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
Proves nothing, settles nothing, yet probably cons some people into paying them while they have still provided no proof at all.
"Providian" is a likely choice in faking "debt", since with it's purchace by WAMU, which then was merged with Chase, it is highly unlikely that anyone could prove a "Providian debt" was fake, so it's a safe name to use in a scam.
Other common names they have used, as reported by other consumers who have claimed they had no such debt, have included "HSBC" (which purchased Household and Beneficial, creditors to many subprime CC accounts, just like Providian), and "First National Bank of Delaware", which as far as I have been able to find out, was closed down by FDIC half a decade ago, yet still shows up with these "payday loan" websites, but missing any contact location information.
http://bestpaydayloanready.com/tag/first-nati ... e-payday-loans/
http://www.easypaydayaccept.com/index.php?c=w ... 20Of%20Delaware
One way, untraceable "contact", with no physical mailing address, isn't exactly a sign of "legitimacy".
So far, their choices of reported alleged "creditor" primarily appear to fit one of two patterns:
1) similar to some old account from a credit report, possibly with partial or inaccurate information. Some consumers have reported checking with this creditor and finding that the "debt" was either not owed, or not transfered to this company,
2) totally unrecognized account with a "plausibly deniable" creditor like the above cases.
I knew someone who worked for this outfit - at the time that I knew him, 1995-1998, he was living in San Francisco and running down potential victims in the Bay area. What I knew about this person was this: he was a convicted felon, a Vietnam Vet with a nasty drug problem who managed to get his hands on an old oil tanker truck with which he siphoned gasoline off from the oil refineries in Contra Costa county. I believe that the official charge was Larceny, a financial crime, big time. But this person was in possession of his victims' social security numbers, their addresses, where they work, the names and contact information of relatives and friends, employers and co-workers, where they attended school, where THEIR CHILDREN attended school...and this guy was the sleaziest criminal I'd ever come across - mind you, I've not a lot of experience with these types. But, he was 'impressive' in his creepiness. He also bragged about being able to 'ruin someone's credit with only a phone call.' He might've been implying that he could call Experien and mark up someone's credit with only his say-so. I could go on at length about how creepy this fellow was but what really concerns me is that the agency that he worked for hired (such a person as) him and entrusted him with such personal information in the first place.
I just want to know if your reliable source knows
if it is the same person(s)
that I think is behind all this?
West Virginia requires all debt collectors to be licensed and bonded, even out of state ones. Sadly, California does not require specific debt collection licensing, nor does it require bonding. Southern California is becoming Buffalo West.
"Legal defense" is to "disappear", which is another indication that this was always just a criminal scam.
Looks like "Resident47" also caught the simjilarity to the Corona Scam.
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/08 ... fing_global.php
"...
Crime-iny
Woman Wins $10 Million "Spoofing" Judgment Against No-Show Santa Ana Debt Collection DickwadsBy Matt Coker Thu., Aug. 18 2011 at 4:30 PM
Mey first received a call on May 27, 2010, from a woman about a debt her son supposedly owed. The person on the phone shared information about Mey's home, something that alarmed her because she had just used it as collateral for a loan to finance her newly opened coffee shop.
She called a number the woman gave for further instructions and received an "evasive" response and the names of several companies. Her son, who knew nothing about owing any debt, called and was provided a credit card name he did not recognize. Using a credit reporting service, he discovered his records had been accessed by RFA of Santa Ana--the same day his mother received the first call.
The son sent RFA a letter about being mistaken about the debt and asked that the company stop calling his mother. Mey then started getting several calls on her cell phone on June 13, 2010, from what the caller ID identified as the Ohio County Sheriff's Department. She contacted the sheriff's department twice thinking the calls were about security concerns with her coffee shop, but she was informed each time that no one at the department had tried to contact her.
Three days later, Mey received another call her caller ID again stated was from the sheriff's department, but this time an unidentified man on the line was "very vile and very vulgar," she later said. And threatening. Her attorney would call it a "sexual assault."
Mey began recording the call, which is allowed under West Virginia law. Afterward, she dialed 9-1-1 to report that someone at the sheriff's department had threatened her. Deputies came to her home and informed her she had likely been "spoofed."
