RPM trying to collect a fake debt
Complaint
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!!
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
I am sick and tired of them calling and harrasing my sick-84-year old mother!!!!!! Neither she nor I have the energy to go thru court, etc....we can hardly get around and these harrasing calls are about to give us a heart attack!
JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!!! Peace!
Bad behavior has consequences.
Train them by suing them.
Contact a consumer attorney, and let them do what they do for a living. You might try www.naca.net to find an attorney in your state.
Until then, they won't give a damn.
I too started receiving harassing phone calls from RPM. They ask for an indian name Shanti and I tell them that person does not live here.
The very next day, I said I can tell you are a collection agency and I told someone yesterday that person does not live here and you have the wrong phone number and to stop calling me, they hung up.
Now I get calls with an unknown phone number.
I don't need harassing phone calls when I do not owe any bills outstanding. Never had a sprint phone and my previous phone by Verizon was paid in full on time all the time.
I have never received anything in the mail about an overdue bill.
Thanks for all the information, I will file a complaint.
I found the address information and I will send them a letter to stop calling and will contact the Washington Attorney General's Office.
10413 Beardslee Blvd, Bothell, WA, 98011
Manager: Ron L. Munroe
Also found out this information on them as well - when I did a city search for Bothell for RPM here was the comment -
Breaking the law, one collection at a time
by bchristian at Citysearch
This company operates under the umbrella Credit International company, but uses CCV and Receivables Performance Management as their collection company names that come on your statements. They work with the offices of Jeffrey Yonek when they file papers in court.
And they will file for judgment against you, those are not empty threats. They will use that to increase the amount of time they can hunt you down and harass you to no end. They treat everyone like they are dog doo on their shoe. They have been violating the FDCPA for years. I am amazed they are still in business, they should be shut down by the Attorney Generals office. They rely on the fact that most people do not know what their rights are in regards to their credit and debts.
They intimidate in an effort to get you to be exasperated to the point you just pay them. Please know what your rights before you talk to this company. I recommend you Google "credit board forums". I am not an invested party in this site (citysearch will not allow me to post it in this review), I only share it for purposes of assisting you in finding a knowledgeable information on how to deal with people like these.
Just trying to add to the information. Good luck,
Sharon
Follow the procedures outlines in some of the older posts. Only way to stop these rapscallions at RPM. Sue them if need be.
President Obama just appointed someone to head the new government agency Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Will probably be as effective as the TSA, but we can hope. FTC sure is a flop.
And the State AGs? Limited by statute in scope and power. I've received FORM LETTERS via the Missouri AG Office from Collection Agencies apologizing for their conduct/behavior! FORM LETTERS! HA! These thugs at collection agencies no more fear State Ags than Al Capone feared the Cook County Sheriff.
Sue 'em. Just do it!
One ex-employee posted that they were using some old skip-trace database that hadn't been updated in years, resulting in routine harassing calls to the wrong people. Others have reported they hire ex-cons, encouraging a culture of abusive collection. Real "fly-by-nite".
If you are being harassed by this company, file complaints with FTC, your state AG, and the Washington AG.
You can sue for violations of FDCPA. To find a consumer attorney in your state, you might try www.naca.net
The bankers were afraid of her, for good reason.
Don't mess with Sunday School teachers who become lawyers.
20816 44th av. W
Lynwood WA. 98036
He is a spineless F**ker & everyone should call him & tell him so!
A recent "innovation" is the increase in debt collectors deliberately harassing relatives and coworkers, even impersonating "process servers", "investigators", "attorneys", etc.
This results in the defrauding of people who do not owe them anything, when their sloppy "skip-tracing" (often just guessing) results in calling and harassing the wrong person. Often they don't even care who they get to pay, extorting money from the alleged relatives, even adding on whatever they want for a bonus, as "spiff money".
Your industry encourages and rewards fraud and extortion, so it attracts people willing to do it, and then gives them phones, skip-tracing, and unlimited practice at doing it, while hiding behind an alias. Some debt collectors are just organized crime.
Mostly, that's done by the fly-by-nites who hide behind mail drops and layered shell corps.
"They said I was notified by certified letter which they have proof of signature."
Ask them for the certified number. When you sue them, for deceptive collection, etc, demand they produce that letter, that numbered certified receipt, and this alleged "signed" return receipt, through discovery. Bet they quickly "lose" it, since otherwise they would have to forge a post office stamped certified receipt with your name and address on it.
Get an attorney, as the fake "lawsuit" game has FDCPA violations all over it.
You can find an attorney in your state through www.naca.net
An ex-employee reported a while back that they were so cheap they hadn't updated their search database in years, and that was part of the problem behing numerous complaints of calling the wrong people.
The fact that he had his "answer" at the ready suggests he knows how full of BS they are.
From time to time they come on this site and blame all the consumers for somehow causing them to keep call them in error.