Harassing Phone Calls
Complaint
Gloria Engle
Country: United States
We have been receiving unwanted phone calls from Northland Group since 5/18/2007. They call from 1-866-380-8783 every day and ask for a person whose name I've never heard before.
It seems as someone used our address and phone number in their loan application, and Northland Group is trying to collect the debt.
For some reason people from Northland Group refuse to believe that the person they are looking for is not leaving with us, and continue their harassing calls.
I submitted my complaint to FTC, but I thought I should also let know here about this issue.
Northland Group
7831 Glenroy Road
Suite 110
Edina, Mn. 55439
800-800-8191
www.northlandgroup.com
It seems as someone used our address and phone number in their loan application, and Northland Group is trying to collect the debt.
For some reason people from Northland Group refuse to believe that the person they are looking for is not leaving with us, and continue their harassing calls.
I submitted my complaint to FTC, but I thought I should also let know here about this issue.
Northland Group
7831 Glenroy Road
Suite 110
Edina, Mn. 55439
800-800-8191
www.northlandgroup.com
Comments
One guy on the internet is buying many phones, and repeatedly sueing the collection agencies. Good for him!
We have to make at least 450 phone calls a day, so we hear A LOT! If you are hostile, we can hang up on you. If you utterly refuse to pay a bill, we have the right to make one contact per day (meaning we talk to YOU once a day, and it's not verified that YOU are the right person until YOU say "yes, that XXXX is the last 4 of my social"
We dont BUY accounts. We represent creditors, they give it to us, but THEY own the debts. I have seen some messed up stuff from the CREDITORS though....I had an arrangement with one of the Resurgent capital accounts....the balance in full was setup to be paid. Before the last payment was made, the account disappeared. I checked a list of all my payments, and RESURGENT recalled the account before the last payment was made, which would have closed the account and be a done deal with the debtor.
THE CREDITORS DO THE MESSED UP STUFF, and yes....that really happened...multiple times.
Most times, I settle the accounts for the minimum, and be done with them, but the creditors are recycling the bad debts.
To the best of my knowledge...all accounts ARE verifiable and acutal debts...unfortunately most people who owe money will adamantly lie about owing it, being the easiest path is denial, so yes, we call YOU over and over, because you either sound like a liar, or we know you're one of the people who refuse to pay. I personally think we should be able to take something for your debt...as long as the debt is legitimate and owed.
All i have to say is DO NOT HANG UP! It's the worst thing you can do, it leaves the door open for us to call you again. KINDLY, talk about the debt, and WE WILL HELP YOU! we will....we're not bad people, we're just people like you in america, trying to make a living.
Why debt collections? Why not? We aren't bad people...rather, we try to help people.
The bad people are the creditors like Resurgent Capital and LVNV funding LLC who KNOWINGLY RECALL ACCOUNTS ABOUT TO BE PAID OFF, or, it gets paid off, and the reopen it. In the end, KEEP EVERYTHING IN WRITING. :-)
Merry Christmas...I'll be calling you on the 26th....to HELP YOU :-)
We're not a scam, we're not fraudulent, get over it, cooperate, and pay your bill.
If you do desire to deal with a collection agency; communicate with them in writing. If you come to make a deal for payment arrangements with the collection agency-->> GET THE AGREEMENT AND ALL TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT IN WRITING BY U.S. MAIL. NEVER, NEVER, make any payment arrangements
over the telephone. Get it in writing !
NEVER , I repeat NEVER pay a collection agency with a check by phone or credit card or debit card .
They all have a reputation of emptying peoples bank accounts.
Never pay using a paper check. Never buy a money order at your own bank,
If you do make payment arrangements, which should be in writing only. Always pay your installment by
U.S. Postal Money order only. That way the collection agency does NOT have access to your bank account number from a paper check so they can't charge your bank account without your permission.
The guy's posting I'm making this comment about is a slick piece of work !
He don't even comment about the many , many people they call and harass who are innocent victims
who have a telephone number that some past debtor had. these scam collectors call innocent people
and continue to call people who don't owe any money to anyone. They refuse to even try to call directory assistance and confirm the new owner of the telephone number.
