347-292-8536

I get a call from these people about 5 times a day saying that I had a payday loan for 300 dollars and now I owe 1156 dollars. They sent me a fax with no type of company letter head or anything, and the man on the phone had a thick indian accent. Has any body else been contacted by these people?

File a complaint with your attorney general and with FTC Bureau of consumer Protection. https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
The person called me making the same fraudulent demands.

Yes, I just got a call from them too.
I could barely make out what he was saying, but it sounded like a threat.
I have received calls from other #'s over they past 2 years with similar threats.
They all have heavy Indian accents.
I think they have a list they pass around.
Local police seem to be able to stop them fro a while..but then they change their # and name.
The man that called today said something about 3 charges & I heard the word "your social security number" and "if you don't call us back..." but his accent was so thick.
There is no way I would talk to these people.
The number came up on my caller ID as 000.

I got the exact same phone call & msg. Definitely a scam & I will report it to FTC Bureau of consumer Protection immediately!

Just got a call from this number -someone with a heavy accent who said he was Ben Johnson. He was looking for a former boyfriend who has not lived here in years. He went on to say something about social security abuse and that it was crucial to call him back. I will not call back.

These India accented people will NOT stop calling.  They refuse to provide any documentation to back up there accusations.  How do we get them to stop

KELLI...to make them stop you have to play with them waste there time on the phone laugh at them when they threaten you..after so many calls they will realize that you are not falling for there scam and they will stop calling you...when they do call somebody and they realize that there upset then the calls will never stop until they get your monies that there trying to steal from you..

I received a call today at work informing me that there was an investigation relating to my S.S. # and my address. He stated I would be arrested in the next few days due to committing fraud and if he did not hear back from someone on my side he would have to take legal actions and put me behind bars.  I asked who he was and what company he was trying to collect for and the company which he was trying to collect for I had never dealt with before.  I was called names such as "stupid woman" so at that time we got into an argument and I advised him I would be reporting him to the local authorities and he hung up on me.  I called him back trying to get their address and he hung up on me again.  I then called back a third time and advised him that my son's wife's father was an FBI agent and he hung up very fast.  I do have his message recorded here at work and the threats he made against me.  I want to file a complaint against this jerk and would love to know who to contact.
Caller ID: None I was at work
Caller: Law and Investigation
Call Type: Debt Collector

He left me a message at 8:33 AM this morning saying the same thing I would be put behind bars and that I'm being sued for fraud and my social will be blocked. As soon as I call it's busy and I try again they transfer me about 5 times and get the guy on the message very heavy Indian accent starts telling me I took out a loan for Cashnet1. I tell him that's impossible I never took out that loan or even 1 in my life and he gets a lil mad and starts raising his voice he tells me I need to pay an immediate 243.00 transaction to stop this lawsuit so I ask him why 243.00 and he says lawyer fees ext. I asked him how much was the loan and he doesn't know also asked him when was this loan deposited into my account he doesn't know stumbles on his words so I went off on him telling him he is a scammer and that he will get reported a lawyer that doesn't know anything regarding a lawsuit against me. He starts getting mad saying how he is just trying to do his job and help me. I got pissed and told him off and I looked up Cashnet1.com doesn't exist I type his number and I'm here now making this report. Do not pick up the call and if you can change your number!!!!

