Was i called by a scammer?

[GoodCredBen]

Long time no see family!!!!

I received a call from some "American Recovery Solutions" or ARS from a local area code saying that i pulled a payday loan out in 2011 (Just after i had moved 850 miles).

I have never had a payday loan, so i am on that front covered... 

the problem comes in where my identity was stolen 6 different times within the first year of living in my state.....

Person called my wife saying that if i did not resolve a payday loan from 2011 within 48 hours, legal action would be taken. They provided the lawyers name of Gorge Callahan. Stated they were from American Recovery Services. I tried to call them and state that I was a lawyer representing myself (fake lawyer tactic) and he instantly hung up the phone. I called back and simply stated this call was being recorded (it was not really) and stated that this is a formal request to send a debt validation letter to the address on file, as federally required under the fair debt collections act. he then said that only a lawyer could request that and continued argued with me and told me i am dumb and hung up the phone again. 

they were unable to validate my date of birth, my SSN or any other information other then my number and my name. When i say unable, the key is they refused to. I havent checked my credit reports in a while, but i believe they are pretty clean. 

[JayTee1]

It's a scam.

If you were being sued, they'd serve you with papers.

This has happened to me, and I received a string of calls for over a year.  When I stated that they should serve me with legal papers if they were intending to sue, they hung up.  

They finally stopped calling when they realized they were never going to get any money out of me.  

Of course, life isn't over, so I imagine they'll try again.

[GoodCredBen]

That is exactly what i was thinking... they called my wife asking for me .... which is weird....  getting updated fico scores now!

[RonM21]

Definite scam that multiple groups have been running for a number of years now.

[RobertEG]

They have contacted you.

That is an "initial communication regarding a debt," and has triggered their requirment to send you a formal dunning notice within 5 days thereafter.

If/when you dont receive dunning notice, then file a formal complaint with the CFPB, which the debt collector will be required to answer.

Additinally, you dont need a dunning notice to send a DV request, but any DV request must be "in writing" per FDCPA 809(b).

Send them a formal DV, which will impose a formal cease collection bar, preventing any further communications until they have first sent validation.

If you really want to mess with them, you can file a civil action and seek statutory damages for the above violations.

Statutory damages are provided at the amount of $1,000 per violation.  Then you can place collection calls to them at 10PM.

[ohreally7654]

Scam x10000, OP!  I'm so sorry that happened to you, and others that have posted as well.  It happened to me on and off for almost 2 years.  It seems they've finally left me alone, knock on wood.  Nothing ever showed up on my CRs and of course, no papers were ever served to me.  Any time I would receive a message from these fake collectors, I would immediately google the number and it always came up with hundreds of other posters who have complained of similar scams linked to that number.  Just continue to ignore their calls and threats and eventually they will retreat.

[JayTee1]

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@RobertEG wrote:

They have contacted you.

That is an "initial communication regarding a debt," and has triggered their requirment to send you a formal dunning notice within 5 days thereafter.

If/when you dont receive dunning notice, then file a formal complaint with the CFPB, which the debt collector will be required to answer.

Additinally, you dont need a dunning notice to send a DV request, but any DV request must be "in writing" per FDCPA 809(b).

Send them a formal DV, which will impose a formal cease collection bar, preventing any further communications until they have first sent validation.

If you really want to mess with them, you can file a civil action and seek statutory damages for the above violations.

Statutory damages are provided at the amount of $1,000 per violation.  Then you can place collection calls to them at 10PM.

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lol