Frightened and home alone, Mey called for her son to come spend the night and went to bed with a gun. She followed up by performing an Internet search of the phone number she was originally instructed to call--and discovered there were several complaints about it from all over the country. (See more on the next page.) She then filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, spoke with the U.S. district attorney and filed the suit that led Judge Martin Gaughan to award her $10 million in damages.
But Mey's attorney says that while Global AG LLC responded to the initial lawsuit--and even discussed filing for an extension--the company ultimately ignored a court summons. The News-Register reports the chairs designated for defense counsel sat empty in the courtroom as Gaughan ruled for Mey.
Here is a sampling of comments left by others about Global AG on a website that tracks unknown callers:
•Aggravated, 20 Oct 2009: These people are calling my place of employment and not identifying themselves telling me that I have a case no. and they are trying to serve me with court papers. I refused to talk to them or give them any information and they threatened to serve me on my job. They are very rude and they are trying to use scare tactics. I want this to stop and these people to stop harrassing others. If a debt is owed, there is a way of going about collecting it professionally and without harassing calls at your workplace!
•None, 25 Nov 2009: They called me a few times, and threatened an arrest warrant would be issued. A few weeks later someone called from our local sheriff's dept and said to call global ag right away or a warrant will be issued. I called the number on my ID back and sure enough it was the sherriff's department. Funny thing the person who said they were the police would not give their name, they just told me to call the collection agent. Seems fishy!
•LegalLady, 12 Mar 2010: Get wise, this was not the Sheriff's Department. By law all deputies must identify themselves when they are asked or when they answer the phone. They have set up a number which will respond "Sheriff's Department" Get wise do not let them upset you. They cannot arrest you for a civil claim. A debt (you owe money to someone) is a civil claim, not a criminal action. The only type of debt that is a criminal action would be a "nsf check" returned by your bank.
•WhatIsThis, 29 Dec 2009: I received a a call from this number, said her name was Hope Martin, and she said they have a legal matter that may be fraud, and that I may be hiding assets for my son, and they want all my financial information, and they are going to serve a summons on me to appear in court, that my son had tried to handle this debt on his own, but unfortunately had only made one payment...that he was going to be sued for fraud. They also called my father in law, who is 90 years old, and said they were going to serve him with a summons, that he may be hiding assets.
•DontGiveIn, 20 Jan 2010: Hope Martin called my 82 year old mother stating she is being sued for an old credit card from back in 2000. Told my mother she could settle but would have to pay $1,800.00 to avoid going to court and possible jail. My poor mother paid this on her credit card. I called her creidit card and explained what had happened, her credit card company put the money back on her account and said they would contact Global ag to let them know this was being disputed they also advised me to file a complain with the FTC which I did. We pulled my moms credit report and the debt they were calling about was less then $600 and had been paid to a collection company what they were looking at simply stated sold to another company and right below that the name was the company it was paid to which stated original paid and had the same account number you would think they would have picked up on that. They have no right to say they can send the police to pick you up if you dont pay them right away only a judge can issue an arrest warrant.
On the other side of the, uh, coin, there was this, from Feb. 19, 2010:
•WeCantBeStopped: What a waist [sic] of space. I will write a bunch of [***] on here also. You can't stop us! We will always be just a phone call away and best of all it will be you who we will be calling because you can't and don't know how to pay your bills. Your dumb a$$ thinks that by writing a bunch of [***] it will stop us from calling. You cant stop us! YOU ARE ALL DEADBEATS, WE WILL FIND YOU AND TAKE YOUR MONEY!!! We will make your mother cry. We will make your daughter fall in love. We will make your wife/husband wish they never married your poor a$$. Yes, you sorry pathetic peaces of [***] there will never be anything you can do to stop us.
..."
https://800notes.com/forum/ta-3cc0be064ac04b8 ... ofing-caller-id
"....
Me replies to Don Wallace
11 Sep 2011
@Don Wallace: You are uninformed about how the legal system works. I am the plaintiff in this case and I have not paid - nor will I ever pay - a penny to the very courageous lawyers that represented me -- until the judgment is collected.
As far as people being arrested - I attempted that route -- and got no where.
For your information, California - where this company operates - stopped regulating debt collectors a few years ago - and I suspect that's why so many of them are based there now.
There are literally hundreds of complaints about this company on 800notes. With the size of this judgment, there is a huge incentive to track the perpetrator down and make them pay. We are working on it.
