Harassment
Complaint
Debra M. Persiano
Country: United States
I got a call today at home from a man stating he was a process server for Collin County DA's Office and he is with the Sheriff's office and needed to come serve a warrant on me. I was shocked and asked why? He stated do you live ....are you still at this address are you now at this address and I stated who are you? He again, stated he was from the county going to serve court papers on me today. He gave me a toll free number for what he stated was the county's office which is 1 866.872.6116 gave me a case no. which he called a Cause No. 008307-TX. I called the number was transferred to a Mr. Fisher's office who stated that law suite in the amount of $6,214.24 was filed in Collin Co., Tx and that warrant was out for me. He then after back and forth said let me get more information from my secretary and state this was for an outstanding debt in from Capital One a credit card that I obtained several years back and had disputes over interest charges etc. He stated that if I did not want to go to court or jail that I could pay $1,951.00 in full by end of business today and this matter could be cleared up. I explained that I recently lost my job etc. Anyway, he stated that I needed to call him back by EOB today or they will serve the papers. Ok, so that was a heads up for me. I called the DA's office nothing is filed on me as of today, after searching PMG it is clear that they do not practice best practices for collections and have been in trouble for this before back in 2004. I need someone to give me advise. I want to pay off my debt, I don't want this type of collections to continue this upset me, made my blood pressure raise, this type of collections are not the right thing to do. Had they called and ask to make arrangements or give me an opportunity to clear the matter, rather then threaten me by taken legal action, or harassment stating they are sending a sheriff over today. This is wrong, bad business, and should not continue this company is bad news.
Comments
If people are reporting them to the authorities, how can they continue to keep this scam going year after year? I know people are easily intimidated, but why can't the AUTHORITIES get these people?
Note allegations of withholding and employment tax violations.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/collection-agency-s/rincon-management-se/rincon-management-services-joh-53e2f.htm
"Report: #691781
Complaint review: Rincon Management Services
Reported By: a420chick (Riverside California United States of America)
Rincon Management Services John Cook- "Operations Manager" Labor Law violations, Federal Tax Evasion/Fraud Corona , California
...
Rincon Management Services
495 E Rincon St. Suite 201
Corona California 92879
United States of America
Phone: 909-771-9752
Category: Collection Agency's
Submitted: Monday, February 07, 2011
Posted: Monday, February 07, 2011
I recently responded to a craigslist post for a Collections job in Corona Ca. I sent my resume to the link in the post and within two hours I got a call from a guy named John Cook. He got my email and wanted me to come in for an interview the following day. When I arrived at Rincon Management Services I opened the door and walked into a small room crammed with desks and people. Connected to that room was another small office full of desks and then a larger room with even more desks manned with people. It was a standard call center, the cheap kind… John Cook wasn’t even there! He was called on his cell phone by his little brother who worked there and told him to have me sit with a gal and listen in to her calls. I sat there for an hour as she navigated a data base of people owing credit debt.
When she actually was able to reach the point of contact she informed them that she needed to confirm he/she would be available to accept legal documents from a process server. She went on to explain a civil action was being brought against him/her and a that a notice to appear in court would be delivered by process service that day! If she was able to confirm the point of contact and address was good she gave him/her “the phone number to the legal office handling the civil action against you and the case number associated with the civil action. She told the person they would have to contact that number for more information. The phone number that was given rang within the same room!!! Not a legal office at all!! The people who took those calls were called “closers” and they were the ones who demanded payment to settle the matter out of court.
After an hour of waiting for John Cook I left. He called me an hour later and offered me a job, wanting me to start that day even! I told him I would start Monday but that I wanted to meet with him prior to that to ask some questions (since he wasn’t at the interview). I went in the following day and my first question was in regards to my “Employment Status”. He told me everyone there was an “Independent Contractor/1099” and pay was commission only. They didn’t withhold any employment tax including half of Social Security Tax and they didn’t pay into Unemployment Insurance or Worker’s Comp. Insurance. Clearly the people working there were not “Independent Contractors” considering not one of the IRS’s rules regarding Independent Contractor Status was being met. My comment to John Cook was “Well that’s not exactly legal, is it?” He played dumb for a moment, telling me he was “confused”.
I continued on, beginning to explain the basics of 1099 status as determined by the IRS (not him) and he basically through me out of his office! “Let’s cut to the chase here, this just isn’t gonna work out! You can go now” and with that he stormed out of his office clearly agitated. He wouldn’t even look me in the face after that and ignored my efforts to thank him for his time and shake his hand good bye. I simply smiled and casually walked out the door…all eyes on me as I did. Not only is this company scamming people out of money, their exploiting their employees to do it and participating in California’s “Underground Economy”. This place needs to be shut down for good! Oh an by the way, they are NOT overseas they are in Corona Ca. off the 15 frwy! I have listed the physical address of the call center for anyone who wants to confront these crooks!! Have fun…John Cooks phone number is 909-771-9752. He wrote the script that is used to scam people out of their money, he is listed as the Operations Manager…
..."
