559-471-4078

called trying to extort money claimed to be with a law office, yet refused to give any information

CALLED CLAIMING TO BE A LAW OFFICE, STATED THAT I OWED A PAYDAY LOAN AND THAT I WOULD BE ARRESTED IF I DID NOT PAY 800.00 IS THIS LEGIT?

DID THEY STATE THERE WAS A WARRENT FOR YOUR ARREST IF YOU DID NOT PAY A FEE?

Nope.

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

I was told they had my voice on a recording approving the loan.  I never received a loan or left my voice approving a loan.  When we called the number back, they told us they would see us in court on Friday.  I have never received any notification whatsoever about this $300 loan.  They disconnected our call and are not answering any of our phone calls.  They must have caller id.

No, they are usually ex-cons paid to be debt collectors or con people out of money using threats.  You cannot have a subpoena issued they way they are telling you.  Don't pay them anything!  I was a victim of identity theft and they called me in June about some debit I owed and threatened me up one side and down the other.  I work with the courts so I just laughed at them.  Oddly enough, I got a call today but the guy couldn't even speak English

I received a phone call from this number about two hours ago and was threatened by a man who couldn't even speak english telling me that I was being subpoened for charges against fraud and theft because I supposedly received payment from an on-line payday loan that I never applied for.  I denied the charges and told him that I would fight it, he didn't ask me for any money and stated that he was from a law office but I stupidly verified the personal information that he provided.  He then proceeded to tell me to get a lawyer to protect myself and that I would be summoned to court shortly.  Is there any way that there is validity to this? How much damage can they do to me since I not supplied but verified my information?

Read the post just above yours.  

Apparently your call was from a scammer.  He tells you that you owe $$$$$ and are about to be arrested.  He also says you can avoid being arrested by sending him a fraction of the amount due.

Send him nothing.  There's no need to hire a lawyer.  'You are not about to be arrested,  Your caller is a con artist.  Report him to DoNotCall.gov

Check your credit.  Get credit reports from all 3 of the major credit reporting agencies.  Somebody has your personal information.  Make sure they aren't running up bills in your name.

Some idiots that sound like they are in India (no offence to anyone), from Attorney & Legal Servies just called my work and are accusing me of taking a loan from Payday Loans in September of 2009 & never paid it back, so they are taking me to court.

I immediately thought someone has stolen my identity. This is not true and if this was a joke.

They said they are sending someone from their offices to pick me up and take me to court. I will need to provide proof if I am wrongly accused. If someone has stolen my identity I will need to bring them too. HOW STUPID IS THAT?!!

I kept telling them (I say them cuz I spoke to 3 people: John, Becky Slater & Steven) that this was ridiculous and must be a joke. I hung up the first time and that's when Steven called me back. LOL

They had some of my personal info: my last 4 digits of my SSN, my work #, my sister's name and my bank name, and email address.

After telling Becky this was crazy and ridiculous she threatened I would never get out of court, wouldn't tell me their address, said I should have checked my emails to submit payment. I said I never open any emails from people I don't know. Steven said well it's not my fault you don't read your emails. I asked why did I not receive any notifications by U.S. mail? He said because it is illegal. They obviously don't live in the U.S. LAME-O's!

I just checked my credit report last month and there is nothing on there I am unaware of. Nothing from $8,000 as they have accused me of. (It is a good thing to invest in a credit report monitoring service).

I Googled them and they are not even listed. The number that came up on the phone was 559-471-4078. I called the number back and there is nothing but a busy tone. I just called again and now it went to some lame answering machine.

This is a TOTAL SCAM!

Good thing I am a smart kid! I sure told them off!

Becarfeul for those crazy people who try to sound real.

I had the same issue from this service. They claim we owe money and they are going to freeze our bank account.  We will get arrested if we don't send half of the payment. I am going to report them tto the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office

I received the same call.

Thank you, I did red flag all three of the credit bureus and told them that I believed that I was a suspect of identity theft.  I will report these people as soon as possible.  I also sent out text messages to everyone I know and sent an email to my local city tribune to make people aware of this situation.  People should know about what is going on, I hate to think that these idiots can get away with what they are doing.

