646-918-5162

I've received multiple harassing phone calls from this number. The individual who called me has identified himself by several names, Office Steven Smith and Office Lee Walker. He has called my home and work phone numbers from disguised numbers like +0000 and +0459 but has left the above-mentioned number as the one to call back. This morning he called my office and told my office manager that he was from the "Financial Crimes Unit" and that I must call him back immediately. He also asked if I was married and became hostile when my office manager refused to provide him with an answer.
I contacted this Officer Lee Walker this afternoon and was confronted by an individual with a very thick accent who demanded that I spell my name and that I listen to him carefully as I had federal allegations pending against me for a financial matter. When I asked him who he worked for, he told me that he was an officer at the financial crimes division but refused to give me a company name. I asked if he worked for the US government, he said yes. When I told him that I didn't believe that his call was legitimate because the federal government doesn't file court cases against individuals for civil debt he got very angry. I continued by telling him that per the Fair Debt Collection Act, if this was a legitimate debt, he needed to send me confirmation of the debt and request for payment by US Mail. He said that he was not able to do that. I asked that he not call my office anymore and that any other communication be done by mail. He told me to "get ready to lose my job" and hung up on me. I called him back and asked that he provide me with his badge number so I could contact the agency that he claims to work for to confirm the authenticity of his call. He then told me that I better "get the best attorney that you can find to represent you in court" said "good luck!" and then hung up on me. I called him again and told him that impersonating a federal agent was a felony in the United States and that I was contacting the FBI. I asked him if he wanted to hang up on me again and he did.

Based on several posts on other websites, I believe that the person who is calling me is not collecting a legitimate debt. It seems that they are targeting people who at one time had a payday loan through a company that used a call center in another country (India, maybe?) that sold the client list. These companies are calling people from a variety of numbers probably using VOIP software. It doesn't sound like there is any recourse for the people being targeted by these scammers. I'm planning on contacting the FBI because I don't know what else to do. It looks like this number is owned by Verizon so I intend on contacting them to report that I am being harassed by an individual at one of their phone numbers and that I intend to hold them responsible if the calls don't stop

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

yesterday afternoon my work called me and said that the federal crime and investigation department called and the man that called had a very strong accent and identified himself as tom brown and that i need to contact him immediately. So i contacted "Mr.Brown" well nobody answered so then a weird number popped up it was 102 i thought it was unusual so i did not answer. So i proceeded to call him back later on in the day it was a 646 number he told me i signed up for a loan online and if i dont pay $365 today i will be going to court and i will have to pay $1200 i was initially scared but at the same time i was curious of why he was so unprofessional and he was very mean with me. So i asked him several questions which he refused to answer he told me if i wanna be rude for me to get my attorney. Im only 18 years old i dont have a attorney i have never signed up for a loan online inmy life. This man knew my address my banks name everything i was terrified. So i asked him if i can get his address to send him a payment in the mail he started becoming nice saying "Heidi I know your a nice girl but u need to cooperate with me you understand" he then wanted my debit card information i then denied it i said i dont have a debit card i use my moms to pay bills with when i get paid he said i need her card information now or your going to court. So as were arguing he tells me i got a loan through cash advance america cash which is true but they have there own company in my city i told him i will call him back i immediately called cash advance america and spoke with someone she said they were not ever going to take me to court that i only owe $98 and it is a scam they do not go through this so called company that is caling me. He kept calling me blocked i said look i just talked to an employee of advance america cash and they said you are lying and im never going to court he told me i was pulling his leg im a liar and he will see me in court.SO my mom called him and he told her he never threatened to take me to court and that hes only doing his job she told him she will get to the bottom if this with his job i am now trying to contact some law inforcement agency about this.

My story is pretty much the same as everyone else's.  Very unprofessional and thick accents.  

Called me months ago and I never responded..... left msgs on my voicemail but I never called back.

Finally called them back to get all this calling stopped.  I am paying for their msgs!

They used a lot of words I didn't understand and told them to stop.  I also told them I didn't understand a word they were saying and that if this was indeed a debt that I owed, and a lawsuit, then I need to see something in Black and White so I can show it to my attorney.   So they need to mail it to me.  Otherwise,........ I told them not to call me anymore.  

Now I don't know if this will work, but I haven't heard from them since last Thursday evening.  :O)