pay day loan that was paid off back in 2008
Complaint
karey mueller
Country: United States
man called yesterday left number to call back on my machine at work. Said he needed info about a check. When I called back told them I had prove that this had been taken care of. He wanted me to fax it over. Well I am not going to fax over a bank statement. Gentlemen already had my social security number and my email address. The number came across caller id as 719-387-0384. Gave me number to call back as 877-787-5582 Ext/ 271 Name is Will. Fax # is 702-463-8752.
Comments
They operate out of Nevada, but for a while they were apparently operating unlicensed, and the Nevada Department of Financial Institutions, which regulates both debt collectors and payday lenders, had to track them down due to complaints.
Numerous complaints against FFG report that they claim to be collecting on "a bad check", which is a common deceptive collection tactic implying a threat that you might be prosecuted for passing a bad check for failing to pay off a delinquent payday loan. Several consumer complaints also include details consistent with common fraudulent "debt collection" schemes to collect on fabricated or fake "payday loan debts".
The West Virginia Attorney General recently sued them over illegal unlicensed debt collection from WV residents in connection with invalid payday loans originating with a defunct payday lender that had agreed to cancel those debts in a settlement. Apparently, they failed to respond to the WV AG's investigative subpoena.
You should be very careful about paying any debt you have any doubt about, especially when you are being threatened. Federal and state laws place many restrictions on what debt collectors are allowed and required to do, and allow for penalties when they fail to follow the law.
It has become an increasingly common scam for both real and fake debt collectors to collect on fake "debts" through illegal phone threats. In fact, the more extreme and illegal the threats, (especially including threats of arrest, threats that you have already been sued, or threats indirectly through relatives or through coworkers), the more likely the threats are being used as part of a fraudulent collection scheme.
All debt collectors are required to comply with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which includes requirements that debt collectors notify consumers in writing within 5 days that they can dispute and request proof of alleged debts. If you dispute or request verification of the alleged debt within 30 days of receiving their first letter, a debt collector MUST cease ALL collection activity until proof of the debt has been obtained from the original creditor and sent to you.
FDCPA also prohibits abusive or harassing collection tactics, using deception to collect a debt, and threatening to take any action they do not intend to take or that they cannot legally take (including threatening to sue if they don't intent to or can't sue). It also prohibits threatening arrest or prosecution for debts.
If you suspect illegal and abusive debt collection, or collection on a debt you do not actually owe, or other violations of FDCPA, contact FTC and your state Attorney General for assistance. You can also file complaints against FFG with the Nevada Department of Financial Institutions, who are beginning to get tired of them.
You might also contact a consumer protection attorney in your state, with experience in FDCPA and FCRA litigation. Since both FDCPA and FCRA allow courts to award damages and attorney fees if you win, you may be able to find attorneys willing to take such cases dealing with abusive collection on contingency. You might try www.naca.net for an attorney in your state.
"Plaintiff: Rodney Pinkett
Defendants: Rory Vohwinkel, d/b/a Rovo & Associates and North American Asset Services LLC, d/b/a Frontier Financial Group
...
Plaintiff: Rodney Pinkett
Represented By: Cathleen M. Combs
..."
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/illinois/ilndce/1:2010cv07954/250552/
"Plaintiff: Andre Jones
Defendants: Rory Vohwinkel, d/b/a Rovo & Associates and North American Asset Services LLC, d/b/a Frontier Financial Group
...
Plaintiff: Andre Jones
Represented By: Cathleen M. Combs
..."
http://www.edcombs.com/bio/CathleenCombs.asp
California law, like many states, contains provisions covering debt collection and credit reporting similar to the federal FDCPA and FCRA laws.
Specifically, look into the Rosenthal Act, which is California's version of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In some respects it contains stronger provisions than FDCPA, in that it extends compliance requirements from just debt collectors to also include original creditors.
http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/dc_2.pdf
California law can be found on-line, through ca.gov URLs. You may have to search, or inquire through the CA AG site.