PROTECT YOURSELF!  IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU MUST READ – HOW THE SCAM WORKS AND WHAT AGENCIES TO REPORT THEM TO

LONG RUNNING AND KNOWN SCAM – ALL OVER INTERNET AND NEWS FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW

Fake Debt Collectors – Terrorizing Consumers

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5621205&page=1


MORE ON FAKE DEBT COLLECTORS
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-9141
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/call4action/17285785/detail.html
http://www.800helpfla.com/newsletter/2008/092008.html

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html   latest release of information on this scam

http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm
Attorney General Darrell McGraw took the extraordinary step today of warning the public about a band of scam artists making threats to consumers who allegedly obtained Internet payday loans in West Virginia and across the nation. The consumers they threaten never obtained a loan at all or paid it off years ago.

Internet payday loans are short-term loans or cash advances, usually for 14 days, made over the Internet via interactive web sites and secured by an agreement authorizing debits of the loan and all fees owed from the consumer’s checking account. These loans typically charge interest rates ranging from 600-800 APR and are unlawful in West Virginia.

The scam artists, who speak English with a foreign accent, call themselves “U.S. National Bank,” “Federal Investigation Bureau,” “United Legal Processing” and numerous other phony names. They refuse to disclose real names and addresses and are believed to be operating “off the grid” from homes, automobiles, or from off shore locations or foreign countries, including India. Since the scammers have kept themselves purposely well hidden, thus far no law enforcement agencies have succeeded in locating or shutting them down.

The scammers typically pose as law enforcement officers, investigators, lawyers, and bankers and threaten consumers that they will be arrested for “bank fraud” or other fictitious crimes unless money is wired immediately. They simultaneously scare and confuse consumers by using meaningless legalese gobbledygook phrases such as, “We are downloading warrants against you” or “We are filing an affidavit against you.” Consumers who don’t immediately fall for the scam are warned, “Only God can help you now.”

The scammers almost always call consumers at work several times a day, and tell their supervisors, “Your employee has committed fraud and is about to be arrested.” Such threats have proven unsettling even to the most savvy consumers and employers who suspect the calls are fraudulent.

Attorney General McGraw stated, “Ordinarily my office protects consumers from fraudulent activities by seeking injunctions in court. But legal action cannot be taken until the scam artists can be located. Even then, it is unlikely that the persons behind the fraudulent calls and extortionist threats would obey a court order. In this case, the consumer’s best defense is to be armed with the knowledge of the scam so that all demands for money can be resisted, despite the false but scarey threats of arrest.”

McGraw added, “Because the fraudsters make a special point of calling consumers repeatedly at work, employers must understand that the consumers are innocent victims of a criminal enterprise and cannot stop the calls from coming. I also wish to assure the citizens of West Virginia that my office will continue to do everything possible to locate and shut down the outlaw debt collectors.”

More information about this fraudulent debt collection scheme is available at the Attorney General’s website, www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam. Any consumers who have been threatened by these persons or wish to file a complaint about another consumer matter may do so by calling the Consumer Protection Hot Line, 1-800-368-8808, or by obtaining a complaint form from the Attorney General’s web site.

