Fake process server calls

ComplaintsCollection AgenciesThurston and Associates

Complaint

0
Quintin L King
Country: United States
I have received numerous calls from this "company", all of which start with a request for address verification for Process serving. Intimations that a law suit has been filed (the Company, to the best of my knowledge is in Florida, I live and own a business in Illinois). What process server doesn't have an address? These people call constantly and wont reveal the name of the entity for which they are collecting unless you "confirm" your address and last four of social. I am formally filing a complaint with the FTC and the Florida Dept of Financial Regulation, but wondered if anyone has had experience with these people?

Comments

  • 0
    Felicia
    | 3 replies
    Thanks people, but I know how things work as well. If I owe the debt, I pay the debt. As I told you all, I did contact Household finance and they did past the debt on to them. If you contact your debtors, they can tell you who has your account now. To be worried about if the statute of limitations have run out is not my concern, just making sure my credit is in good standings.
    • 0
      Yeah, sure.. replies to Felicia
      | 1 reply
      "Felicia"
      What a misleading post. You use the same rhetoric and techniques as a standard debt collector.

      If your account has been charged off and sent to a collection agency then you've already taken the hit to your credit. Paying a CA after the SOL is expired serves no point but to put money in the pockets of the CA -- and if you send even a partial payment it will reset the clock on the SOL.

      Don't listen to this cr@p, folks.
      • 0
        Augustine replies to Yeah, sure..
        I agree, she is full of bullcrap
    • 0
      suck eggs replies to Felicia
      you work for them don't you felicia, if you are so "honest" why the hell did you not pay it when it was due?
  • 0
    tj
    You sure want people to believe what you are saying.

    All you are "reporting" runs counter to normal debt collection practice.

    Making them appear "legitimate", suggesting that consumers are supposed to check with the alleged creditor, rather than exercise their  FDCPA validation rights, and that consumers should ignore SOL, appear to be the goals of your post.

    That says you are a shill.
  • 0
    tj
    You can't trust ANYONE on the phone.

    It has become a common fraudulent scam to pretend to be a "debt collector", and call relatives or neighbors pretending to be a "process server" to threaten and con people into paying fake "debt".

    Legitimate debt collectors send FDPCA "g" letters, and follow FDCPA in handling of disputes and validation requests, to ensure that they don't collect money that is not owed.  All practices that attempt to evade FDCPA compliance suggest fraud.
  • 0
    shune
    I WAS CONTACTED TODAY WITH A THREAT THAT PAERS WILL BE SERVED IN TWO DAYS IF I DONT RETURN THEIR CALL.......LITTLE DO THEY KNOW I WORKED IN COLLECTIONS BEFORE AND KNOW THE TACTICS. NOT TO MENTION THEIR NUMBER SHOWED UP UNDER KATHIE 304-586-0691....NOW I'M SUPPOSE TO CALL THEM BACK AT 888-242-1315....YEAH RIGHT
  • 0
    Tbow
    I just hung up the phone with the "processing server" too.  Nice.  But I did call the 888-242-1315.  I want to talk to them.  My number is on the FTC DNC list.  I'm going to try to collect! Since I have never held a debt, EVER, I know this is a scam.  So I will do my best to be such a [***] on the phone that they will go nuts trying to get rid of me.
  • 0
    Tbow
    By the way, when you call the 888-242-1315, try to enter any extension - it won't go.  I really don't have time to mess with this, but I really want to be a total tard on the other end of the line that they can't wipe off. I guess I really am a total a s s h o l e.
  • 0
    katymom
    How about this one.... I am a married 52 yr old woman... THEY CALLED MY PARENTS HOUSE!!  Oh I am FURIOUS !!!  And when I call the 888-242-1315, I go straight to voicemail. Must not be that critical huh??  What is the statute of limitation for collecting a debt?  Guess I better get saavy on this as they are definitely dreaming up new ways to get in touch with people.  Funny thing is... I have no outstanding debt!  All the debt we have is being paid on monthly.
  • 0
    rw
    I am getting these calls as well. I have no over
    due accounts anywhere. O just bought a new car on 9/5/11 and I received my first. Call on 9/6/11. Hmmm??? I work for the government and know the right people to report this to. They better hold on for a wild ride!
  • 0
    Had enough
    This happened to me this week from the same company. The guy at this phone # 304-586-0691 said that he was trying to serve me court papers for someone that was suing me and gave me a case number and the phone number 888-242-1315. I called and they cannot give me any info but told me that I need to have it settled by 6pm this was on 9/7/2011. I told her that I would need more info so she emaild a document to me that has my address in another state. The Bank that has the lawsuit against me has negative things on the internet about scaming people also. So this morning after I found this site I called Ms Torez and told her that I was recording our conversation and she became really nasty with me saying that they did not want to be recorded and hung up on me. Now I keep calling back but they will not take my calls so I keep leaving them messages telling them that I need more info so that my Lawyer can settle this with them. No has called me back YET!
  • 0
    carly
    I just got a call at my work and then they wanted me to call another number 888-242-1315...he wanted me to verify the last four of my SS#, i said no. then he said he had the first 5....of which i said i dont really care.....serve me the papers i will be at work tues. and wed....he was mad and said ok we will see you in court!!!I said great I am waiting;)
  • 0
    tj
    This pattern of complaints is consistent with common fake "debt" collection scams.  Although some of these are run from India, using strange "investiagion agency" names, and the callers have thick accents, increasingly similar scams are being run from the U.S.