I too have had these people calling me. At first they were just leaving messages on my voicemail which I couldn't understand b/c of the heavy Indian accent. Finally I called back b/c they had been calling me at least 20 times a week. The man on the phone said his name was Mark Johnson and he knew my birthdate and social security# and said he was collecting a debt from a cash advance I had taken out (which was already paid in full for $250). He said I owed his company $426.63 which included my principal balance, interest and law fees. He kept claiming they were a law firm and if the debt wasn't paid in 15 days they would take legal action against me. They also wanted me to fax in my bank statement which again was odd if they were collecting from a cash advance person they should have known the info. And then basically before I could ask any other questions he hung up on me so I called back the second time. I called he acted very rude when he found out it was me. I started asking him questions about the debt and his company and it was like he didn't want to answer me. Finally I got the name Cash1USA as the company name and he kept claiming they were a law firm working for several different companies including CashnetUSA (which is who I had my advance through). I also was trying to ask him how the amount I owed came up to be so high. He just kept saying that was what I owed and it including law fees, 300% interest and my principal balance and he couldn't even verify how much was my principal balance. Was I could tell he was getting upset by me asking questions so he basically said pay that amount by debit card or Western Union and they would close their case and then he hung up on me again so I again called back and tried to see if I could get a supervisor on the phone. The first few times I was just hung up on then finally I got ahold of someone who said the supe wasn't in but he could help and this person told me a totally different amount that I supposedly owed and kept trying to get my bank account info from me in the meantime while I was talking to this other person Mark Johnson grabbed the phone from him, cursed me out calling me a f***ing c**t a** b***h and that if I didn't pay he hoped I would enjoy the next 4

Got a call from this number, and they told me it was for a payday loan through mycashnow.com. I asked them every question that has been posted above, same answers. I then asked them what account it was put to, no answer. Guy got very up set with me told me he would see me in court unless I paid the 376.00 that was owed to them. after I started asking legitimate questions he got mad and hung up. I then called back and got a guy by the Name of Niel Johnson. I though he told me Johanson so I spelled it out to him and he said "you stupid person I said Johnson...J-O-H-N-S-O-N. same questions same run around...so then I thought it would be fun to waiste their time since they wasted mine, I could not tell you how many times I was hung up on called everything under the sun....and this is a classic one....I called again and told them I had my lawyer with me and the call was being recorded, he said thats find (my name) first and last mind you, he then asked me if he could talk to my attorney...I told him it was on speaker phone and anything that was said to him, I could hear. He said "ok, can I have your name sir so I can pull up your account" I told him that he already knew my name cause he just said it, and then he told me "no I didnt" This went back and fourth for about 5 minutes he then laughed at me and said....oh (my name) I mean sir you forgot your name...He sounded like the dude from the simpsons!!! I thought it was pretty funny...anyway the call ended up with him saying "hang up the phone you [***]" sorry for the language but that is what he said

I received a call today at work informing me that there was an investigation relating to my S.S. # and my address. He stated I would be arrested in the next few days due to committing fraud and if he did not hear back from someone on my side he would have to take legal actions and put me behind bars.  I asked who he was and what company he was trying to collect for and the company which he was trying to collect for I had never dealt with before.  I was called names such as "stupid woman" so at that time we got into an argument and I advised him I would be reporting him to the local authorities and he hung up on me.  I called him back trying to get their address and he hung up on me again.  I then called back a third time and advised him that my son's wife's father was an FBI agent and he hung up very fast.  I do have his message recorded here at work and the threats he made against me.  I want to file a complaint against this jerk and would love to know who to contact.
Caller ID: None I was at work
Caller: Law and Investigation
Call Type: Debt Collector

If you are targeted by these criminals, be sure to report them to all the following federal and state law enforcement agencies (most of which you can do online or over the phone):
1.    The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for protecting the country's financial infrastructure and payment systems from international and domestic threats. Call or write your local Secret Service field office to alert them to the details of this attempted extortion. The addresses and phone numbers for the local Secret Service field offices are listed at http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml or in your phone book.
2.    Alert the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov Be sure to tell the FBI that you are being targeted by extortionists over the phone. And if the crooks claim to be law enforcement or lawyers, officers of the court or bankers, be sure to include that information in your report.
3.    File a complaint with your local police. Most police departments will take a report over the phone.  Be sure to tell them that you're being targeted by an extortionist and give them all the details.
4.    File a complaint your state's attorney general, the contact information for whom is at www.wvago.gov
5.    File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
If these crooks call back, promise them nothing, pay them nothing and tell them nothing other than that you know they're a scam and that you've reported them to law enforcement. (And be sure to report them to all the agencies above each time they call you.)