It's a debt collection scam. And all their threats are false and illegal.
This is a very active group of scammers, many of whom are calling from India (and probably other countries) and are in cahoots with a group of American pay day loan scammers. They attempt to extort money from consumers with a myriad of false and illegal threats, and alternately pose as debt collectors, federal and state law enforcement officers, lawyers and bankers. Their trademark is to use meaningless legalese gobblygook phrases like "We are downloading warrants against you" or "We are filing an affidavit against you." Another trademark phrase is to threaten the consumer with something like this ridiculous phrase: "If you don't pay then only God can help you."
Typical of many financial scams of this variety, they usually demand payment via Western Union or MoneyGram or credit card. They use any number of phony names such as US National Bank, Federal Investigation Bureau, US Legal Investigation Bureau, Hopkins Law Office, United Legal Processing, Morgan Associates, United Pay Services, National Processing, White Collar Crime Unit and many more.  These criminals also use many phone numbers from many area codes; they're probably using caller-id spoofing software and/or VoIP to disguise their real location.
The main thing to remember is that anytime someone calls you demanding money to prevent your arrest, or demanding your lawyer's name so they can sue you, it is ALWAYS a scam. No debt collector (let alone criminals posing as debt collectors) has the authority to have anyone arrested for anything. (And it's illegal to them to threaten such a thing.) And since these foreign dirtbags routinely impersonate law enforcement, it's also important to remember that American law enforcement officers aren't in the business of debt collection.  (Debt is a civil, not a criminal, matter.)
The bottom line is, these are criminals trying to steal your money.
A consumer posting a complaint about these same scammers at https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-831-7157 notes that 718-831-7157 is associated with an India-based "outsourcing" telephone bank.  Though a reverse search on WhitePages.com shows that 718-831-7157 is an unlisted land line in New York City, information on Debtbuyers.Com shows that that number is used by India-based Intellisourze. (Source: http://www.debtbuyers.com/debtbuyers.asp ) My guess is that it's a VoIP phone number.
This is another piece of the puzzle that fits in perfectly with other information about this scam. There are some reports on 800Notes that have suggested that the crooks behind this offshore scam are also the crooks behind the notorious Bass/Ellis Crosby & Assoc./States Predisposition scams in Florida and Georgia. The interesting thing is that the number of complaints on here about the US National Bank/US Legal Investigation/Federal Investigation scam skyrocketed *after* April 7, 2008 when Florida obtained a $1.3 million judgment against Ted Ellis Crosby, shutdown his operations and barred him from ever conducting debt collections in Florida (Read http://myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsrel ... 5257424005858A6 ) There's certainly a good chance that the crooks placing these calls from India are doing so on behalf of the American crooks behind the Crosby/Bass/States Predisposition scams.
Here's the contact information for the phone bank in India:
IntellisOurzE BPO
701, Sapphier, Nr. Cargo Motors,
C.G. Road Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad - 9. (Guj.) INDIA.
E-Mail: info@intellisourze.com
Website: www.intellisourze.com 
A check on the domain name "intellisourze.com" shows that the website and name registration was created on May 8, just one month *after* the Crosby scams were shut down in Florida:
Domain Name: INTELLISOURZE.COM
Registrant:  Pragra Infratech Pvt. Limited.
Email:  ankur.ranpariya@pragra.com  
908, Aksaht Tower, Nr. ICICI Bank
Opp. Rajpath Club, S.G. Highway
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India 380054
Tel. +91.7926871353
Creation Date: 08-May-2008
Expiration Date: 08-May-2009
Domain servers in listed order: ns5.znetindia.com ns4.znetindia.com
(Source: http://whois.domaintools.com/intellisourze.com )
Though scam calls from these crooks have been going on long before May 8, the frequency of complaints about these calls increased considerably after Crosby was shut down in early April.
This is conjecture, but appearances suggest that Crosby and company were originally running a two-pronged payday loan scam operation -- with some calls being made from Jacksonville, Florida and other calls being made from a phone bank in India (and possibly other countries); then, after the Florida Attorney General shut down the Crosby scams in Florida, the Crosby crooks transferred most of their scam efforts to the India phone bank.

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/1-925-262-1327
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-954-6346
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-341-4004
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-856-831-0640
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1140
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-410-505-8128
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-917-464-2534
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-210-858-6602
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-775-2121
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1156
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-1402
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-0922
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-723-5572
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2863
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-831-7157
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2857
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-858-244-0444
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-954-678-9724
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-610-571-3252
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-310-909-8245
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-310-499-9983
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 placing 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 placing 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 placing false postings as Marry
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143   Scammer placing false postings as Karen Miller


Scam alert: Bogus debt collectors
By Leslie McFadden • Bankrate.com
Monday, Aug. 3
Posted 2 p.m.
Bankrate reporter Leslie McFadden contributed this entry.
This scam isn't technically about credit cards, but it is scary enough to post a warning. The Better Business Bureau issued an alert today saying consumers across the country are getting phone calls from bogus debt collectors claiming default on a payday loan. Of course, the consumer needs to pay a large fee to avoid arrest -- as much as $1,000.
The caller poses as a lawyer, and may threaten extradition to face trial if the consumer doesn't pay up immediately.
What makes these calls alarming -- and perhaps convincing -- is that the perpetrators reference the consumer's personal information, such as the person's Social Security number, driver's license number, previous bank account numbers, home address -- even personal references.
"The amount of information they have is really troubling," says BBB spokeswoman Alison Southwick. She adds that the amount of data points to a possible security breach.
Spread the word to your friends and family: Don't give out personal or financial information to an unknown caller. Scammers can spoof Caller ID to display different numbers, so trust your instincts over technology.
The BBB offers these tips:
•    Ask the debt collector to provide official documentation which substantiates the debt.
•    Do not provide or confirm any bank account, credit card or other personal information over the phone until you have confirmed the legitimacy of the call.
•    File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online if the caller is abusive, uses threats or otherwise violates federal telemarketing laws or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
•    File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online if you believe a debt collector is trying to scam you.