    They are usually reported to first call employers or relatives, pretending to be a "process server", and acting like you have been "sued", but they don't actually "serve" this "summons".  Instead, they leave a number to call to "settle the debt", something no real process server would do.

    This act is part of setting up the victim to be both embaressed in front of relatives, employers, or coworkers, and to be afraid of this "lawsuit" enough that they will pay out money with no proof any debt is even owed.

    Often, they are reported to be getting old account information from pulling credit reports.  They find some old account there, and use the limited, even partially inaccurate, information they find to pretend that is a "debt" you owe them.  They make up or trump up the amount, adding "court and attorney fees", for example, to make you afraid that if you don't immediately "settle", you will have to pay a lot more.

    Check your credit reports, and you will usually find their recent credit inquiry, often a couple days before the first harassing calls started.

    As for having the first 5 digits of your SSN, that means nothing.  ANY customer of Accuring (and probably other skip-trace services), even those with the lowest security clearances, can find out the first 5 digits of ANYONE'S SSN, just by looking up their name.  Give them the last 4, and they can verify through Accurint that all 9 match the target.


    Having your identity information, even SSN or DOB information, is no proof that you owe anyone anything.  Anyone claiming to be a debt collector could get it, just by becoming a customer of the credit reporting agencies or search firms.  

    The criminals have discovered they can get credit report and identity information, and no one will do anything if they use it in a con.

    Contact FTC, your state Attorney General, and the Florida AG, to report this fake "debt" extortion racket scam.
  • 0
    tj
    These scams often give a "case number" as part of the act of pretending they are suing.  Those who check this with local courts typically report it either doesn't match any real case, or that it isn't even in the correct form.

    This is a hoax and an extortion racket.

    What "Bank" did they claim was "suing" you?
  • 0
    tj
    This type of scam USUALLY calls either relatives or employers FIRST.
    It is all part of the act, which is how you know that it IS an act.

    You know you have no debt, so you know this is just a scam.

    Report to FTC, your state Attorney General, and the Florida AG.
  • 0
    had enough
    was the phone number that called you 304-586-0691?
  • 0
    Had enough
    First North american!
  • 0
    tj
    This one is "inactive" since 2004, involved in a voluntary liquidation and closing.

    http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/confirmation_outside.asp?inCert1=33209
    http://banks.com-directory.org/Georgia/33209.asp

    First North American National Bank
    225 Chastain Meadows Court
    Kennesaw,GA 30144

    Nice "safe" name to use in a scam.  Unlikely anyone would take the trouble to prove the "debt" is being faked, once they find the bank is long busted and there is no one to check with.  Plausible deniability, they can just claim they can't "verify" if challenged.

    Similar defunct bank names have shown up used in connection with similar fake "debt" scams.

    It's all a bogus phone script anyway.
  • 0
    tj
    So did you ever have an account with this bank, that might have resulted in an old entry on your credit reports?

    Or are they just trying to BS you with a name you never heard of, depending totally on their threats?

    Are they guessing, using a defunct GA bank against an intended GA victim?

Post a new comment