866-553-1950

Received a telephone message this date (9/11/07) from a "Mr. Richards" stating that he received "some paperwork today" and needed a return call from "Michele" tomorrow morining.  He attempted to sound very official and advised that he needed to take a statement from "Michele" about a matter that he was uncomfortable discussing on the answering machine.  He left the above phone number and gave a reference number.  There were a few problems with this call  1.  He never gave a company or agency name.  2.  He had the correct last name, but an incorrect first name, and 3.  He called the phone number of a retired cop.  Tomorrow I will call the NY Attorney General Fraud Unit.

Additional Information:  Contacted the above phone number.  "Mr. Richards" is now going by the name of Dave Martin.  As I spoke with him, I could hear a boiler room telemarketing operation going on in the background.  I advised a friend on the job, who contacted Martin.  Martin advised that he works for "CR Systems" out of Plainville, MA.  He was very vague as to the type of business.  The SP Counter Terrorism Center advised that there is no record on CR Systems or the phone number.  It is definitely a scam.

Today I received the third message from these people.  I returned the call.  The Attorney General advised that, by law, they (if asked) have to advise if they are Debt Collectors and give their Mailing Address.  He refused.  However, he later related that he was from MA.  The AG also advised that I should request that they, "cease and desist."  At this request, he laughed.  I believe I finally convinced him that there was no Michele in my family.  In fact there is no Michele in my extended family.  He advised that the Michele (evidently from Kansas City) gave our phone # as a reference.  I'm not certain I believe him.  I'm not certain I believe anything at this point.  What a bottom feeder.

Thank you for the Information. I felted liked this was a scam, especially when I asked Was this a attempt to collect a debt? I got every crazy answer, But the truth. They (Systems" out of Plainville, MA) are really Tony Soprano ans Paully Walnuts.

The call actually came into my brothers house from a gentleman requesting me and that it was an urgent matter.  She let him know it was her boyfriends' sister and asked if she could help at all.  He insisted it was a legal matter and that a statement was needed as soon as possible to resolve this matter.  I called back.  He had all of the information on me about an old bank account - in a different state, even - including the last four digits of my social security number; and my first, last and middle name.  HE STATED HIS NAME IS DAVE MARTIN.  When asked to send me something in written form or even in e-mail form (I did not give out the e-mail address) he stated that they deal with thousands of these petty issues and simply don't have the time or the paper stock to send out mailings.  How rediculous, really.  This is where I ended the conversation.

Someone saying they were Micheal Scott called my 83 year old mother in law today looking for my 19 year old son who was in a tragic car accident about a year ago "Mr" Scott said it was very important that he speak with my son today regarding a case that was pending. I decided to look up the phone # to see who we were talking to & was very suprised & also thankful to find the information that has been posted. We will not be returning this call but I was also wondering if there is a way to stop these type of calls.

Go here: http://www.budhibbs.com/cease_comm.htm

This is information on a cease & desist letter you can send to the harassing collector and additional information on your rights.  Good luck.

I'm going to assume they contacted you regarding an old bank account because A. you either overdrafted or B. had an unpaid personal loan in another state a couple years ago ... well WHAT DID YOU EXPECT!?! I don't suppose you called the original creditor after speaking to the agency ,whatever bank that may be, and verify the debt (because why else would a collection agency contact you unless it was a debt) or make any attempt to do the right thing and pay it. You also state in your complaint you requested something in writing via EMAIL but REFUSED TO GIVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS....how in the world are they supposed to email you information concerning the debt if they dont have your email address?

While working for a collection agency, were are legally bound by law to NOT TELL YOU WE WERE A COLLECTION AGENCY unless you were who we were looking for.  As for the person who had the call from someone who had the same last name...they do what they call skip tracing. People actually sit down and look for any information they can pull up on the debtor.  If there is no info, they will call other numbers with people of the same last name in attempts to contact the debtor. As for the woman who lost her son, i do appoligize. But if the client we are working for does not know that person had died, neither do we. Other than skip tracing, the only info we had is what the client gave us. So if someone calls you and says they need to speak with someone regarding an important time sensative personal matter they are handling for "insert debtors name" that would be a collection agency.  Also, regarding the paperwork people request about the debt. An agency is only bound to sending out ONE letter per debtor. And that letter is not a bill, it is simply telling you that you are in collections and if you didnt agree with it you have 30 days to dispute it.  If you never recieved the letter, it's TFB pretty much. Most companies will not waste time and paper send out another one. You used services you didnt pay for and it is way past due and needs to be paid today(thats what we had to say)

retired cop your kidding, I too get a call from this place  turns out I owe them money  I spoke to Richards and Martin  one is obviously in his 50s  the other a kid seams like  he just  got out of high school (good call  sherlock)

So let's summarize the Collector's Philosophy:

If you didn't get the correspondence we sent out, TFB.

If we need to harass half the west coast to find someone we've been unable to locate, TFB.

If we call and refuse to say who we are or what we want, and this irritates people, TFB.

And if your son died, well, TF..  We get the idea.

Any wonder people hate these jerks.

So let's summarize the Debtor's Philosophy:

If we moved and didn't follow change of address procedures, it's not our fault

If we recieved goods and services that we never had any intentions of paying for, it's not our fault

If we can't return a phone call regarding our financial situations, it's not our fault.  

If we owe tons of money to tons of different people, and still don't have a job, it's not our fault.

You people owe money to people, it's not the collectors fault you're all deadbeats

Previous post obviously placed by a collector troll.

