RPM trying to collect a fake debt

ComplaintsCollection AgenciesReceivables Performance Management (RPM)

Complaint

0
JP
Country: United States
On 4 Apr 08 I got a call from Receivables Performance Management (RPM) claiming that I owe $85 on a Verizon account from 2000.  I know that I’ve never had a Verizon account, and that my phone account from 2000 (I forget which company) was paid properly.  So I told the RPM rep that they were full of s**t, and that I wanted written proof that this debt is actually mine.  They had the last 4 of my SSN and tried to pass that off as “proof” that their info was legitimate.  I still didn’t fall for it and asked for everything in writing.  

Fortunately I have records that go back that far.  I also called Verizon to confirm that they don’t have any account information with my name on it.  Surprisingly they have no record of me ever having an account with them.  I then went online to find out if RPM is some sort of scam.  They are a “legitimate” company, yet seem to be practicing what I would describe as predatory debt collection, or legal extortion.  Unfortunately, there is not much information on the internet yet about RPM.  However, there is a lot of information about AFNI, who seem to be doing the same thing.

So, after I found this web page, and read all of the information about AFNI, I downloaded the FDCPA and FCRA and read them.  I’m sending RPM a letter in accordance with the FDCPA.  I’m also sending the letter to my state’s AG and the WA state AG.  (RPM is located in Bothell WA.)  I also checked all of my credit reports to make sure that nothing has been placed on them.  I’ll continue to monitor my credit reports very closely for the next few months.  As this develops I’ll update this comment.

I’m considering contacting a lawyer to see if what RPM is doing is in any way actually extortion.  It’s a crime that the max penalty under FDCPA and FCRA is only $1000 or actual damages.  Obviously that small amount isn’t enough of an incentive to keep these companies from violating the law.  I’m also going to contact my Congressmen about this.  Maybe if enough of us complain the law can get changed?    

Oh, and a huge thanks to the poster on this site TJ!  His information and advice was invaluable!!

Comments

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  • 0
    tj
    Several telecom companies, Verizon included, have a long history of complaints of continuing to charge for no longer provided services after phone service is terminated.
  • 0
    tj
    Is this message clear?

    http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/10/alliedinterstate.shtm
    "...
    For Release: 10/21/2010

    Debt Collector Will Pay $1.75 Million to Settle FTC Charges
    Ignored Consumers’ Disputes Without Checking Its Information for Accuracy
    ...
    “Debt collectors had better make sure their information is accurate, or they could end up paying a big penalty,” said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “There is no excuse for trying to collect debt from someone if you can’t confirm that they actually owe it.”
    ..."
  • 0
    Mike
    Don't pat yourselves on the back for being too uneducated to get any job other than that of a glorified door to door salesman, but without the need to look someone in the eye while you harass them.  I just won a fight over a debt that was incorrectly assigned by Sprint, and am still having to deal with the idiots at RPM, who call my phone number 3 and 4 times DAILY.  The staff is rude, illiterate, and daft.  It is not my responsibility to track down every error made by RPM or by any other company just to avoid being harassed.  A company that chose to work in good faith and make a reasonable effort to treat people fairly would be refreshing.  Perhaps the first ten times someone gives you the reference number for a payment or quotes the terms of an agreement with a supposed 'creditor' should be a clue that the debt may not be legitimate.  I do not expect everyone in the public sector to spend hours researching what I do for a living to avoid me harassing them.  Companies like this are leeches.
  • 0
    tj
    Instead of working for nothing to fix their "mistakes", get an attorney with experience in FDCPA litigation.

    If you catch them on an FDCPA violation, sue them, and prevail, they can pay you actual and statutory damages, and pay your attorney too.  FDCPA allows courts to award attorney fees, so you should be able to find one to take such cases on contingency.  That tips their incentives toward settling and cleaning up their mess.

    You might try www.naca.net to find an attorney in your state.
  • 0
    realist - 1
    You sir are and uneducated [***]! You were prob. picked on all of your life for being a douche...so now you can finally get some revenge by calling and harassing people. I pay any and all my bills, yet your dumbass company still calls me... Well not I've changed my #... Good luck on your miserable existence!!
  • 0
    stingray
    go screw your self and all dent collectors you will never get a penny
  • 0
    screw debt collectors
    you think you are doing a good job the web is informing more people every day with their rights and soon enough companies like your company will not have jobs at all and more and more people will not pay so you will suffer without jobs and it will happen just wait and see and FYI most people are gainfully employed but they will not pay to debt collectors like you
  • 0
    casey
    Well I agree they are people who need jobs to, but I don't agree with them taking to me and my husband like were trash. We have been very respectful and cooperative with them through our process and for them to yell over the phone is unacceptable! Not to mention they try to degrade the people they call and we have tried numerous times to make payments and they have refused. I always thought they had to take some sort of payment no matter what and they won't unless it's some crazy amount that we don't have or we would have just paid the bill in the first place.
  • 0
    casey
    well listen to you talking trash, but i bet if you were face to face with the people you were calling you attitude would change! not to mention that S**T happens and it's out of your control- and you can't say that you have never been in that situation- if you haven't then why are you working as a bill collector instead of some other position i can't imagine that was you childhood dream to be an a**whole bill collector!
  • 0
    tj
    I used to believe that collection agencies were getting a lot of complaints because they weren't adequately training their employees.  

