topic Re: Collections Agency Scam? in General Credit Topics

Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:53:42 GMT

Didn't know where to post this... but

I just received a letter in the mail box dated 13 Jan 2009, from a collection agency saying I owe $25,000! No idea where that could possibly come from, me having no loans etc.

Only one page, all it says is account #, "Creditor: YOUR CREDITORS" , amount due:$$$$" and some message about need to inform about address change etc.along with company letter head, payment options etc. It has my name and address on there as well..

It's from Collection Consultants of California - A Debt Collection Agency , 6100 San Fernando Road Suite 211, Gelndale CA 91201 (818) 551-5600.

I tried googling the company, didn't come up with anything bad nor anything about snail mail collection agency scams...

Think this is a scam? or identity theft(checked credit report a month or 2 ago)? Got me pretty worried, thoughts?

Message Edited by grezex on 01-16-2009 10:53 PM

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Junejer — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:52:04 GMT

Think really hard about whether this could possibly be yours. If you are positive that it's not yours, DV them. If it's some error, they will disappear, or they will validate and you will then know what it is.

Scam? IDK. Scum? Probably.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 08:04:43 GMT

Yeah, there's no way the debt can be mine. The only reasonable explanation I can think of is identity theft, which I will probably request a free one soon just to make sure despite seeing one a couple months ago. On the letter they sent, there's no info on my social security #. The only personal information they have listed on the letter is my name (not even full name) and my address (but missing apartment #). Should I bother calling them and asking or should I just go ahead and write a DV letter to them? I just don't want a wrongfully accused debt showing up on my credit report :-/

Thanks for the reply.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

marty56 — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:17:24 GMT

Do not call.

IMHO if you have a listed phone number, they could be looking for someone with your name and dont have enough information to get the correct person.

Also, until it shows up on youre CR, would it be a mistake to do a DV? If they are looking for someone else, your reply might make them decide to pick you and that might be enough information to add the collection to your CR. I dont think CAs care if they have the right person or not.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Junejer — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:51:00 GMT

I would certainly DV. You don't want that thing to hit your report, which they might do, if you completely ignore them. Send a strong DV letter, requesting full media validation and at the same time, contact the BBB and tell them of this action.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:37:15 GMT

Thanks for the feedbacks guys.

Hmm, pardon my ignorance but is BBB = Better Business Bureau? If so, I found this: http://www.la.bbb.org/BusinessReport.aspx?CompanyID=13026065 . That's the collection company that sent the letter. There's no user reviews it seem, but it looks like they don't respond to complaints. The letter is so suspicious itself makes me just want to ignore it. I mean it says Amount due to creditor's name is "YOUR CREDITOR" with no specific name, c'mon... :-/

Would you suggest getting a CR now and see if that stuff is on there now? I guess I will write a DV letter to them on Monday instead of ignoring it; I searched this forum and there are lots of great examples for DV letters. And at the same time just file a complaint with BBB?

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Junejer — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:42:27 GMT

grezex wrote:
Thanks for the feedbacks guys.

Hmm, pardon my ignorance but is BBB = Better Business Bureau? yes If so, I found this: http://www.la.bbb.org/BusinessReport.aspx?CompanyID=13026065 . That's the collection company that sent the letter. There's no user reviews it seem, but it looks like they don't respond to complaints. Contact the BBB and tell them your story. The letter is so suspicious itself makes me just want to ignore it. I mean it says Amount due to creditor's name is "YOUR CREDITOR" with no specific name, c'mon... :-/ Ignoring it is not the answer, IMO.

Would you suggest getting a CR now and see if that stuff is on there now? Yes, annualcreditreport.com--can get your full reports from there. Get all three. I guess I will write a DV letter to them on Monday instead of ignoring it; I searched this forum and there are lots of great examples for DV letters. Use the Lonnster letter that asks for full media validation. Remember never sign it, just type your name in there. And at the same time just file a complaint with BBB? yes

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 05:30:53 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for the feedbacks guys.

Hmm, pardon my ignorance but is BBB = Better Business Bureau? If so, I found this: http://www.la.bbb.org/BusinessReport.aspx?CompanyID=13026065 . That's the collection company that sent the letter. There's no user reviews it seem, but it looks like they don't respond to complaints. The letter is so suspicious itself makes me just want to ignore it. I mean it says Amount due to creditor's name is "YOUR CREDITOR" with no specific name, c'mon... :-/

Would you suggest getting a CR now and see if that stuff is on there now? I guess I will write a DV letter to them on Monday instead of ignoring it; I searched this forum and there are lots of great examples for DV letters. And at the same time just file a complaint with BBB?

BBB is the better business bureau.

You must send a DV letter CMRRR to protect your rights.

Check immediate;y your Credit Reports in case they have added a tradeline.

If you are 101% sure it can't possibly be yours, file online complains with the Attorney Generals in your state in in the CA's state. Also file online complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC. Also, if your state has a business licensing board, complain with them as well.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:14:48 GMT

Thanks for all the advice, I think I will take care of the DV letter first thing Monday.

There's just another thing that strikes me as odd, they didn't include the spelling of my full name, mine actually contains a hyphen and more after what they wrote as my first name, and also on my address they failed to put down the apartment number. If i wrote a letter to them with my accurate name and full address, would they use that to their advantage?

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:17:23 GMT

I just checked my Credit reports, Equifax is clean, However Experian shows the collections agency as potentially negative, should i dispute the item on there? (For some reason I was able to get the Transunion report online, I have to call/mail to confirm my identity).

I'm about to send the DV letter today and file a complaint with the BBB.