I am telling everyone who reads this that you can sue these law breaking, scam collection agencies.
It is against federal law to call someone after being told to stop. It is against the law to call someone at work after being told to stop.
Each person needs to go online and print a copy of the-- > The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. / F.D.C.P.A.
It is your right's spelled out in federal law. EVEN IF YOU DON"T OWE ANYTHING AND YOUR THE WRONG PERSON AND THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU AND STOP CALLING.
Send them a CEASE AND DESIST LETTER. Telling them your aware of your rights under the FDCPA.
Tell them to stop all telephone calls to you, stop all calls to your work ( if applicaple ), stop calling your relatives, stop calling your neighbors, or anyone else. Tell them you will seek legal measures if they don't stop calling.
Make copies of the letter for your records and send the letter to them by-- U.S. Post Office, Certified Mail, Return receipt. Keep your receipt from the mailing, and you will receive a green post card back
by U.S. Mail where they signed for the letter. That is your proof that the collection agency received your decease and desist letter.
It's become a regular occurance where collectors return certified letters. If they do, DO NOT OPEN THE LETTER. You sent it, you know what's in it and LEAVE IT SEALED. The judge can open it in court if it comes to that and see for absolute proof what was inside. Opening it and there will be no proof that the original letter is what was sent. So leave it sealed !
Each time they call you after they receive the letter is a separate offense, $ 1000.00 set by law. Which yoou receive for each call or other violation. Keep a log of their calls before and after your certified letter is signed for by them. Make a quick note of the substance of what they said to you and you said to them in each call. If possible, and I say if possible-- take a picture of your caller I.D. showing their number, time , and date for each time they call. Call your local Attorney Bar Association and ask for attorney's in your area who specailize in Federal Fair Debt Collection Collection Practices Act Lawsuits. Tell them you want to sue a collection agency for violating the FDCPA and that you have sent the collector a certified letter , return receipt in the past telling them to stop calling you and they continued to call you.
In the current economy, attorney's are taking these type of cases on a contigency basis. They get padi only if they win your case. The court makes the collection agency pay your attorney's fee's.
You get the $ 1,000.00 FOR EACH VIOLATION. More if there are more damages to you but the
$ 1,000.00 each violation is the minimum.
Also, there are other types of violations you can get paid for such as__ if the collector tells others about you owing the debt if you are even the debtor. If the collector threatens to sue you and they dont follow thru with taking you to court to sue you, that is a violation.
I suggest everyone look online and look up ----The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Read it, know your right's. Don't be a victim of criminals. I do mean criminals. When a collection agency breaks the law such as -- The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act , which is a law. They are criminals !
People who break the law, ARE CRIMINALS.
They regularly violate , The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. They rely on most of the people not knowing the law or their rights.
SUE THE CRIMINALS IN FEDERAL COURT !!!!
Remember , COLLECTION AGENCY'S LIE !!!!!!!
As far as faxing them in, that is Northland Group's HQ ONLY FAX LINE...i mean, it gets flooded to what i hear...im down in az. The requirement to have you mail in a dispute letter via MAIL is so that we can get it done in an orderly process, although, i'm only on the phone.
Quoting Michael now...
" You can promptly stop trying to help me you worthless piece of garbage, yes you are garbage just like your post."
Wow. I'm a person, just like you, and this just happens to be the best job i could find EASILY WHILE working on my degree, so for now, i need a job without a degree, had a friend with it, and got in...although i can't stand all this complaining! It's not gonna help you!
Square one, we press F2, next call, new account, new social, new person, new number, new debt.
First, need to verify your social, so when you try to take me to court, we can go back to the recorded call and you say, YEP, XXXX (last four of social) is me, then we cant get in trouble for discussing the (confidential) debt with you, as you confirmed yourself.
Give me the number we are calling, thats all i can use, i will call you, and then i will mark it as bad. WHY? I can't get an account number because then there could be multiple phone numbers, and i dont know which one to mark as bad. Here, Michael, do this...call 877-321-4053, ask for Ryan, and tell me you saw my post online, and you need to get your number marked as bad. No supervisors, no other collectors, let me know whats up, and i'll PERSONALLY mark it as bad, because i don't need to waste your or my time if you're not even in our books, because we have no business with you.