By the way, here's just a small sample of numbers used by this particular group of scammers. Read the reports and you'll see the same pattern time and again -- phony organization names, thick foreign accents, and oddly worded threats that are so melodramatic and ridiculous that it's laughable:


https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-771-9249   Scammer posting here as GARY and GARRY JONES
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-860-4509   Scammer posting here as Mike Henderson
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-500-0839   Scammer posting here as Ricky
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-201-244-7722   Scammer posting as Carole, David Brown and Amanda
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-626-200-4646   Scammer false postings at this new number as silshan kanniue and Tina – preparing a new number to use.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-424-354-4270   Scammer false postings as Rose
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-785-4479   Scammer posting as Robert
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-909-327-4870   Scammer false postings as Marry
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer false postings as Karen Miller, Chichi and Tom Little
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-561-300-8018   Scammer false postings as Marco Polo (real original)
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-226-7488   Scammer false postings as SAM, David S
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-706-7463   Scammer false postings as George
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-349-7382   Scammer false postings as Towanda Robinson, Shannon Walsh, Jack Dawson and Cynthia
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-760-514-0132   scammer false postings as Suzy01, Johanna Hall, Cindie McMellon, Michael Dublin, Mark Williams, Carol and Rio   (800notes removed some of the scammers posts because the all came from the SAME IP ADDRESS)
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-209-797-2212   scammer false posting as Jaison Connar
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-707-401-4056   Scammer false posting as John Carner, KSR
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-650-241-4604   Scammer false postings as jhon and Kevin
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-708-401-0535   Scammer false posting here as JHON
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-518-212-0219  Scammer false posting

************************************************************************************************************************
Consumer Alert: Attorney General warns Kansans of debt collection scam

January 29, 2010 -- Attorney General Steve Six is cautioning Kansas consumers about telephone calls from apparent fake debt collectors who are impersonating law enforcement officers in an effort to extort money from consumers.   Consumers are warned to not submit payments to these fraudulent debt collectors.

When calling, the scammers most often state they are attempting to collect a debt related to an internet payday loan obtained by the consumer, but which the consumer never repaid.  Consumers state they have never obtained such a loan or paid off the loan years ago.  The scam artists have most recently identified themselves as ACS, National Affidavit Processing Department and United Financial Crime Division, but may use additional phony names.  It appears the phone numbers used by the scammers are “spoofed” numbers, so that the number appearing on a consumer’s caller ID is not the actual number of where the call originated. It appears the calls in question may be originating from outside the United States.

When questioned, the individual calling refuses to disclose the full name or address of the collection agency they claim to represent.  These scammers have been able to provide consumers with identifying information, such as the consumer’s social security number, home address, e-mail address, names of family members and the consumer’s computer IP address.  Since the callers are able to provide valid personal information, consumers may become confused and believe they are being contacted in regard to a legitimate debt.

If the initial debt collection scam is unsuccessful, consumers have been re-contacted months later with the scammers posing as law enforcement officers or officers of the court.  Typically, the consumer is threatened with arrest for fraud or some other fictitious crime unless the consumer agrees to immediately wire money via Western Union.  The fictitious officers strive to frighten and confuse consumers into compliance by using legal sounding terms such as “We’re filing an affidavit against you” or by stating a lawsuit has been or is in the process of being filed against the consumer.

A hallmark of each scam has been calling consumers repeatedly at their place of employment.  This scam hit home when an employee of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office was repeatedly called both on her cell phone and at work.  Despite the employee’s repeated verbal disputes, the caller refused to provide any identifying information to allow her to send a written dispute. The scammer also continued to call her numerous times a day regarding a payday loan she denied obtaining. Two months later, she was again contacted by telephone by an individual identifying himself as an “officer”.

