debt collection
Complaint
Toni Stremel
Country: United States
get a COLLECTION NOTICE past due bill threatening to turn over to collection, cannot verify who authorized service or what, scammers, don't pay the bill it is a hoax, they are scumbags.
Comments
See their BBB report for information on legal action and settlements with two state Attorneys General.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/SE8MbxeIQADghgjMKi1F_g
Numerous other reports going back about a year indicate they pass their fraudulent accounts on to ACA Recovery, who collects for them as well as another fraudulent "directory" scam, goyellowpages. ACA Recovery is reported to make the same "we have your recorded authorization" fraudulent claim when trying to collect. Since they are collecting for two of these "business directory" scams, including one with a record of settlements for fraudulent practices, we may assume the collection agency is aware many (if not all) of these accounts are fraudulent.
ACA Recovery
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/ocbgPRSIQAD4ogjMKixQeg
Complaints against goyellowpages. They may be using a debt collector to avoid sending fraudulent invoices through the U.S. Mail themselves.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/0iaiJPFCIABjzAjMXonSdw
It is illegal to use the U.S. Mail as part of a fraudulent scheme. Specifically, "invoices" for unordered merchandise or services are "unmailable matter", and it is illegal to send them through the U.S. Mail.
File a mail fraud complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspector.
Also file fraud complaints against this company with FTC, and your state Attorney General.
Forward a copy of the fraudulent bill to each agency you file a complaint with, as evidence.
Might as well send a fraud complaint to BBB, to add to their count.
Then send a letter to "Regional Yellow Pages Online", certified return receipt requested, indicating that you did not order their services, and that you have filed a mail fraud complaint and forwarded a copy of their fraudulent bill to the U.S. Postal Inspector.
You can next expect to receive a "collection notice" from ACA Recovery. Treat them the same, sending fraud complaints to Postal Inspector, FTC, and AGs, since it appears they are fully aware of the fraudulent activity of their "client". In addition, send a fraud complaint to the New Jersey Attorney General. Send ACA Recovery a similar notice regarding their attempt to collect on the fraudulent account.
Do not believe any recording they attempt to represent as some "authorization", even if you recognize an employee, whether they are authorized to obligate the company or not. It is common for "business directory" scams to record, doctor, edit, and misrepresent "recordings", and both of these scammers have complaints of fraudulent telemarketing and doctored recordings. Their activities are well known, to BBB and various state Attorneys General.
Harassing calls, threats and use of obscene language can pressurize you to the edge and moreover, a collector may embarrass you by contacting your employer or even be pursued to disburse for a debt that is not rightfully yours.
There are limits on how far telemarketers can go, that is why we provide information on how to put an end to telemarketer calls and more efficiently, how to correspond with them about your account and/or to dispute a collection action and can teach you what are your rights in terms of privacy.
You can find out more information on our website: www.spgconsultants.com
By informing each other, we protect each other.
Sincerely,
Well, I sincerelly do not remember doing this, plus I cannot authorize any charges - I am not in that position in the company. I remember some phone calles asking about just the address verification and answering yes or no. My thinking now is that they scam you with address verification thing, than they throw one more question in there with your answer "Yes", and than they play to you that recording as a proof of asking for their service.
I asked them - if this invoice is it so much past due, how does it come we never received one before- they said they sent one, but we did not receive.
When asking them for a copy of theor business license- they faxed me over a W-9 form, than said they cannot fax over their business license because it is confidential information.
Please help, anyone with this!!! I really do not remember authorizing this charge, and I really do not know who they are after so many claims read about them.
Thank you so much
Based on numerous complaints, the recordings they play have been edited and doctored to insert "yes" responses to "verifying information" into their alleged "authorization".
"we received via fax a Past due Invoice from Regional Yellowpages"
Business directory scammers often avoid sending mailed "invoices" to avoid mail fraud statutes. Unlike normal businesses, they typically use phone harassment or FAXed "invoices" to try to get paid.
"at the end there is a question asking if I accept the charges of $470.00 and my answer "Yes". Well, I sincerelly do not remember doing this,"
Probably because you didn't authorize anything, nor did they actually make any offer with terms in their original call.
Phone recordings prove nothing. They are very easy to edit and doctor, inserting ANY script they want. Fraudulent telemarketers have been doing this for years, even though some have been shut down by FTC and Canadian authorities. It is basically a con or extortion racket.
"if this invoice is it so much past due, how does it come we never received one before"
With these scams, they never send a timely invoice when you would expect a legitimate business to do so, right after the alleged "sale". They want you to forget the details to make it easier to con you, and they also want to claim they have already provided the "service" they are charging you. The invoice you do get will thus arrive "late", claiming the "bill" is "past due", to further make it appear YOU are the deadbeat.
