do not "sue", "arrest", "have a warrant", etc. They are overseas crooks, using cheap internet phone service and illegally obtained consumer identity information to try to con Americans. They violate laws all the time but could care less since they figure they are half-way around the world.
http://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settle ... -action-lawsuit
But for the last month or so the phone calls have started again, from an obvious Indian born man with the name Victor Green stating that there is a law suit against me and that the US goverment has blocked my social security number, like that's even possible! Caller ID either shows a number that doesn't even have 10 digits, or the +00000. Always saying he would do his level best to help me in the matter.
I finally had enough and looked up the ACS law firm on the internet and found this site as well as others all saying the same thing that it's nothing but a huge SCAM!!!! Which I felt it was all along but this site confirmed it.
I'm going to do what all the others have suggested and make all the suggested reports but, what bothers me the most is that what if anything can truely be done about it. If they're based in India somewhere why can't the American goverment contact the Indian goverment and force them to find them and take care of them once and for all.
My husband and I live pay check to pay check like so many other Americans and it really pisses me off they there's people out there in our own country trying to scam people out of there hard earned money and now we have to put up with other countries doing the same damn thing!!!
These people need to get REAL jobs and live like the rest of us!!!!!
schauss_katie@yahoo.com
This is an extortion racket. They are just criminals, the "debt" is fake, and they cannot "sue", "arrest", or do anything else. As long as they think they might get money from you, they will keep harassing you.
You might change your phone number to a new unlisted number, and have the phone company provide no forwarding number. You have already notified the police, so also notify your employer.
If calls slip through, either tell them you have notified the FBI and are recording the call as evidence, or just hang up.
One question regarding their activities, and how they are getting access to U.S. consumer information:
Have you made any applications for payday loans on-line? If so, do you know the URLs, and what information did you provide in the applications, vs. what information do they claim to have (SSN, DOB, address, employer, relatives, etc.)?
In other words, are they getting their information solely through phony "payday loan" websites, or do they also show evidence of access to other sources of information, possibly credit reports or search services?
They are, however, vulnerable at two points:
1) Their phone provider. They may be using VoIP, but most likely use the same carrier even though they may change phone numbers frequently.
2) Their method of getting the money transferred.
If the scam got that far, how did they say payment should be sent?
Western Union?
MoneyGram?
Other?
They have been harassing my employer, and being abusive to the office staff, and not believing them when they told him I wasn't working there anymore. My employer is about to file charges against them. I have had with them. If I talk to them they will be sorry, because I will be just as abusive as they have been to my coworkers. I would love to sick immigraton after them.
I got another call from one of them, but I think he just changed his name cause his voice sounds famailiar. Cash Advance had a warning on their website about Collection Frauders. I will let them know that I am on to their scamming.