“I denied owing the debt and refused to pay without being provided validation of the debt. I was then told, ‘If that’s the case, I will have local law enforcement come to your place of business and drag you out kicking and screaming’,” stated the employee.

“It is important for consumers to know their rights under the law,” Attorney General Six said. “If a consumer is receiving calls from a debt collection company and believe it is a scam, I encourage them to contact our office immediately.”

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collectors are required to send consumers a written notice within five days of the initial contact.  The notification should contain  information such as the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed and a statement informing the consumer they have thirty days to contact the debtor in writing to dispute the debt or request validation of the debt. In addition, legitimate debt collectors are prohibited by the FDCPA from making false or misleading representations, such as the consumer has committed a crime, implying nonpayment will result in the consumer’s arrest, or using the threat of violence.

More information is available on the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf.

To register a complaint with the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, call 1(800) 432-2310 or visit www.ksag.org.

http://www.ksag.org/page/consumer-alert-attor ... collection-scam

For at least the last four years, possibly longer, a group has been calling former payday loan applicants advising them that they have defrauded a bank and are now being sued for non-payment of a loan.  The callers will claim to be calling on behalf of an attorney's office (name varies), the Dept. of Law and Investigation, ACS, or other similar combinations below:

United Legal Processing Division
Midline Marketing
Crime Monitoring Services
Monetary Crime Division
U.S. National Bank
Attorney General’s Office (usually in California)
American Legal Services
Affidavit Consolidation Services (ACS)

You will be threatened with arrest, a costly trial and possibly worse.  In no shape, way or form can you be arrested for non-payment on a consumer debt.  Do not believe these threats, as they are without merit and cannot be carried out in the manner they allege.  

Who are they?

In the past when pressed by law enforcement for an address, the callers have provided the following information:

David Morgan and Associates
Morgan & Associates
Morgan Associates
954-727-8481
1155 Northwest 85th Street
Wintergarden, Florida  33150
(Address is likely invalid)

The collector's MO matches a once legit collections agency called Ellis Crosby & Associates.  Here are some links on them:

http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/ellis_crosby_and_associates.htm
http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/EllisCrosbyJudgment.pdf

They have been previously fined over $1.3 million for various violations.  They have been known to use phone banks in India to make their calls, which more or less coincides with the difficult to understand accent many of us detect when we are contacted.  

The last time this group went by any "official" name was back in 2008:

Ellis Crosby & Associates / Douglas & Morgan Associates
4494 Southside Boulevard Suite #200
Jacksonville Florida 32216
Phone:  800-928-3536 / (904) 928-3536
(Address is likely invalid)

There are NUMEROUS consumer alerts out against this group of individuals:

Florida:
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061107/met_176207561.shtml

Kansas:  
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html

Colorado:  
http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/press/ ... lls_likely_orig

Rhode Island:  
http://www.collectionscreditrisk.com/news/rho ... -3002135-1.html

West Virginia:
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm

Missouri:
On July 15th, 2010 a Public Awareness Bulletin was sent out by Missouri Information Analysis Center.  

"..received reports from individuals in Ohio and Illinois reference suspicious telephone calls they received. In both instances, the callers are reporting that a voicemail is received from a man, with a Middle Eastern accent, identifying himself as an officer working with the Financial Crimes Unit.  The message indicates that the reason for the call concerns a loan made by the receiver or someone in the receiver's family. The voicemail requests that a return call be made and a telephone number is provided. When a return call is made, the caller is asked to provide personal identifying information such as their date of birth and social security number.

Reports indicate that the calls are frequent and persistent and that they even threaten arrest or legal action if information or money is not provided. It appears that the individuals making these calls may have access to some records connecting individuals and their relatives.  Missouri does not have a Financial Crimes Unit and all indications are that this is a fictitious agency. If you receive a similar phone call, please be advised that it is a scam and please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Missouri Information Analysis Center at 866-362-6422."