Do it or not, if you do, i guarantee i'll take it off the account. Period.
Denzley...for every account, there is ONE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. For every ONE social security number, there is ONE person, and THAT is the person we are looking for.
Why be evasive and not answer? You owe it? you miss a payment way back? Well, the bill is still due, as in your contract that i DONT have, and WONT get, but the creditor says you owe it.
Heck, if you can give me a legitimate reason as to why you dont owe this, call the 877 number, ask for me, and I'll help you in disputing it.
If you do owe it, i'll give you the minimum settlement to close it. Check by phone is the easiest way fyi.
Those are YOUR two options....i mean, dispute, you dont owe, or pay, you do owe, that's all there is to it.
I'm no crook, never stolen anything, clear record, only there to get legitimate bills paid...thats all.
As far as calling your neighbor about YOU, we can...we can call your dog, but only one third party contact per third party to skiptrace and find info on how to contact you to get RESOLUTION. thats all! Actually, a lot of the people here are either egomaniacal or nerds, but we arent...BAD...people, i mean, neither are you.
Also, we are a member of the better business bureau, and we are about customer satisfaction....as lame as that sounds, thats the goal.
You get on the phone and start yelling at me...how am i supposed to be nice to you, and/or, help you get ANYTHING done? Think about it.
So why do i do these posts to reach out to the people on the other end of the phone?
Well, i know people on the other end of the phone, you're people like me too. I care....oddly enough, because thats not good for collections if you care, but hey, thats ME as my personality, so whatever.
I'm authentically trying to get the word out there that at least I really do wanna help resolution, and take it or not. If you dont do anything, or completely ignore us, i will sleep just fine, and you'll just lose out on a settlement or getting your number marked wrong.
Completely ignore us, and it just goes on to another agency...and on...and on....and on..........
See? I don't want people to get stuck in that cycle, Why? That's just me. Call me up, i'll help you out, and thats it.
Have a happy new year everyone, i really do wish you all the best.
Kevin Trudeau "Debt Cure$ - They Don't Want You to Know About" has a list of all the states; pg 44. 'Open Accounts (e.g., credit cards)" 3-10 yrs (10 yrs in Rhode Island! - never want to live there!!)"Written Contracts" 3-15 years. Checking this list might influence where you want to live!!!
Yes collection agencies try to collect EXPIRED DEBT! A friend of mine was getting letters repeatedly, like every month...in the hopes he wouldn't know better!!
Also, I would never pay a third party for a debt I had with another or original company.
You say the following and I quote---
"The requirement to have you mail in a dispute letter via MAIL is so that we can get it done in an orderly process, although, i'm only on the phone. "
The reason that the consumer has to send their cease and desist letter by U.S. Mail Certified, Return Receipt is for porof that holds up in court that you the collection agency was told to stop calling and or sending letters.
It has absolutely nothing to do with your office's orderly anything.
You make me sick.
ATTENTION EVERYONE___ HE IS TELLING A LIE.
DO NOT CALL HIM OR ANY COLLECTOR AT ANY TIME.
DO ALL BUSINESS BY MAIL IF YOU INSIST ON TALKING TO THIS GUY OR ANY COLLECTION AGENCY.
YOU HAVE A RECORD OF WHAT'S SAID.
OVER THE PHONE, WHERE'S THE RECORD ?
Your a stupid worthless piece of garbage.
This is a quote from you--
"If you do owe it, i'll give you the minimum settlement to close it. Check by phone is the easiest way"
How stupid you think people are ? People should NEVER make a check by phone with a collection agency !
I mean NEVER !
There are tens of thousands of times where collection agencies have taken check by phone for one amount then they charge the persons account for a really larger amount than what was agreed.
Your what's wrong with america. your dumb. You don't do a job. Your a criminal who works for criminals.
Collection agencies, yours as well regularly violate federal law, violating the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
People who violate the law ARE CRIMINALS.