For those being harassed by this company everything they say is a lie. The first line has a script and the company they list does not exist.
The closers are worse. I heard some very mean lying threats.
Here is the worst part though for the debtors being called. Some of the workers are young kids trying to work anywhere they can and some are thugs. Some were on parole from prison. No one gives any information when hired until they get a check. There are many people here that would do anything just to survive. This company gives total unchecked strangers full access to the debtors social security numbers, relatives, phone numbers, addresses. I hope someone does something about them. The employment ads are in Craigslist Inland Empire every day.
Reports are that the Corona Police Department has been forwarding complaints to that FBI office.
http://morenovalleyjobspot.com/moreno-valley-management-jobs_3.html
"Dedicated Professionals WANTED!! - (Corona)
Job Listing Created: Friday, April 8, 2011
We have Immediate positions available. Must have customer service skills, and have a good work ethic. We are looking for dedicated, PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, and in return offer the best training and advances will be negotiated based on performance, work ethic and capabilities. We have numerous locations in Riverside County. Please contact John @ (909) 771-9752 if you are interested in the position. Our successful collectors come from fields in telemarketing, sales, telephone customer service, management and a wide variety of other skilled trades. We do not pay hourly. Our success comes from self-managed individuals that will be paid as a 1099 independent contractor. If you are a highly skilled bill collector, please call John direct. Please read the ad carefully before calling. We pay COMMISSION ONLY. Please do not reply by email. Contact Mr. John Cook @(909)771-9752
•Location: Corona
•Compensation: Comm+Bonus+Residual
..."
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-401-6202
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/sls/2267606722.html
"Immediate Openings for Debt Collectors!! We are looking for dedicated, PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES with great people skills. Must be coachable and have GREAT work ethics. Our successful collectors come from fields in telemarketing, sales, telephone customer service, management and a wide variety of other skilled trades. My top producer is earning 12k+ per month. She’s only been with the company for 8 months. We keep the environment designed for growth and focus. Our success comes from hard working individuals who work well as a team. We offer the BEST TRAINING!!!! We are paid as a 1099 independent contractor. We are not paid hourly. If you are a highly skilled bill collector or want to be, call John direct. Please read the ad carefully before calling. We pay COMMISSION ONLY, (33%). Our 7 offices are located in Corona. Please contact John Cook @ (909) 771-9752 Mon-Fri. between 8 am -5 pm.
Do not let this opportunity pass you by.
..."
High turnover?
Rapid expansion?
Are they running 7 actual call center sites?
TRY THIS:
LOWELL H MEYER = PACIFIC MANAGEMENT (check out www.ripoffreport)
THIS IS WHERE HE HIDES.
C & W Investments
(909)861-2290
556 N Diamond Bar Blvd Diamond Bar CA, 91765
why hasn't anybody been able to stop this fraud?
There is a split in disclosure of the deception, with closers playing the con game on the inside of the scam, while routine employees handling phones are kept in the dark, and compartmentalized with a cover story (various mythical dispute and compliance procedures, possibly with "training" to preserve the illusion) to maintain credibility with the gullible minimum wage phone drones. In effect the deception must have two faces, outward toward the target consumers, and inward toward most of the employees.
High turnover maintains the illusion of "accidental mistakes", serving as a cover for the business model based on systematic fraud. Col. North taught us the role of a loose chain of command in supporting a covert operation with "plausible deniability" to protect the key perpetrators. You only need keep a level of doubt and uncertainty in the minds of your targets and even the authorities, as they weigh risk that these "debts" are real, or the cost of suing against the possiblity of losing.
The tactics indicate the perpetrators are subject to no such risk calculation, since they are already hiding under many names, probably systematically hide the profits, and the closers are adept at crossing over the line while maintaining deniability should they get caught, as seen in the recordings.
There are multiple parallel groups of these "companies" (with several waves of LLC creation), some of which have obtained access to credit reports (reportedly through Experian) and skip-trace services, just like real debt collectors.
There is a history of similar operations in that area of southern California, and one, D.C. Brown & Associates, operated out of Corona itself. Not sure whether it is still in operation, or whether the Corona Cluster are related to others in southern California, but the M.O. is very similar.
He has been running money scams on the public for years.
Did you get a 1099 when you left?
What did they tell you during "training"?
What pretense of "compliance" do they claim to have?
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/EOCyDbSpRAC7TgjJ3Y3HJg
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/VfSmDLxkRQB6WgjJrh3rHw
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/EpcWc3C5PQC8egjMejmoYg
There would be no audit trail showing employment and withholding tax payments from which to determine the size of the operation and the amount of money funnelled through it. 1099s may or may not actually be issued, and with high turnover, there would even be an excuse to not issue them for amounts under the reporting threashold. No doubt, the "contractors" won't complain. Again, chaos provides "plausible deniability".