Incidentally, the article linked above doesn't come anywhere close to expressing the vulgarity and perversity of the verbal sexual assault that I was subjected to. Here are more details:
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/557911.html
The complaints about this company strongly suggest that I am far from the only person they have terrorized.
...
Resident47
11 Sep 2011
This Reliant Financial Associates / Global Attorney Group (GAG?!) bunch sounds so much like the Indian/[***] fake collectors I began to wonder if that's the reason they're so elusive. It bears reminding, though, that several collectors on American soil have used the same playbook.
This may be coincidental, but there are parallels to an Ohio firm, Reliant Recovery Solutions / Reliant Capital Solutions. They reportedly handle back tax and municipal debt, but in a deceptive manner. Several victims have reported taking calls from reps posing as from the Ohio Attorney General office, if you can believe the gall. The phantom name aspect also reminds me of the Pacific Management Group collections criminals in Corona CA, who seem to rotate business names like socks in a dresser drawer.
(Orange County)
..."
http://reliantfinancialassociates.com/
17602 17th St. Ste 102-10
Tustin CA 92780
501 N Golden Circle Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92705
RFA
Reliant Financial Associates
Global AG
Global Attorney Group
866-764-9779
877-906-7972
"process server" call to friend.
"HSBC" is sure popular for these fake "debt" scams.
"#325" trumped up to "$6630.33". Indicates they are pulling credit reports, and faking from old account information.
Not clear how the "put the $6 thousand on my home loan" gambit is played.
Maybe they are fishing to get you to put it on a credit card, even a friend or relatives.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-764-9779/6
"...I got 3 calls-also one to a friend of mine. Jennifer told me the debt was $ 6630.33 for HSBC. Gee I had only owed $ 325.00 last I checked. She did the same thing told me she would put the $6 thousand on my home loan. We do not have a home loan!!!!! She was going to put it on my friends loan. Said it was my address and they could do that.
..."
Note the "anyone know who this is" initial post.
"Chelsea
5 May 2010
Anyone knows who this is?
..."
Although these appear innocent, they frequently show up as first posts with fake debt scam complaint threads, and in particular with the Corona Scam. May actually be an initial shill post, to get the thread going.
Names and writing style have similarities to this one, 7 months later.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-906-7972
"Gabriel
7 Dec 2010
Any idea who could call from this phone number.
..."
Spoofing and impersonating the Clerk of the county court.
May be this type of spoofing that got the judge to agree to the $10 Million judgement.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-697-3175
"...
Lynie
12 Jul 2011
I was also called and told I had to call 866-697-3175. The caller id showed up as a number for the clerks office of my local district court. The message on my answering machine stated that there was legal documentation being sent out thru the clerks office to accept and sign off on and that the call was to verify someone would be home at the residence (two days later) on a Thursday between 8 am and 4 pm to sign for legal documents thru the clerks office. They stated I had 24 hours to call back or they would assume the property and employment was verified. I was then given a case number. I called the 866-697-3175 number and a women answered corporate office how may I help you and I hung up.
..."
Note answer "corporate office" is consistent with a scam using multiple aliases, and identically matches Corona Scam.
Corona Scam style "legal ambiguity.
" Legal Claims Services; RF & Associates"
Use of ".biz" website, same as Corona Scam.
jpc@rfassociates.biz
DNS used to exist. Now points to nonexistent IP address.
http://luxsci.com/errors/parked.html
Both addresses are mail drops, as expected.
Note use of the term "litigation firm", a Corona Scam style ambiguous language threat (like "filing firm").
Note report that they pulled a credit report, also matches Corona Scam MO.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-764-9779/3
"...
Shannon
1 Oct 2010This is RF & Associates (bill collector). They are a bunch of scum bags and will cuss you out and threaten to serve you papers. They pose as working for law enforcement or court or say they're a litigation firm. Don't give these idiots a penny even if you do owe something! Make them send you legal documentation of the bill. They are required by law to show written proof. Also, file a complaint about them through the FTC or your district attorney if they're doing things illegally (which is the only way they do business). Something needs to be done about them!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another phone number of theirs is: 877-801-4141 (the lady answered the phone "corporate" but she was about as smart as the first guy who called me) I told her I refused to fax her anything proving this bill was paid and said I would only certify mail her.