The reason I'm on here is I've been receiving calls from your agency for someone that is NOT me
and who I do not know or ever known. I do not owe anyone anything. My home is paid for. My car and truck are paid for, and I have enough money than you'll ever have.
Telling the idiot criminals from your company on the phone who call my house that they have the wrong number and no such person resides here does absolutely no good.
I'm going to tell you something now. I for one am not like a lot on these sites. I AM in the process of sueing your company. Matter of fact, I meet again with my attorney this coming Friday.
After my attorney sent your company a cease and desist letter I have received as of this afternoon, 77 calls.
Each one set by statute at $ 1,000.00 which come to $ 77,000.00 and my attorney tells me he has included his attorneys fee's extra in the suit.
You speak of such things as when people receive a call from a collection agency / your agency that
the person should take time out of their life to be harassed in their own home. No one should and does not have to give any stranger who calls , their social security number, birthdate, etc.
That is private information. Even with the last four numbers of a persons social security number, it is possible to construct the entire number. The s.s. number prefix is assigned to a person by the state, region where they lives when their number was applied for.
Also , the majority of junk debt is past the statute of limitations and can NOT be collected on by legal means. Meaning the collection agency can not sue the person for a debt that is past the statute of limitations. Trying to sue someone for a debt that is past the statute of limitations is another separate violation of the FDCPA.
Most of the time the debt a junk debt buyer is trying to collect from someone does not have the proper peparwork to even sue the person for. Such as lacking the Social Security number of the person.
Example-- John Smith , Atlanta, Georgia
S.S. unknown , on and on
The collection agency calls John Smith after John Smith in the Atlanta area then moving on out farther in the state. Until they find a John Smith's who is stupid enough to give their social security number to a total stranger / collection agent over the phone to , as the collection agent says to just VERIFY IDENTITY.
Yeah, my hind end. They take the victims ( any John Smith) social security number and stick it on the
junk debt account. They start reporting that junk debt bill / account they purchased to the wron John Smith. The one who stupidly gave his social security number to;;; as the collection agent said to just verify john
Smith's number so they know it's the wrong one. Scam, Scam
That John Smith then becomes responsible for a debt he dont owe !
Ask yourselves, how does someone giving a social security number prove anything.
The real person could just give a fake number------- which they probably do.
Collection agent's want you to verify, give them your s.s. number so they can stick it on a debt that lacks
one. They dont care who pays it. Dont care who they sue to make pay it.
They call most people over and over , harassing them , knowing the person is the wrong person.
The collection agency hopes they can bully innocent people into just paying the debt / another persons debt so the calls will stop.
I hate to say but some people do actually pay some of these debts so the calls will stop.
Collection agencies also uses a term "" SKIP TRACING" WHEN THEY CALL AROUND LOOKING FOR SOMEONE.
That how a lot of times they seem to get your relatives cell numbers, work place, etc.
They call around saying their skip tracing. My cousin once worked for a loan company and told me they
would call companies and say their skip tracing on someone, give the persons name and the
company they were calling would tell them everything about the person.
My cousin said the words " SKIP TRACING " are magival words.
You get your number changed to a non published number. Give it to no one except to your mother and
say , your Visa company. Visa who your in good standing with and have no reason to not give them your number. Well, some company looking for someone with a name similar as yours calls up visa and say their Skip Tracing John Smith and need the phone number on your acct.
Visa will then be giving them your NEW non published number.
Moral of the story is--- COLLECTION AGENCIES ARE CRIMINALS !
They scam people. Innocent people.
They LIE !
Never trust a collection agency. Tell them nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Keep logs, keep records, SUE them in Federal Court !
Good Luck Everyone
Northland Group, Inc.
7831 Glenroy Rd #350
Edina, MN 55439
Lance Black - President
http://www.northlandgroup.com
Many attorneys take these cases for a percentage of the court award.
Sue them.
Stop wasting your time on here complaining to thin air.
Complaint's on here do not go to collection agency's.
Complaint's to the F.T.C. or State Sttorney General's office don't do much good if any at all.
Sue them in Federal Court. Win a money award.
Google__________ Fair Debt Collection Practices Act