Bottom line:

Do not supply the callers with any additional information.  Inform them you have reported them to law enforcement and hang up.  If you haven't already, go ahead and report the calls to local law enforcement, your state's Attorney General and beyond.  Look up the local Secret Service branch's information in your area and get in contact with an agent there.  

If you ever applied for a cash advance online, your information is out there.  
Possible sources for the breach of your privacy are:

* The scammers obtained your information from Teletrack - a reporting agency used by many cash advance lenders to determine their risk lending to you.  The service is able to tell cash advance lenders if you have existing loans with other companies, for example.  Many state laws prohibit borrowers from having more than two cash advances out at the same time.

* The scammers created their own fake payday loan application site.  People looking for a cash advance went to the site and applied, thus freely providing the scammers with their information for malicious use at a later time.  

* The scammers were able to get into the database(s) of cash advance lenders - probable targets being Sonic Payday and Cashnet USA.  


How to protect yourself:

* Inform your employer.  You are likely getting calls at home and/or at work, so make sure your employer is aware the calls are part of a scam and to not take them seriously.  Advise the callers that they are no longer allowed to call you at work.  If they continue to call, document the date and time of the calls you received.  Save voice mails left if at all possible.  

* Change your number(s).  For some this may not be an option, for others a one-time number change can be done free of charge.

Be advised - any references you listed on your payday loan application will be contacted.  Let those people know that this is a scam, and they can disregard.

* Use Google Voice.  Google Voice is a great replacement voice mail system for just about any phone number you use.  Messages can be transcribed and voice mail recordings can be saved as mp3 files.  

Pro Tip - call the scammers with a Google Voice number before turning off your old phone numbers.  Make sure when you call you identify yourself so they can start up their script.  At any point after they have your information pulled up just hang up.  They will then start religiously calling your Google Voice number.  At this point, you are free to change your regular phone number(s) and enjoy not having these people ever call you again.  (And laugh at the fact these people are basically talking to a brick wall several times a day)

The scammers change their numbers frequently.  Law enforcement used to think it was because the callers ran out of minutes on their prepaid wireless accounts or they were shuttered due to fraud, but now they understand it's simply to evade detection by savvy consumers online.  With the proliferation of VoIP, it's even easier for the crooks to stay a couple of steps ahead of law enforcement.  Below is just a sampling of the 30+ numbers that have been used in recent memory.

1-201-244-7722
1-209-349-7382
1-209-797-2212
1-212-500-0839
1-213-256-0408
1-213-995-3039
1-281-763-0433
1-347-289-3902
1-347-844-6817
1-347-844-6831
1-424-354-4270
1-516-232-8905
1-516-232-8935
1-518-212-0219
1-561-300-8018
1-561-210-4185
1-626-200-4646
1-631-456-4041
1-646-274-1143
1-646-810-8635
1-650-241-4604
1-707-401-4056
1-707-633-2789
1-708-401-0535
1-716-442-2824
1-717-862-4080
1-718-705-8669
1-760-514-0132
1-760-563-5384
1-772-318-4938
1-850-201-1111
1-858-777-1977
1-859-908-2281
1-866-860-4509
1-877-226-7488
1-888-706-7463
1-888-771-9249
1-888-785-4479
1-909-327-4870

So can they really do anything to you?

It's not a simple yes or no answer.  Logic dictates that, if they really wanted to take you for a ride and drain your bank accounts, they already would have.  

So, why haven't they?  

Authorization.  

Why do you think you are being called so much?  Perhaps it is because they like the sound of your voice?  No, they have to have your authorization to take any form of payment from you, period.  The callers know their audience, and that audience is typically a bunch of people that have applied for payday loans in the past.  Most of those people they call couldn't afford an attorney if they wanted one, and are so used to receiving collections calls that so long as they sound like a real collector, they will likely be perceived as one.

