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
Thank you
It has a garbled version of one of her phone numbers, and the 'Original Creditor' is 'AT&T Wireline', with a date of June 2014, which is the date we sold her house.
If AT&T had been billing us for this, I would have known, and would have paid the bill.
Yes, it sounds like a scam to me. If it costs them $1 to send a notice for $60, and 25% of people erroneously billed just send in a check, then they make $15 for for every dollar they spend sending out bad notices. Even if some of their bills are valid, they have no incentive to weed out the bad ones.
To cover the interests of the estate, I will send a letter disputing the debt.
I guess I should track down a copy of the aforementioned FDCPA to make sure my letter meets all requirements.
Estate shakedown scams are nothing new. The movie, "Paper Moon", had an example.
Sometimes the hardest things to get right are dates, since accessible sources, like skip-tracing, may show names and addresses, but might not show accurate dates. They are designed to merge and conglomerate information from multiple sources, to find a lead on a person, not reconstruct the exact time order of specific events.
I couldn't think of any debts I may have, I don't have credit cards or loans, haven't had sense 2001. so how could I owe. They claimed I owe money to the IRS and wanted my social Number. "Hell No!" and I hung up. I still get calls and I don't answer them, I just hit delete. Let them call I don't care. They haven't anoied me past 5pm any day or on weekends and it's only one to two calls a day. A hang-up during the call wouldn't stop them because it has my call are a recording and I'm not going to call back again.
Your right, it's just a scam; if the IRS wants to sue me they can sent me an official letter.
On the other hand, it is common for scammers to pretend they are "the IRS", when they're a bunch of fakes. Anyone can make anonymous phone calls, and anyone could say they're "the IRS", and ask for your SSN. It proves nothing at all.