Phone scam

ComplaintsScamsU.S. Investigative Bureau, Crime Prevention

Complaint

0
V. Reid
Country: United States
Yesterday, we received a voice message on one of our cell phones.

Someone claiming to be "Officer Robert Richman", claimed that our number, name, and social security number had been referenced as part of a "complaint", and strongly suggested that we contact them back immediately.  The number he left was 936-657-4224.  The voice on the recording had a very thick foreign accent, perhaps Indian?, and sounded as if it had been mechanically altered.  We tried calling the number back, and got a recording suggesting that we give them our name and information and they would call us back.

We called several times trying to get through, each time becoming more convinced this was a scammer. We even attempted to look the agency up on Google to find out who they were.  We eventually cot through to them, and asked them directly who them were, and what agency they worked for.  The voice answering the phone, was the same voice that had left the recording. However he would not give his name, or who he worked for, and demanded that we tell him who we were, saying that their policy prohibited him from talking to anyone that concealed their identity.  He then went on to call us stupid for calling him, and demanded to know how we got his number.

This is absolutely a scam.

Comments

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  • 0
    Shirley
    The same thing happend to me, a few minutes ago.  I have blocked them from my phone, and I'm going to report the number right away
  • 0
    Mary
    I received the same phone call...the man said he was officer William Walter and that He had a legal case file against me. I did not respond after checking it out online THANKS
  • 0
    tj
    "officer William Walter"
    "legal case file"

    Pretty typical of their lame attempts to sound official.
  • 0
    Jenny Giltner
    I got this also. Such crap, they tried this on me a few months ago and the only thing that changed was the company name and number.
  • 0
    tom tracy
    I had it happen about a month ago and I totally lost it with the guy on the phone.. I told him if he ever called back I would have the call traced( I know that would never work but it was a new wrinkle) he started to get nasty and I closed the conversation with some nice closing remarks and never heard from them again Just now today 9/17 I got a call from a Officer Harry Johnson (being Irish myself this is a very irish name . This as*****had a think indian ascent and I almost laughed in his face.  he had my ssn etc that he most likely got from a payday site.. he said he was from the Legal Dept., U.S. Investigative Bureau (the number that came up was  (518)565-0326 and it was from Plattsburg N.Y. Not knocking the people of Plattsburg but that as I recall was a very small town , not one likely to house a  govt. office. they also tried my cell 5 seconds later.. I feel badly for the people that are frightened by these a*******but i want them found and prosecuted .. how do we do that ????????  I hope everyone jams their freaking phone lines ..
  • 0
    tj
    They are probably calling from India or Pakistan.