Furthermore, they don't even really want to talk to your attorney - that just sounds official and scary enough.  A real attorney would take the callers to task and write them off as two-bit con artists.  The callers need you, in writing, to authorize payment against the fictitious debt they claim you owe.  Go ahead, ask them for proof you owe the debt - more commonly known as verification of debt.  See what they say.  A phone authorization carries very little weight, so if they have something signed by you on file, you are done for - and the callers know that.  That authorization is the only thing these callers are doing by the book, and for good reason.  If they just went all willy nilly and made an ACH debit from your checking account, without your written approval, you could in turn report the transaction as fraudulent to your financial institution.  In about 7-10 business days, you would get the funds returned to your account.  Then the scammers would be up against a bank and their team of lawyers and investigators.  

Bottom line:

If you haven't paid the callers a dime, don't.  If you planned on paying them to shut them up, just don't.  Remember - you are not being contacted by a legally licensed, ethically owned and operated collector.  Read up on the FDCPA - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf - and know your rights.

I Called back MORGAN AND ASSC LAW OFFICES phone number 910-300-7196 asked to speak with the man by the NAME OF MICHAEL ADKENSON, was transferred to a DAVID CROOK, lol what a name for a scammer.  I asked him what is your address, he promptly told me that this FIRM WAS ESTABLISHED IN California, Addresss such and such, but they are calling from North Carolina... I then started asking him to let me speak with the man by the name of Michael Adkenson, the person who could barely speak english that left a threatening voice mail on my cell phone. I would like to know what is the purpose of the phone call. This JERK who sounded like the same person that answered the phone WANTED TO FILE A  complained againt Michael Adkenson. Then I lost my temper and told him now if you can't explain the phone calls. I have done my homework on your phone number and your business and I know I'm not calling MORGAN AND ASSC. LAW OFFICES, because the person who answered the phone SAID may I help you and who are you calling for? DO YOUR HOMEWORK if this is a honest business w/honest people AMERICAN WILL NEVER ANSWER THE PHONE MAY I HELP YOU? Especially a Law Firm. Then this man who barely speaks english, started trying to talk, I told them I know about this SCAM, I have looked up your number and have reported it to the FBI, SECRET SERVICE, FARE BUSINESS TRADING, HOMELAND SECURITY Local Police. Do not call my number again. I have blogged you number and your names on every BEWARE SCAM website. The man DAVID CROOK HUNG up before he could try and threaten me.  THEY SAID my SS number is BLOCKED by the US Government, hahahaha WHATEVER that mean.  SCAMMERS here is a news flash I LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY!

This number calls every day and does not leave a message.
Caller ID:
402-982-0819 by sastrugi - 2009-08-08 20:07:18     
This number called me at 9:30am on Sat. - I don't pick up for unrecognized numbers, especially not "Private Office". Thanks for the info!
Caller ID: Private Office
866-494-7227 by Helper - 2010-11-22 23:28:07     
When we looked this up, it comes up as the customer service phone number for Zipcar. If you want to speak with a live person: press 9 at the first prompt
Caller ID:
213-228-8111 by Sandy - 2010-01-07 00:57:29     
Calls come in but no one on other end. I call back 213-228-8111. I either get a beep, beep, beep or "Due to events beyond our control, your call cannot be completed at this time, please try your call later. IE-004".
Caller ID: 213-228-8111
402-982-0426 by MJM - 2009-08-19 06:18:24     
I googled this number and then checked the reverse directory....from reading what others say it's a telemarketer......the message left on my business phone was a man speaking in French! I don't speak French so have no clue what it was about.
Caller ID:

yes, i received a call from this # also telling me that they was going to take me to court,that my ss # was under investation.he said i own US pay day 300.00 for a loan i had got,and now they was taking me to court and it was now 500.00 ,WHAT UP WITH THIS CALLING MY JOB BUT NEVER MY HOUSE

Yes they are calling me constantly...saying they are from the Legal Department of Public Credit SVCs...Jeff Anderson...ha...totally foreign accident

Yes..many many timers. every day...tell them to %^$# themselves and hang up!

Add this Secret Service advice www.econsumer.gov