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
Legitimate debt collectors have to send the FDCPA "g" notice within 5 days of first contact, giving you the opportunity to dispute the alleged debt and request validation. Failure to send that letter violates FDCPA and state laws, and you can sue them for it. If you dispute within 30 days, they are required by law to cease all collection until they obtain proof from the original creditor and send it to you. If they continue trying to collect, without providing validation, they also violate FDCPA and you can sue them.
Calling and making threats of a "lawsuit" without first sending that letter is a tactic aimed directly at getting money without providing any proof. That suggests that they already know they can't get proof, either that they are making up the debt, or that they have no right to collect it. Either way, it suggests fraud.
It also violates FDCPA, by making threats they are probably not capable of or not going to carry out, and undermining the required "g" notification wording, if they even sent it. It can get them sued.
Deceptive, abusive, and threatening tactics are not only illegal, violating state and federal law, but are indicators of fraudulent debt collection.
Whenever you contacted by a debt collector, send a written request for validation, disputing the debt. Mail it certified. Get proof of the debt, and of their right to collect it, before paying anyone. Otherwise you open yourself up to being conned.
NCO has a rather bad compliance record, notably being caught reaging credit report tradelines several years back, but since they are subject to a consent agreement, they generally either comply or drop collection when contacted through their legal department. They have a gun to their heads, so it makes them play nice.
If you are in Ohio, you have to ask what is a "debt collector" in Florida doing threatening you with lawsuits? Especially when they just started a couple months ago, and already they have numerous similar consumer complaints.
Real debt collectors would first contact you legitimately, send a "g" letter to comply with the law, and if they actually intended to sue, they would hand it off to a licensed attorney in your state, who would then contact you. That way they don't trap themselves in FDCPA violations for illegal threats, abuse, deception, UPL, or whatever, and their attorney can make sure he complies with applicable state laws as well.
You want to see a debt collector who sues, look up Mary Jane Elliott in MI. Not the greatest compliance record, but nothing like these idiots in Florida (if they are even really located there).
Debt collectors calling across state lines making lawsuit threats are probably bluffing, and likely engaged in fraud and extortion.
Too many elements of these complaints are matching standard fake "debt collection" tactics. The threatening calls to relatives, threats of lawsuits, etc, don't point to zombie debt, even inflated debt, they point to faked and fabricated "debt". Furthermore, this pattern of complaints starts when the business starts, indicating they set up this business to be run in this fashion from the beginning.
That is not debt collection, it's just extortion.
Pulling credit reports to use in a fraudulent scheme is a felony, and violates both state and federal law. Claiming to be a "debt collector" provides them cover, but what you want to nail them with is that the debts are bogus fabrications.
Also, look for any clues that this has a connection to California. The details are exactly matching the Corona Scam, except for the Florida address.
They are probably using their Florida debt collection license to appear legitimate, so they can become a client of the credit reporting agencies and get access to consumer credit reports, and so that targetted consumers believe they are a collection agency, to try to make the "debt" appear legitimate.
This type of scam usually uses shills. They vary in sophistication from just claiming they were "helped settling" an old debt, to typically "whiney deadbeats" bitching about being sued and garnished.
The most sophisticated shills appear like "Johnny" here, with some story containing a lot of "details" attempting to create the perception that the "debt" is real and owed. The goal appears to be to counter the many consumer complaints that show up, creating the appearance that the "debt collector" and "debt" are real, and that they can actually "sue". The main characteristics of this type of shill posts are the "details", all targetted at the goals of the perps.
Since we have already seen shill posts under at least 2 names, we should be looking for further shill activity. The "felicia" shill posts have a similar level of sophistication to the "johnny" post.
A couple early Corona Scam LLCs appeared to have a Florida connection. That information, originally showing up on corporationwiki, doesn't appear to be visible anymore, possibly indicating they are trying to cover their tracks though layered LLC ownership. But it would also indicate they may have had an original connection to Florida, and may have first learned how to manipulate that system before expanding in southern California. With pressure heating up on them in California, it is plausible that they may be trying to find other states in which to operate from.
Question: is there a link between "Thurston" and the Corona Scam?
Ms. Thomas said that I will be prosecuted to the full extend that the law will allow, she then wish me luck and said I should govern myself accordingly. This has been going on for at lease a month they have been call my home, my work and my cell phone and leaving me threats. The number they gave me to call back is 877-372-5594 ext 310
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/8GBocCuoiwCf8gjOKbIhIQ/2
Thurston says "process is being served soon" which is a lie....
Thurston does not provide any information required by the Fair Debt Collections Act....
simple as that...