erroneous collection attempts
Complaint
Mattie
Country: United States
For MONTHS we've been getting calls from this collection agency. (AFNI Collections- 866 area code) My husband and I never answer because we don't use our cell phones for anyone other than family and friends. All business is conducted on our land line. Anyway, we get calls from Afni at least twice a day, EVERY day on both our cell phones.
Today, something new! We got snail mail from them-
they are being SO generous and gracious and are offering us an opportunity to pay HALF of what we owe to Verizon. It's a "Settlement Offer". Wow... how nice of them...
Except there's one problem; we never used Verizon. Let me repeat that- We Never Used Verizon -- not now, not 5 yrs ago, not 10 yrs ago, NEVER.
I was an AT&T land line customer for 20 yrs, then a Sprint customer (cell phones) then AT&T for cell phones, then for the last 8 yrs or more- Comcast for land line. No Verizon.
I have a very common last name (along the lines of "Smith" common) so IF there ever was someone with my name who owes Verizon money from some time in the past, I am sure it's not ME and they are just "fishing" to hit it right by trying to collect from anyone in the area with my last name.... ?? Who knows. All I do know is it isn't me. Period. Lousy SCAMMERS!!
Today, something new! We got snail mail from them-
they are being SO generous and gracious and are offering us an opportunity to pay HALF of what we owe to Verizon. It's a "Settlement Offer". Wow... how nice of them...
Except there's one problem; we never used Verizon. Let me repeat that- We Never Used Verizon -- not now, not 5 yrs ago, not 10 yrs ago, NEVER.
I was an AT&T land line customer for 20 yrs, then a Sprint customer (cell phones) then AT&T for cell phones, then for the last 8 yrs or more- Comcast for land line. No Verizon.
I have a very common last name (along the lines of "Smith" common) so IF there ever was someone with my name who owes Verizon money from some time in the past, I am sure it's not ME and they are just "fishing" to hit it right by trying to collect from anyone in the area with my last name.... ?? Who knows. All I do know is it isn't me. Period. Lousy SCAMMERS!!
Comments
They buy old cheap accounts, and just blast out dunning calls and letters to any similar name they can find. They may also have posted the collection account on one of your credit reports, so check them and dispute any errors you find. If they "verify" their erroneous entry, you can sue them for damages under FCRA.
Send them a letter dispuring the alleged debt, and demanding proof you owe it. Mail it certified.
If they keep harassing you, and send no proof of the debt, file complaints with FTC and your state AG, and get an attorney and sue them for violating FDCPA. They have been sued many times, including in a class action lawsuit for sending deceptive letters in response to validation requests. In rthat case the federal judge ruled that their letter was materially deceptive, and violated FDCPA.
To find a consumer attorney, you might try www.naca.net