Debt collection scam-Be careful

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Sep 2015 Posts: 3

Hi everyone,

There's a phone scam going around related to debt collection. They'll call you, or a relative if they can't find your current phone number, about a "legal matter." If you call them back or happen to answer their call, they'll make sone pretty nasty threats, demanding payment,with a prepaid credit card of course, or they're ready to sue for thousands, after ridiculous legal fees.

Debt collectors are required to state that they're debt collectors in every communication and can't lie to you about being law enforcement, attorneys or court officials (my idiots were a "litigation firm.") They are required to validate debts, in writing, and email doesn't count as writing. They cannot make threats, unless they intend to and are legally able carry them out (people cannot be arrested for not paying their bills.) They must provide their company name, address and license number, if they're required to be licensed in your state.

The reason that I brought this up is that they're VERY convincing. They probably will have your name, DOB, address and last 4 of your SS number. They might actually know about a debt you owe or where you bank. I have no problem getting verbally aggressive and blew the first scammer out if the water, to the point that she transferred me to a senior scammer who was terrified of me. But, had they called my mom, she may have fallen for it. Her friends probably would have too.

Spread the word and help people know their rights when dealing with debt collectors. Most debt collectors aren't pleasant to deal with and this scam relies on those notions. But, collection agencies have strict laws that they have to follow, or face legal ramifications and it pays to know what they can and can't get away with.

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:24 pm

Moved here. It falls outside the realm of 419 scams.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Sep 2015 Posts: 3

Sorry about that. I'm still exploring the forum and didn't realize I should have posted this here until I poked around a little more.

This is a US based scam and nothing to do with 419. But it's convincing. They do almost everything exactly how you'd expect a debt collector to do it, even explaining the need for a payment method that doesn't expose real bank information "to make you feel more comfortable." Paying a debt with a prepaid card or a money order is recommended by a lot of sources to avoid divulging bank information.

The threats seem real and, without knowing the finer points of debt collection laws, it's hard to tell the difference between a legitimate scam artist and a real collector. The details trip them up, but a lot of victims are too scared to challenge them.

My purpose for posting this wasn't to bait them, but rather to make people aware that it's going on and provide a few tricks for spotting a scammer. As a lot of people have debt issues, it's becoming more prevalent.

Debt collection scam-Be careful	View next topic View previous topic