    With the many complaints of outright fraud, and with coverage by Dateline of a number of abusive and fraudulent operations, I now believe that high turn-over and poor training is actually a deliberate tactic.  Not only does it minimize costs but it provides cover for "accidentally" extorting money from erroneously harassed consumers.  

    You find insider reports from ex-employees, and even those who say they would never use deception or abusive threats, they know it is common, and they don't really have a clear idea from what they were told to say, that it is already deceptive.
  • 0
    tj
    "It took a lawyer to get them to stop."

    When you are being harassed over an alleged debt, particularly one  you do not owe, there really is no reason to put up with it.  

    The debt collection industry takes it for granted that they can get away with lying and cheating, that "it's OK since they are only lying to deadbeats to get the money they owe", but what the writers of the FDCPA recognized is that any debt collector that would deceive or abuse a debtor will also do the same to anyone else they contact, even "by mistake".

    FDCPA makes no distinction between violations committed based on whether the alleged debt is owed or not.
  • 0
    Brittany Stewart
    If its not fake where the hell my reciept????
  • 0
    RPM=REJECTS!
    The Missouri Attorney General announced today the number one consumer complaint last year was against debt collectors. 2225 total. Chief among the complaints was harassment of people who, in many cases, did not even owe the debt. Also, failure of debt collectors to cease harassment of consumers even when notified.
    The question now before the Missouri Court of Appeals is whether or not the State of Missouri Attorney General has the authority to protect these consumers.
    I certainly hope the Court rules in favor of Missouri consumers. No idea if RPM is one of the companies the Missouri AG is after or not, but they should be.
    Never give up folks. Never let up. And to Polus, George, and the other slugs at RPM? Look over your shoulder MF'rs! JUSTICE IS COMING!
  • 0
    tj
    Take a look at National Credit Solutions and NRA Group, who both appear to believe there is nothing wrong with intentionally damaging people's credit over alleged debts owed by someone else.

    Montana Attorney General just settled with NCS over questionable old movie rental accounts from bankrupt Hollywood Video.
  • 0
    RPM=REJECTS!
    A couple of interesting websites here folks:
    www.stopthecriminals.com
    Sign the petition for reform of debt collection practices if you so desire. Interesting proposals. Increase in penalty to $10K. Make debt collectors cease attempts to collect if statute of limitations has expired. Many more.

    www.stopcollector.com
    Read about the most egregious practice of one debt collector who ordered her staff to go after active duty people. Harass them. Call their Cos. Threaten them with lawsuits. Dishonorable Discharge. Intimidation.

    Although I could find nothing RPM specific, nonetheless, we are dealing with slime balls here people!
  • 0
    RPM=REJECTS!
    Should read www.stopthesecriminals.org

    And you'll need to click on "Blog" on second link, as it refreashes with new info.

    With apologizes...
  • 0
    buzz
    thats awesome. RPM just called my house questioning me down. so i hung up... now i understand why there out to get me. catch me if you can suckasss!. aha... but the law needs to be changed!. stand up for your rights people!...
  • 0
    buzz
    thats awesome. RPM just called my house questioning me down. so i hung up... now i understand why there out to get me. catch me if you can suckasss!. aha... but the law needs to be changed!. stand up for your rights people!...
  • 0
    Current Deal
    I find this all very interesting. I was contacted by RPM. It was a debt I was trying to pay for years. I understood I had to pay it and wanted to. I was going to use my tax money. I called and try to set up payments.. no go. They wouldn't let me off the phone until I agreed to a certain amount. Fine, whatever... right? They insisted my money from the IRS was going to be deposited by a certain date, I was literally bullied and manipulated, (Which, by the way, is not easy to do!),to set up payment. I kept telling them that I would set up payment PENDING on a letter with letterhead, signatures, full agreement, so on and so forth. NO GO! They told me thay do not do send letters. So, I asked this person,'you're telling me you do not send letters based on a financial transaction? What am I, an idiot?'. Then they said they could e-mail me. Ummmmmm... ok but I want the letter, too. After 4 BULLISH Phone calls, a 'dispute' person calling me about insufficient funds in my bank account, the 'dispute' person telling me that they do not understand my train of thought, I was livid. Then to top it off the last call I received was from someone, I have no idea who, saying I committed fraud and they were going to take me to court. Ummm, I asked for a letter with letterhead including all agreements. UMMMM... I really do not think I am asking for much. Well, I gave her my Attorney's name and that is the next person she may want to contact.
    What I do not understand is, I wanted to pay. I wanted to settle. They just had to give me proof of their existence and wait 14 days for the money to enter my account. I had been contacting my debtor for the last 4 years trying to pay this debt. My credit is fuhbahred, I am an honest, educated, hard working person. I want so badly to move away from this and these people could nit take YES fo an answer. Do they enjoy bullying?????
  • 0
    Current Deal
    Mr. Bill Collector,
        Please send me my agreement in writing with your letterhead, the official and last agreed upon settlement. I will then take it to my Attorney, for whom will bring it to the original debtor. Once all is confirmed, I will pay the agreed amount and follow up on your end to insure all credit agencies have received the proper information and legal letters from your company as well as the original debtors.
       As for now, I have a real job. This job is amazing! I have worked for this company for 15 years. I have taken pay cuts while my Husband has lost his job and 1/3 of our income, due to the economy. I want to pay you, I do. You are not the original debtor, you are some angry middleman getting his kicks off my mini heart attacks. Follow all legal and financial procedures and we could have a beautiful, professional relationship.
                 Sincerely,
                    PISSED OFF
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