"When asking them for a copy of theor business license- they faxed me over a W-9 form, than said they cannot fax over their business license because it is confidential information."
All BS. If you had their address, you could just call the city or county and get the information from their business license if they have one.
Sending a W-9 is more BS, and also implying they will "report" your "bad debt" to IRS. That threat is also BS.
All their threats are BS. Their debt collector's threats are BS. They are con artists, and well known ones at that. BBB has numerous complaints against them, several state Attorneys General have sued then, they are known for doctoring and faking their phone recordings, and they are playing on your fear to extort money from you.
Don't waste time talking to them on the phone. Notify your accounts payable department that this company is trying to scam them with fraudulent invoices and faked recordings, and file fraud complaints with your police department, your state attorney general, FTC, and www.ic3.gov
If they pass this off to some "debt collector" file complaints against them as well. If they mail you anything on this fraudulent account, file a mail fraud complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspector.
Keep in mind that ;this is no "mistake". They know exactly what they are doing, as do any debt collectors that work for them. They cannot afford to become too obvious to law enforcement or regulatory agencies, so they can't go beyond making obnoxious threats. If your immediate response is to file fraud complaints, they generally go away.
Don't expect to "get anything done". Just report them for fraudulent billing or debt collection, to FTC, your state AG, NJ state AG, www.ic3.gov, BBB, etc.
If they call, tell them you have reported their fraudulent activites to law enforcement, and that you are recording the call. Record it, and make notes of date and time, contents of any calls, and specifically any threats made, or fraudulent claims to have "recordings" of your "authorization".
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID BY CC, CALL AND REVERSE PAYMENT.
RYPO CONNECT (Written on Door) REGIONAL YELLOW PAGES ONLINE
1425 Rene Leveques West
Montreal, Quebec Canada
4th floor - Suite 402
Calls made from Montreal* and Pakistan.
*Building: http://www.imtl.org/montreal/building/Hotel-Ford.php
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Regional Yellow Pages Online - Script
May I speak with the Office Manager please. . .
Hi, my name is - -. I am calling with the Regional Yellow Pages. I am calling regarding your request that you made about three months ago, that you want to remove your listings from our database and cancel all your future listings. Is that correct?
YES/NO
Yes = Closer. No = Opener
An opener means you do not want to cancel and will be charged the $479.95. This rarely happens so it will be mostly a Closer.
Closer
Alright - What I will do today is that l will close your account and provide you with a cancellation file # and also, we will send you a Letter of Closure stating that the account is permanently closed with us, which means that we will not be contacting you for any renewals or updates, and we will also put it on our do-not- call, do-not-renew list, OK.
Since the listings were started in - - they will expire in - - and will be purged from our database.
You will also receive the balance of the invoice, which is $ 479.95 and the invoice will be marked FINAL on it.
Do you use purchase order numbers down there or should we just mail this invoice to your attention?
Alright, and the address we have on file is - - OK and your name is- - ? And position - - . Are you authorized to approve and accept this Final Invoice for your Company? (Must be Yes)
OK someone from my Quality Control Department will give you a call later on today and will confirm the mailing address and provide you with your file number.
Anything else I can do for you today?
Thanks for your time and business, and have a great day.
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AMERICAN COLLECTION COMPANY INVOLVED IN THE CROSS BORDER SCAM
ACCREDITED COLLECTION AGENCY
76 N MAPLE AVE STE 141
RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450-3212
USA
800 356 3713 fax: 201 670 8272
http://www.acarecovery.com/
1-800-356-3713
rhascup@acarecovery.com
accounts@acarecovery.com
http://www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca/reporting-declaration/VOL/1-eng.asp
Many complaints report indications they may be splicing "yes" replies into different scripts.
Their "collection agency" also has numerous complaints, with many reporting they are playing the same "recording of your agreement" con.
In addition, file fraud complaints with Canadian authorities, RCMP through Phonebusters.com.
If you are having problems with this entity, including harassing or deceptive sales or collection calls, or attempts by ACA Recovery to collect on their bogus accounts, contact FTC.
"FTC v. 6253547 CANADA, INC., No. 1:09-CV-01211 (N.D. Ohio)
Parties: 6253547 Canada, Inc., d/b/a Thompson Hill Publishing, The Official
Yellow Pages, and The Oyp Group
Opus Media, Inc.
Karl Garon
Claude E. Berthiaume
"
Contact FTC to see if their continued harassment over a fake "account" is in violation of the injunction.