Edit: .. scratch that I called Experian and filed a dispute, after hearing the original creditor for the collections agency I realized who the debt belonged to.. it belongs to my brother who has similar name to me and they probably thought it's me, should I still send the DV letter or just call them and straighten things out?

Message Edited by grezex on 01-20-2009 10:17 AM

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

demi — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:11:48 GMT

Others with more experience will chime in on what to do, but I do know one thing from reading this site:

NEVER CALL A COLLECTION AGENCY...everything in writing !

(I am a good student !)

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:37:20 GMT

Yeah.. that's what I gathered from much browsing... just curious if I should still send out DV letter since I know what the debt is for now, and they simply just got the wrong guy, even if it is someone else in my family. (And I know for a fact, 101%, that nothing in my name or anything associated with my credit is used as a reference for that debt).

On the Experian report, it had a social tied to the account in question which is clearly not mine, and already reported it to Experian.

I just feel compelled to call them(CA) and say "look that's not me" blah blah, but I'm not sure what the right thing to do is at this point after filing the dispute with Experian.Even if I send the DV letter, they provide me with the docs showing the wrong info, what would I do? just call them and tell them to back off?

Just to add... I'm pretty sure the reason why they thought I was the one owing the money is because my siblings or other family members and I all have very similar spelling in our first name.. sigh

Message Edited by grezex on 01-20-2009 04:37 PM

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:37:31 GMT

I just wanted to add another thing, I was talking with the CPA at my company and she mentioned something about mentioning in a DV letter to the collections agency about hurting my credit score since it appeared on one of my credit reports. Right now I have prepared a DV-Letter using Lonnster's example as suggested, and in it I noticed it mentioned a violation of the FCRA if they cannot validate their claim and will be a $2500 fine paid to me. And since I'm 110% sure they can't validate the debt as me owing it, what would make them obligated to pay the fine? And how would me disputing this claim already with Experian come into play?

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:09:17 GMT

IMHO, you better write to the CA even if it is to state you love them. Reason is that they might simply ignore your call and keep harassing you.

Second, you probably don't want to get into too much detail about your brother - let them figure out what they need, without extra help.

$2,500 fine apply to cases where a Collector is prosecuted by the FTC or other regulatory body.

The statutory fine payable directly to consumers for willful violations is set to $1,000.

You don't need to add any foreign language to DV letters (always CMRRR), the simpler the better - mention only the tradeline, when you first heard about it, the fact that if they can't validate they must cease collection effort least being found in willful violation of FDCPA.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:36:25 GMT

Phew, just sent off the DV letter with CMRR. Now I guess my next course of action is to report a complaint with BBB, and play the dreadful waiting game

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:04:52 GMT

do not call CA,,,always in writing

do not give CA signature, type your name...someone can scan your signature

DV them

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:17:53 GMT

Sorry to bump an old thread, but.. I sent DV letter as you can see back in January and filed a dispute with Experian. Checked my credit report month to month and the CA and unknown social that appeared on my report has been taken off. I thought it was the end of it.

However, I just received a letter today from the same CA with information I requested after 7 months!

They sent:

"Enclosed, please find the information you requested.

I hope this information will assist you in resolving your account. If you have any qeustions, please contact me. and so forth.."

Also attached is the alleged billing statement listing all the items past due for a hospital stay that I clearly did stay at. In fact I haven't been to hospital let alone stay there for services more than one night in years.

Anyways, now I wonder what I should do next to avoid any more porblems with my credit. Having this appear on my credit report already hit my score pretty badly.. trying to recover from it.

Edit: I would also like to add, they don't harass me on phone or by mail of any sort. This DV response from them is the first time I have heard from them since the first notice I received from them.

Should I call the OC to clear things up and avoid the CA?

Message Edited by grezex on 09-03-2009 05:17 PM

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:32:45 GMT

Sorry to bump again, this is kinda stressing me out. I tried searching through, but can only find info about writing the DV, not after, etc. Can anyone help me out, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

llecs — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:50:44 GMT

A CA has an unlimited time to respond to a DV.

On the paperwork, does it clearly mention your name, hospital name, nights stayed, etc.? If you are 100% certain that it is not yours, then it may be worth contacting the hospital and talking to them. If your name is common, the CA could have used a skip tracing tool that directed them to you and assumed it was your debt based on the name alone.

The hospital should easily pull up the records and discern that it wasn't yours. They could also tell you if the debt was assigned to this CA or if they sold the debt to the CA. If the OC still owns it, then they can easily pull it back.

The night listed as the date of service in the hospital is the DOFD. Look at your old CR copies and make sure the DOFD jives. Also look up the SOL in your state (likely it would be considered as "written") and look to see if SOL has expired. If expired, then there's no immediate rush to proceed; the CA is only blowing hot air. If inside SOL, then they'd feel that they could possibly sue to recover the money you don't owe.

Re: Collections Agency Scam?

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:29:58 GMT

Thanks for the reply llecs

Looking at the paperwork and thinking back, I am 110% sure the debt is not mine. However, I do know who the debt belongs to (my brother). And our names are quite similar.. so I'm guessing CA matched my name and address, etc. (Brother was visiting me in a different city at the time I had to take him to hospital)

As discussed from in other posts in this thread, my suspicious were correct looking at the hospital bill. Now I wonder if I have to completely give my brother up now to clear my name is the only option..

I guess I will call the hospital and see if they still own the debt and try to clear my name.

By the way, I reside in the state of California, so SOL I believe is 4 years.

We'll see how the phone call goes, thanks, hope everyone had a good Labor Day weekend!