877-215-9330

A man calling himself "investigator Jones" left a message on my cell phone saying to call this number. He said he worked for Epstein, Weinberg and Associates, a law firm, and they were investigating a young lady for check fraud. Don't know how they got my cell phone number, and why would an attorney's office be investigating someone for check fraud. They wouldn't. Needless to say, I did not call back.

Calling saying they are a investigator from ebstein and wineburg and associates.  But they are call to collect a debt, and they are calling friends to harass them.

They are a debt collection company that specializes in unpaid payday loans.  They are NOT investigators and they CANNOT charge you with fraud.  That is an abusive and misleading debt collection practice and its illegal!  If they call again, tell them that they are no longer allowed to call you and must submit all communication in writing.  I had an unpaid payday loan that was discharged in bankruptcy and they bought the old debt and attempted to collect on it.  They also used to be called Stanley, Weinberg & Associates.  After I threatened to sue them for violating the FDCPA by misrepresteing themselves they stopped calling, not that they could do anything to me anyway!

May 24. 2010, received call from investigator allen stating my phone number were involve in check frud. this is a frud

I just want to know If they are real or fraudulent.

I received a call from investigator allen and he refused to tell me where he was calling from when i asked for something in writting, he asked what did i want in the letter,. Really!! I have to tell you. This other guy Investigator Victor Golden  with Weinburg & Epstein Law office gets on telling me, he is issuing a warrant for my arrest because i refuse to take care of it. Okay, how did i go from asking for a letter in writting to getting arrested. He then tells me he was not going to waste his time sending me a letter, i was only going to get a phone call. Are you serious and your an attorney office. I work for an attorney and this is not how you do business.

OMg... He told me the same thing and he scareed me and i gave him my cc # to pay off the stupid loan.

many states have banned payday loans and that includes COLLECTING on money already loaned.
Check your own STATE government websites.  

IF YOU DID TAKE OUT A PAYDAY LOAN - CONTACT THE COMPANY DIRECTLY - payday loan collections SCAMS are rampant at this time.  Most do not have the LEGAL right to collect the debts they are attempting to collect.

Debt collectors must be LICENSED in your state - no license they cannot do anything.


ITS ILLEGAL TO THREATEN ARREST FOR NON PAYMENT OF ANY LOAN!



THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State – always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website – FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you’re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor’s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn’t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter – even if you don’t think you owe the debt, can’t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector – in writing – to stop contacting you. Here’s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don’t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people – but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
    you will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt;
    they’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
    legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn’t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt – or your state law – allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don’t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don’t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don’t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans’ Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members’ Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors’ Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can’t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney’s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector’s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General’s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General’s office can help you determine your rights under your state’s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government’s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY – use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE’S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies – report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

it was must have been someone els phone before you are someone just give you name with the wrong name

Received a call from Investigator Hall saying they were investigating a theft and that I MUST call back within 24 hours.  I called back - got the name of Epstein, Weinberg & Associates as well.  I left a message saying I didn't know what they were talking about.  Well, I wanted to know what was going on so I left my cell # and they just called back leaving the same message.  I decided to google the number and all of these posts were what I found.  I will not be calling them back again and will not answer if they call me again.  How do we stop these calls from getting through?

My husband received a call from the same company today yet we have never had a payday loan before. I tired to be nice but they keep telling me that my husband did check fraud and that he was in trouble. What the company failed to realize is that I worked in collections for years and know the laws. I explained the company was misrepresenting themselves and I would sue them. They hung up on me. So I called back and the man tried to tell me that they were not a collection company but ended up hanging up on me when i stated I know the laws. A couple of things you should know about collections companies:

They higher aggressive personalities that will take charge of phone call.
the objective is to get the money anyway possible
They can not harass you, or mislead you in anyway
If you tell them to stop calling you then they have to remove your number

If you tell them not to call and they do anyways make sure you answer, stand your ground don't give them a dime, and take notes. There are lawyers that love suing collection companies and people have made tons of money from lawsuits. The phony law is an example of a huge lawsuit.

I have been getting a call from 404-938-4130 and keep saying that i had issued a fraud check and they keep telling me that i must call back within 24hrs @ 877-215-9330 ext. 1010, ext. 1002 & even ext. 1007 or further action will take place and Investigator William was one of them that called and even told me that they need to speak to my lawyer within 24hrs.  If these people are scammers, somebody need to do something.  Stupid of me i gave them my bank card number because i got scared and don't want to go to jail.  I have children that needs me.  Now i feel relief that i'm not the only one that's going through this.  The good part, they didn't get to take money out.  Please help and report these people.  This need to stop.  They're also harrassing my family.

Investigator Jones called my place of employment several times for about six months until I called the BBB, now investigator "good" is not calling my place of employment.  I will contact BBB again and have the calls stopped!

ATTORNEY GENERALS - NOT THE BBB

the Attorney Generals have the power to SHUT THEM DOWN, FINE THEM and have them MAKE RESTITUTION to those they stole money from.  the BBB cannot do that!

repeated calls to my home phone number from investigator Hall stating my daughter was being investigated for check fraud.when I checked the return number on the internet it came up with this site..thanks

Have not been personally harrassed by the company, but was good friends with an immediate family member of the couple (Shields) that own the company. At that time, They were living in a giant 3 story mansion, drove multiple ferrari/jaguar sports cars, constantly threatened to sue anyone and everyone, and needless to say, cared for nothing but money and more money. The work related conversations that took place (over a 6 year period) between the two owners were nothing short of dispicable regarding customers/clients/future prospects. Now that I am older and understand what exactly it is that this company is doing, I fully discourage anyone from dealing with them in any way whatsoever (with the exception of asking for a written validation of thier claims). Those two, as well as thier company, are appaulingly robotic in thier complete indifference to your misfortune.

recieved harerasing calls at work from someone called john calvin

Hey did everything god okay after you paid them?

Thank you for the useful information. I really needed this.

These people called my home looking for a ficticious woman, said they were investigating her for fraud. Threatened my daughter saying she was harboring this person. They really frightened my daughter. And when I called back to give them a piece of my mind. The investigtor who threatened her was unavailable. These people are frauds!!! Do not fall for whatever scam they are telling you!!!!!