Notice that like most of these posts towing the collection agency line, they always assume the collector is calling the RIGHT person in a CIVIL manner about a LEGITIMATE debt.  Uh-huh.  Given the total tonnage of complaints on this and other sites, those calls apparently make up about 1% of the total.  On the other hand, people who complain about collectors on these message boards seem to be talking about the way debt collectors spend the other 99% of their time: the annoying calls they make to friends, neighbors and relatives who owe them nothing, the annoying calls they make to innocent people who are unlucky enough to have a name similar to a debtor's, the annoying calls they make to people unlucky enough to have a number belonging to a debtor in the last 30 years, the annoying calls they make re: time-barred debts from antiquity that are legally uncollectable, the annoying calls they make re: debts they cannot in any way verify, the annoying calls they make involving threats and abuse which put them in continual violation of FDCPA - in short, their daily routine.  It sounds like people have a right to loathe these jerks.  

Also notice that while collectors always present the defense that it's only the few collectors who abuse, they take it as self-evident that ALL debtors are deadbeats and liars.  This is supposed to excuse their shoddy, illegal methods.

To collectors who whine, "pay your bills," I reply, "DO YOUR JOB!  GO AFTER LEGITIMATE CASES.  It's YOUR job to figure how, and if you can't do it without continually irritating innocent people with what amount to no more than poorly-researched nuisance calls and brain-dead fishing expeditions, then you're hardly in a position to call anybody either lazy or irresponsible."

You people harass more non-debtors than debtors.  It's not their fault you're all incompetent.

I have filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office. Call my house one more time, I will be the one doing the collecting (LAW SUITE) for harrassment. And SInce your attitude is TFB, mine is KIZMIAZ!!!!!!!!

Yesterday my mother received a call from someone identifying himself as Bill Regan from CR Systems.  He asked her to "do a favor for a neighbor" and go down the street and put a post-it note on someone's mailbox asking that person to contact him at 866-553-1950.  He said it would be in the neighbor's "best interest" to call.

First of all, this person was not a neighbor.  He/she lives nearly 2 miles from my mother.  Secondly, my mother has no idea who this person even is.

I was very upset when my mother called me and told me what had transpired, so I called 866-553-1950.  When I asked the nature of their business, I was told they deal with "personal issues."  When I asked why my mother was contacted when she has absolutely no connection to this neighbor, I was put on hold while a "manager" was located.  I proceeded to argue with this man (Bill Regan) for nearly 5 minutes concerning the unethical and unprofessional practice of asking someone else (my elderly mother in this case) to do their dirty work.  He was very rude to me and I was to him as well.  After repeatedly asking how he got my mother's phone number and adress, he hung up on me.

I understand that collection agencies have jobs to do, but THEY SHOULD NOT EXPECT OTHERS TO DO THEIR JOB FOR THEM!

You were more patient with these jerks than I would have been.  Neither you nor your mother are under any obligation whatsoever to act as a messenger services for these lowlifes because they're too lazy or incompetent to contact the person they're looking for directly.  Just another example of collectors sitting on their butts spouting platitudes about "responsibility" while abdicating theirs.

this number belongs to:

Debt Management Inc
310 South Street, Suite A
Plainville, MA 02038

Call from a Steven Green with CR Systems, reporting he was an investigator trying to reach my mother because he needs a statement from her from something in another county.  Which brought fear to me that something may have happened to her.  I researched the number and found this site. I called back to Steven Green and asked him to remove my number since they were not calling for me. He then accused me of being non cooperative!  Hear this Steven... you were false leading, the debt is not mine... the person you are looking for does not reside at this home or number....THAT IS AS COOPERATIVE AS YOU WILL GET! Steven hung up on me twice. That's professional... I called back a third time and spk to Dave Martin.... image that.  Dave explained that they are a collection company.  Steven was skip tracing.  They both commented that they have viewed this site and think it's commical.  I explained my frustrations to Dave Martin as well...they are NOT investigators, they don't need a statement, they want to know the were abouts of someone.  I understand they have a job to do, however, don't imply that it is for something else when it's not and don't refuse to remove my number, when it's not MY DEBT!!!! You have to get an education to be an investigator... you can't be a self proclaimed....just because you feel that is what your job is... to investigate doesn't make you an investigator.  Don't call my house again.  Just for the record.... Dave Martin and Steven Green sound very alike.

Got a call two weeks ago from "Fred Stanton" at this number, looking for my mother (who lives at the other end of the state).  He called me back the 18th again looking for her, and tonight my father called (who lives at the other end of the *country*), this person had called looking for her.  My question is, we ALL now have different last names, mom and dad have been divorced for 21 years, mom has been remarried and dad has lived in a different state for 10 years and has an unlisted phone number.  HTH do they find people?

Anyway they can.

Send them this letter (VIA Certified Mail, with return receipt requested). They have NO business harassing you about someone else's debt...even IF it is your Mom's. If they continue to call after you have written proof that they have received it, they can face fines of up to $1,000.00 PER violation.


Date

Your Name
Mailing Address
Your City, State, Zip

Re: Notice to Cease Contact Regarding Debt for ______________________

Name of Collection Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip

I am notifying you in writing that your agency has contacted me regarding a debt for [name of person who collector is contacting you about]. No one by that name lives at my address or phone number.

Therefore, I am requesting that you cease all communication to my phone number regarding this person's debt. If you persist in believing that [name of person] is somehow connected with my address and/or phone number, please provide proof of your claim.

You should direct all future correspondence in writing as outlined in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and to cease all communication with me by telephone.

Lastly, I would like to receive confirmation in writing that you have received this letter and will no longer be contacting me about this other person's debt, or I will be forced to seek further legal action.

I look forward to your acknowledgement that you have received this notice by [date that is two weeks from date of letter].


Sincerely,

_______________
(Signature)


Your Name

http://www.privacyrights.org/Letters/debt6.htm