Fake process server calls
Complaint
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
Among these violations are implying that a lawsuit has been, or will be filed if the company alleging this either has no intention or no right to do so.
I do find it interesting how this particular shill calls trying to get Thurston to follow the law, "abusing the law." No, my all caps typing friend, the abuse of the law are the practices your criminal organization are employing to extort money from people.
Their con depends on creating the pretense of legitimacy.
Revoke their license.
Some of these scams have practically no legal existence and no licenses, while this one has gone to the trouble of getting licensed as a debt collector in Florida even though complaints of the standard "process server" scam calls started within a month of their licensing. One possible reason may have been to get access to credit reports by becoming a client of one of the credit reporting agencies. Although the CRAs are pretty lax in their vetting of clients, they might require licensing in those states that require it.
Check your credit reports to see if they recently pulled one. Look for a recent inquiry, possibly under this "Thurston" name, but maybe under another alias.
It may or may not be listed as a collections inquiry, depending on what type of business they are claiming they are. The inquiry would probably be within a couple weeks, and most likely a couple days, of your first call. Check both hard and soft inquiries, and even promotional inquiries which might be used to get sucker lists. Look for any recent names you don't recognize as a legitimate creditor, bank, or other lender.
If there is, why don't you give him a call?
Wanna bet he doesn't know whose using his name?
Call their bluff, and make it cost them.
w7h8
The Indian fake "debt collectors" are pretty well known due to news reports, and easily identifiable by their thick accents and ridiculous "agency" names.
U.S. criminals have stepped up to fill the gap, with scam profiles often very similar to this one. Their main barrier to success is that people now Google any strange caller, find other similar complaints.
The scammers have fooled the CRAs to obtain accurate old account information from pulling credit reports to make the deception more believeable, and use a mix of extreme threats to get panicked payments before the victims can think to check them out. Shill posts are used to try to counter the consumer complaints that quickly show up.
Just google your state laws about recording phone conversations. Most states you need permission from both parties to record a conversation for it to be submissable in court, but there are states that only require one party consent (your own) to be able to use in court.
Secondly, check the statue of Limitations on your Paypal credit card debit. Companies like Thurston are either a scam or a company that buys something called, "Zombie" debt. If it is a scam, listen to TJ on this listing. If it is the latter, Google Zombie debt.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Savingan ... HardToKill.aspx
Basically, what that means is that companies buy expiring debts for PENNIES on the dollar from the original collector and then try to collect. Most of these debts are past the statue of limitations, so don't pay anything. If you do, it brings the debt current and they can continue to collect and you have no wiggle room. Also, this company does not follow Debt Laws, so know your rights there. Go to the Federal Trade Commission website to learn your rights.
"In 2005, the FTC won a $10.2 million judgment against National Check Control for, among other violations, threatening consumers with lawsuits and jail for purported debts. In many cases, the consumer didn't owe the debt, or the amount had been vastly inflated."
You know you're not serving papers and that the amounts you're stating are inflated. Beware the consumer who knows their rights and where you live.