I received a call from this number claiming the same thing. I took money from a payday lender and never paid them back stating I owed almost $6,000. This is scary to know that they have ALL of my personal info!!!!!

I can only say DITTO to this message posted by G.F., The caller's name on the voicemail on my cell was Jason Brown but when I spoke to him it was Json Lawrence.  Same company, Attorney & Legal Services.  They are supposed to be out of Irvine, CA.  Phone no. 559-471-4078, They wanted me to make 50% and send a letter to the attorney, Jim Smith, on the letter I am supposed to put my credit card no., full name, exp. date and code from back along with a copy of my driver's license and social security card, Also they wanted me to put on the bottom of the letter that I would not dispute this and to get the letter notarized.  I am ashamed to say that we almost got scammed.

I just moments ago tried to call the number and it said that ext. 70009 is not available...

I will be reporting them to the BBB, local authorities and the Attorney General's office.

yep received the same call here in N.C. called him back 25 times and talked with him 2 times. 1st time he hang up on me because I said lets play 5 questions, I ask the 1st one and if you answer it, then you get to ask the next question. My 1st question was name of law firm which he said Trindity Law. I was on the computer and did a quick search to firm no website. He said he had one but it wasn't working. He then ask his question, what phone number are you calling from, I gave him a fake #. My next question was address of company and head partner so that I can have my layer or police call him back- he hang up.
I then called him back again and said sorry we where cut off. He siad he didn't have time for my games and said the same things as others, owe money ect. I then laid into him about being a spam and just going off on him. Of course he hang up.
I'm just going to keep calling him over and over and over again to mess with him.

i got this call and im sorry but i told this son on a b**ch to go back to to his 3rd world country. i called my county court and asked for info and there was nothing than i had my friend act as if he was a cop and they kept hanging up... IDIOTS!!! i want to see him in court for sure now!!! and smash his head on the dest just to make me feel better...

I got the same caller today and at first, I was pretty scared. They called me 3 different times and on the last 2 calls, I let them know that I knew it was a scam. I also told them that I would be reporting them to several different agencies. They cursed at me, kept changing their names, and I talked to a fake lawyer who cursed at me. I then called them back several times and they got upset. If they call again, I'm claiming that I'm from the police department.

I VE ALREADY SENT 400.00 TO 559-471-4078,PLEASE HELP they wont stop calling my home and scaring my wife and children saying im going to be arrested tomorrow.on a loan i got almost 1 year ago for 200.00,and already paid it back all in one lump sum.now they want more $$$ just got off the phone is there any way any calls from this number are real?They sound so professional,at times they will stay on the phone with you screaming and threating you as long as you dont hang up then making you wonder who am i really talking to? IT IS UNSETTELING.

I got a call from this number last Tuesday and they told me that I'm been sueing from the payday loans online, but I was not aware of any loans. They told me that the investigator will come to my home and pick my up for court on that following Friday and If I don't go to the court, I have to pay the fine of $4,420.00. I was pissed b/c I wasn't aware of any loans and what the HELL IS GOING ON?!?!?.....So I ask all my coworkers and they told me that it must be a scammer b/c IF I have owe any loans, where are the prove? and where is my court case?
Eventually, I didn't fall for this scam, I call back to this number several time to play them back. And now, when I try to call them again, all I got is a busy signal or "sorry, but the number for the extension....". IT'S A SCAM! When you see the number: 559-471-4078 or 408-608-0924, DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY! THEY NEED TO GET THEIR ASS OUT OF THEIR CHAIR AND GO GET THE REAL JOB!