California also has laws covering payday lending. (A cluster of Las Vegas payday lenders/debt collectors received a "Cease and Refrain" order from the California Department of Corporations, in connection with illegal payday lending and abusive debt collection practices that referenced those provisions.)
Also note that you can sue out of state debt collectors under federal FDCPA and FCRA in your state as well as federal courts. The wording used is something like "in any court of competent jurisdiction".
You can contact the California Attorney General.
http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/general/collection_agencies10.php#responding
You might also contact a consumer attorney licensed in California. Many will review your situation with a free consult, and many also take FDCPA violation cases on contingency since FDCPA and FCRA allow courts to award attorney fees.
FDCPA allows for awarding of actual damages, AND statutory damages up to $1000, and a collection agency and its violating debt collectors might both be liable.
You might try www.naca.net as a way to find a California attorney practicing in law in the area of FDCPA, FCRA, and consumer debt.
Mostly, they lie to get money.
http://www.edcombs.com/CM/Custom/TOCSpecial.asp
In addition, contact the Nevada Division of Financial Institutions, which is responsible for regulating debt collectors in the state of Nevada. Although they currently appear to be licensed in the state of Nevada, they had a run-in with this agency a year ago due to engaging in debt collection without any license.
http://www.fid.state.nv.us/
http://www.fid.state.nv.us/New_Sitemap.htm#Contact
Division of Financial Institutions
2785 E. Desert Inn Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Telephone: (702) 486-4120
Fax: (702) 486-4563
There are consumer complaints reporting their collection of faked "payday loans".
What do they claim is the name of the original creditor?
I have received a couple phone calls from a RORY from ROVO and associates who works with Frontier Financial Group. He states that I need to pay 3899 in full or I will be sued for my paying my best buy bill. This is the first time I have heard from anything having to do with my best buy account for 3 months. I just paid $180 on it in January and now they are telling me I am being sued because I defaulted on a credit card. They said they sent me a letter but I did not receive one and they sent me an e-mail, but it is very vague and telling me something completely different than the guy on the phone was telling me. I have looked online and most people tell me frontier financial group is a phony and just trying tog et your money, I just want to do what is right. Should I contact the original credit I was working with and figure this out because coughing up money to a company I am not sure of. They also have a D+ rating with the BBB.
Any advice would be great! Thank you.
first demand full validation..
when you opened and closed the account
all payments and charges made on the account
how they charged the interest,they always make mistakes in there favor..you want to do the math..
you want to see the contract with your signature on it..
the law is on your side..what if some payments you did make and it wasn't credited
second...check the
SOL out maybe this debt expired and you cannot be sued..you have to check the sol in your state..
third..make sure there licensed to collect monies in your state.
remember there thieves do not send them a personnel check or give them your bank info,once they get the check from you they have your account info and routing number and the banks name,,remember they got caught taking monies out of peoples account illegally.
if you decide to pay use money-orders and if they don't accept money orders then you say to them..WHEN YOU DO ACCEPT MONEY ORDERS THEN GIVE ME A CALL,believe me they will call you back,,,don't pay them until you check everything out...
also if your not working or have any assets they will not sue you there is no money to take from you so they wont sue in most cases..
If they had any sense of professionalism and duty to the public, they would assist in shutting down the fraudulent operations among their industry that are giving them the highest rates of complaints with FTC. Instead, they spout the same tired platitudes about responsibility and debt, ignoring that many people who pay their bills are being harassed by the predators in their industry, including their own peers dishonest enough to attempt collection even when they are too lazy to actually skip-trace accurately.
Using deception to collect debt is illegal. Using it to collect unowed debt from the wrong people is fraud.
SIX FIGURES YEAH RIGHT HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
your stupidity amuses me
Word is, they are on their sh*t list.
When contacted by a debt collector, always promptly dispute and request validation of alleged debts, and send your request in writing, mailed certified, in case you need to sue for continued collection without validation.
Recognize when you are being fed BS, file regulatory complaints on all violations with all agencies, and get an attorney if you need to.