    If you want to exact maximal damage, get a local reporter to do a story on their scam.
  • 0
    dee
    | 1 reply
    I received a call from someone today stated they are from the state investgation department saying I have outstanding payday loans. He had a very strong accent from who knows where. I have 24 hours to give them a payment from a ATM card when I asked when did I take out this loan he said last year and when asked again he said in June 2010. I informed him that I was recording the called he said let me transfer you to someone else. Once I hang up the phone after stating harassment and not to called my job again. I received a voicemail stating to call 760/561-3555 if I dont call today I will be arrested. I receive these calls every month around the same time from a different number. When ask if I could receive something in the mail am told NO. The number shows up on called ID as 0000 or 052797815
    • 0
      jody replies to dee
      Its a scam i have the same number also ..stupid overseas people
  • 0
    SJ
    These guys are so frustrating. I got a call at 7:30 in my area and I told them that I was going to call my local law enforcement and file a harrament compliant on them because by law they are not support to call my home before 8 on a weekday. I told him I needed his supervisor and an address so I can send a police officer to where he was located and he would get arrested. Of course he did not give the info, but the phone calls has stopped a little. If any one has extra time here are the phone numbers from my caller id. 425-777-7506, 760-561-3555, 406-426-3143 all my bessing to you...
  • 0
    Sandals
    Ok. so I have been getting these calls and messages on my voicemail.  So I decided I would just call them.  I told them I knew it was a scam and everything and they would hang up on me.  I kept calling back. I think I might of called like 20 times mostly they would pick up the phone and hang it back up.  Once someone answered I said  will stop calling you guys if you guys will stop calling me. They hung up.  So I kept calling again...and eventually they picked up the phone and said they will not call anymore.  So we will see.  They tell me they are from the Lawfirm of ACS or the Legal department of ACS.  The two numbers that call me are 9095394075 and 6469188890.  James Johnson or Frank Scott.  I have called back and spoke with Stacie...and she wasn't very happy with me because I kept calling. LOL
  • 0
    Sandals
    Well as of today I still haven't heard anymore calls!!!
  • 0
    tj
    In essence, "diplomacy" is based on tit-for-tat.
  • 0
    Rodeogal53
    I had a call from the "US Crime Prevention Dept." today, a Mr. Tom Scott, in california about an old payday loan my husband had 3 years ago. His number was +714-242-5916  and said my husband was going to be prosecuted if I didn'y pay this minute.
  • 0
    j bradley
    so today I also got a call from some man with an heavy indian or pakistanian accent saying I owe for a pay day loan. I told him to take me to court. the calls stopped. His alias is officer. patrick wilson from the US Investigative crime bureau. his number is 1-419-570-9140. I hope this helps someone who is afraid and gets scammed. I read these articles and this helped me alot. So thanks to everyone that posted this information. I did phone number reverse and its a landline from tellecommunications. I told him the police wanted to talk to him and he lost his accent. be careful....
  • 0
    Jen
    they have called me 48 times in 5 minutes
  • 0
    Dee
    Today received a voice message from William Walter 518-250-7539. I called the number back and a voice mail picked up with William Walter on it but saying a different name and he was the supervisor lol. If I wouldn't have googled and found this site I would be a little concerned because they stated my name address and last four digits of my social security number. Thanks everyone for this site and there comments. I will not be scammed and the next time they call I will be ready for them.
  • 0
    chouse
    I received what sounded like collection calls @ my place of business, stating that I had failed to pay for a payday loan taken out online.  The first company that phoned me,ACLU, was in New York; all of those I spoke with had heavy 'Indian' accents.  They had my social security number, bank account number, routing number, address, date of birth, drivers lic. number, etc.  They could not provide me with sufficient info as to when the debt occurred and finally said I was going to have to come to New York & go to court if I didn't pay.  This went on over a period of about 3 months.  They were EXTREMELY hostile.  A week after that, I received a call from another 'legal deptarment' looking to collect monies owed,  US Investigative Bureau of Crime & Prevention.  Same thick accents.  Same story. Deon Scott called me, and then transferred me to his supervisor, Tom Scott.  Their # is 518-250-7539.  The scary part of all of this: They faxed (wouldn't email, fax only - they said the internet is unsafe) me a copy of an old on-line payday loan application with all of my info on it, except that they had left some other person's name in the form instead of mine in one area.
  • 0
    JJ
    Got a phone call today on my cell and at my work from Officer Robinson of the US Crime Bureau from phone number 469-342-0067 which is a cell phone out of Allen, TX a town just outside of Dallas.  Heavy Foreign accent.  When I called back I got a woman that answered the phone "Hello".  Not US Crime Bureau.  I have been getting these phone calls off and on for the past year.  They will start for about a week and then stop for several months.  She proceeded to tell me about the lawsuit that will be downloaded under my name and SSN and that documentation will be sent to my home address and to my employer and supervisor so that they can  find out what kind of employee they have working for them.  I started laughing.  I told her that by law, she could not notify my employer, and then I asked her if she was familiar with the Fair Dent Collections Act?  She said "Yes" . I said "Good, then I won't have to worry about suing the US Crime Bureau for contacting me at work."  Legally, a debt collector cannot contact you at work if you notify them, either in writing or on a recorded line.  At the beginning of the conversation she told me that I was on a Federally recorded line.  (I doubt it).  She told me to have my attorney contact her, she wanted to speak to someone professional. And then she hung up.  I called back 17 times until she finally answered, and told her they better  not ever call me again,  or I would make their life miserable.    I don't have a problem calling all hours of the day and night, over and over again, of course, I didn't tell them that
  • 0
    jwilson
    Same calls started comming in on my phones this week 3/12/11 they started.  I ussually do not answer calls like this, but i happened to be fed up with the harrassment.  Same scam, US crime bureau, i owed outstanding loan with some bogus payday loan company.  I know damb well I do not owe a payday loan company.  But he did have my address, ss#, phone #'s etc.  I told the guy i would track him and his cronies down, like i track down bear in Alaska.  I was on to his location, and i would be intouch with his phony A**.  Anyway, he started saying mother f******, and i said I'll be seeing you!  F*****...  I would enjoy hunting this guy on a game preserve, it would be fun to wound him, and then...
  • 0
    m
    I received the same phone calls, they are continue to call and threating me that an officer will come to my work or home to arrest me if you don't provide information for them to charge it, phone my phone it shows 21260651911, but I also received call with 052-797-815, he said he will send the sheriff to in me in jail.
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