She gave me this address:
17602 17th St. Suite 102-10
Tustin, CA 92780
I looked at my credit report and they pulled one of my credit reports a couple weeks ago and that address is:
501 N. Golden Circle Dr S
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Caller: RF & Associates
Call Type: Debt Collector
..."
1) Credit inquiry tied to Santa Ana mail drop, Riverside County, same as Corona.
2) Answer "corporate office", same as Corona Scam, consistent with call center.
3) Credit report access capability, pierced CRA vetting process.
4) Fake debts by pulling credit reports to get real information.
5) Fake "process server" calls.
6) "Process server" calls friend, skip tracing capability.
7) Impersonate law enforcement and court employees.
8) Spoof caller id to "911", to impersonate local sheriff.
9) Fake "lawsuit" threats, "case number" act.
10) Fake arrest threats.
11) Shill posts to complaint threads.
12) Spoofed caller id, consistent with call center PBX capabilities.
13) Layered LLCs, including Wyoming LLC owning CA LLC, same as 2 other early Corona Scam LLC pairs.
14) Only mail drops.
15) Use of .biz website, like Corona Scam "filing service" websites.
16) Use of identity hiding and abandonment to evade lawsuit.
Pro:
Profile and degree of sophistication matches Corona Scam profile.
Missing:
No direct link to other Corona Scam entities
Odds: >50%, this is another Corona Scam front.
Trackable by business licenses with cities, DBA filings with county, and LLC filings with SOS. Corona Scam appears "legal" with licenses, DBAs, and LLCs, although not always under all their names.
For $10 Million, its worth the search, since Begley and friends have property and assets. Worth a subpoena to the mail drops and the phone company that provided services to the 3 phone numbers.
Global AG Wyoming LLC:
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571656
Filing No: 2009-000571656
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
National FC, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571657
Filing No: 2009-000571657
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
BINGO!
Global AG LLC (Wyoming) was initially filed 06/29/2009, with a filing number of 2009-000571656.
National FC LLC (Wyoming), a known Corona Scam front, was initially filed 06/29/2009, with a filing number of 2009-000571657.
Same DATE, sequential filing numbers.
That they are NOT related defies probability.
There is now a $10 Million judgement against one of the Corona Scam.
Portfolio MG, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571659
Filing No: 2009-000571659
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
From Wyoming PDFs:
Portfolio MG:
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Global AG:
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
National FC:
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Address in filings is just a UPS Store in Sparks NV.
The UPS Store
1285 Baring Blvd
Sparks, NV 89434
775-356-8000
United Holding Services, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571640
Filing No: 2009-000571640
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager bobby Joe Lambert"
First Grant Holdings, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571641
Filing No: 2009-000571641
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Technology Services & Solutions, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571642
Filing No: 2009-000571642
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Capital Nation Services, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571647
Filing No: 2009-000571647
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
American FP, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571649
Filing No: 2009-000571649
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
One FC, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571650
Filing No: 2009-000571650
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Capital FC, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571652
Filing No: 2009-000571652
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Credit MP, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571653
Filing No: 2009-000571653
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
United CC, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571655
Filing No: 2009-000571655
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Global AG, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571656
Filing No: 2009-000571656
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
National FC, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571657
Filing No: 2009-000571657
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
Portfolio MG, LLC
https://wyobiz.wy.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?FilingNum=2009-000571659
Filing No: 2009-000571659
Initial Filing: 06/29/2009
"Manager Bobby Joe Lambert"
As for access to personal information, once they fool the CRAs and skip-trace companies to become clients, what do they care?
It appears that California does not currently require either specific licensing of debt collectors, or bonding. When California has gone after debt collectors, it appears to have been by the CA AG, or possibly the Dept. of Corporations, rather than a specific debt colletion regulation agency.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-699-3773
Statewide Associates Group
1241 E. Ontario Ave. Suite 102-216
Corona, CA 92881
They appear connected, by common MO, as well as by common LLC structures and initial filing dates and filing numbers, and use of same incorporation service.
A whole cluster of Wyoming LLCs was set up on 06/29/2009, including both this new name, and old names known to be connected to Corona.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/QrqUYTUISgCLBgjMeJtSCQ/29