Company Trying to Scam Money Using Threat of Check Fraud Charges
Complaint
Nicolette
Country: United States
I received a call from a "Bill Brooks" stating that he was trying to serve me on behalf of USC Mediations for check fraud. He gave the number of his "legal department" 877-913-2581 ext 367 which I called and spoke with a "Justin Sutton" who wouldn't give me an address or provide me with written notice of the debt they were trying to collect. The only information I was able to get from him was that they were based out of California.
I called Sonic Cash who confirmed that I don't have any outstanding debt and verified my last payment. When I called the "legal department" back and spoke with Justin again, he stated that they don't know what they're talking about and that if I didn't give them $493, I'll be charged with check fraud. I asked him for Bill's number and I can meet up with Bill to be served and he refused, stating that Bill would find me.
The only information I can find about USC Mediations is postings such as this. They're not registered with the Secretary of State. I found them on the BBB and they have an F rating with multiple complaints. I've filed complaint with the CA Attorney Generals Office as well as with the BBB.
I called Sonic Cash who confirmed that I don't have any outstanding debt and verified my last payment. When I called the "legal department" back and spoke with Justin again, he stated that they don't know what they're talking about and that if I didn't give them $493, I'll be charged with check fraud. I asked him for Bill's number and I can meet up with Bill to be served and he refused, stating that Bill would find me.
The only information I can find about USC Mediations is postings such as this. They're not registered with the Secretary of State. I found them on the BBB and they have an F rating with multiple complaints. I've filed complaint with the CA Attorney Generals Office as well as with the BBB.
Comments
It's a "con".
It sounds like you already know you don't owe them anything, and that you have already verified with Sonic Cash that you own nothing on any past loan you might have had.
BBB report, rated "F". BBB claims their mail is being returned, so their Pomona address may be bogus.
http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Collec ... na-CA-100110656
Numerous similar "shakedown" complaints, including the usual threats implying a "lawsuit", "arrest", or "prosecution", and harassing calls to third parties such as relatives, which are common with this racket. Also note reports they are impersonating local county sheriff deputies as part of this "shakedown".
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-453-8654
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-435-7109
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-454-2757
(For similar scams, just Google "serve" + "papers" + "2012", which also finds "USC" under several of their phone numbers.)
Threatening you with "being charged with check fraud" is a deceptive and illegal threat, one they won't and cannot carry out. It violates FDCPA, and attempts to extort money from you with no proof you even owe them anything. They are also engaged in illegal deceptive collection, for their illegal threat implying "prosecution" (for "check fraud") or a "lawsuit" (implied by their claim to have a "legal department"), when they have no ability to "prosecute" you (only a DA could do that), and don't "sue" either.
In addition, FDCPA also requires that they send you written notice of the debt within 5 days of their first contact, that they accept your written disputes of any alleged debt, and that if you dispute they obtain and send you proof from the original creditor or cease collection. Their refusal to provide a mailing address is an attempt to deny you your right to dispute, and evade their obligation to validate disputed debts, as required by FDCPA.
Contact FTC.
They recently sued and froze the assets of a cluster of debt collectors running a similar scam operating out of Southern California. Looks like this is another they need to deal with.
If they are really in Southern California, the Law School Mediation Clinic has probably heard of them from complaints.
http://lawweb.usc.edu/why/academics/clinics/mediation/
They called me again at 7:20 & 7:50 this morning leaving voicemails that I gave them a fraudelent card number. (I actually cancelled the card that I gave them once I found out that this was a scam.) They said that they would call my place of employment to explain the situation to them and find out the protocol to serve me, wishing me the best of luck in court.
The new number they're using now is 888-217-2938, still Justin Sutton calling ext 367
Is there anything else I can do to stop them?
Even blocking your card number to prevent the payoff of a legitimate debt would not be illegal, nor would it be "credit card fraud" or "check fraud". You would simply still owe the debt, if it was owed.
Threatening to call your employer to "explain" this to them, and "find the protocol to serve" you, is an illegal threat, the threat to disclose this alleged "debt" (whether owed or not) to a third party, which violates FDCPA. Trying to convince you that you have to pay them some "debt" you don't owe to them, is simply fraud. Making illegal threats to coerce payment of unowed "debts" is simply extortion.
File complaints against "debt collection shakedown" rackets with FTC.
They recently sued and froze the assets of a large cluster of debt collectors running the same scam, centered in Corona, CA, near this scam.
They gave me a case number, but when I asked for an email from them to the email address they told me they would not be able to send me anything and an email would be sent when payment was made, I gave them some prepaid card number for a netspend card I never load anymore, but id like to know if its definitly a scam, please answer back thank you.
Providing no way to contact them by mail is illegal, as it evades their FDCPA obligation to respond to disputes and validation requests, including requests to cease communications, and delivery of summonses if you sue.
Threatening to call your work is illegal, as it is an illegal threat of third party disclosure in violation of FDCPA.
Giving you some "case number", to imply they have sued, is illegal, as they have not and do not intend to sue, and FDCPA prohibits making threats they don't intend to carry out, as well as using deception to collect debts.
Not really a good idea even to pay them by some prepaid debit card. Although they are not likely to sue, they might sell this possibly bogus "debt" to some other debt collector, who might claim your payment reset SOL. (If the issue came up, you would counter by claiming illegal deception, fraud, extortion, and duress, if you even admitted making any payment at all.)
Did their "information" match any actual debt you once had, or did they just use threats to evade disclosure of any information about it?
Although mail drop addresses linked to them have shown up in southern California, and Washington state, it is not clear where they are even physically located. A recent BBB report indicated that mail to their last known address was being returned as undeliverable, yet the same complaints continue.
Doesn't sound like they want to be found, yet they want people to pay them anyway.
That suggests they are fakes.
File complaints with FTC.
They recently sued and shut down a similar cluster of collection shakedown rackets in southern California.
This IS a shakedown scam, right?
I believe it is indeed a scam. I got my first call at the end of June 2014. I got the exact same story as your wife and it is the 617-981-7855 number that called me as well. Told me I had a $32.15 debt from over ten years ago and that I was up on charges of "check fraud". I refused to give him ANY info. He had my social security number as well but I played dumb and told him I had no idea who he was, what he was calling about or who belonged to the social security number he just rattled off to me. I have contacted the State Attorney General's office and made a complaint. They told me to call the local police and report the scam (I did so), they told me to also call the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357 and report the scam ( I did so), they told me to call the Consumer Protection Bureau at 855-411-2372 and report the scam (I did so). They told me to also contact my banks and credit cards and report the scam to all of them. They also told me to get a copy of my credit report and be sure to monitor it from time to time. Bad people with your social security number can do bad, bad, bad things to your financial identity . . . . The "Inspector" keeps calling and leaves messages but I was told by the Attorney Generals office to NOT answer the calls and have no contact with them. I told the rep at the AG office I'd like to have the satisfaction of telling him I have reported him but I was warned against that . . apparently, when you tick these idiots off they then sell your "case" to all the other bad folks they know out there and before you know it, you get ten to twenty calls a day . . . so report them and ignore them!!