877-400-0287

Received a message on answering machine regarding and ex-son-in-law. The "Investigator Epstein" specifically asked my husband to call him back at extension 323 and gave a case number. The back ground noise on this call sounded like a telemarketer or collection agency.

We think this may be a scam or collection agency. Since my daughter has been remarried several years now, we feel it is wrong for any collection agency to call us.
The "Investigator " said he was from Griffin, Lynnwood and Associates.

Same deal as above...has called every week using same name with 3 different company names!  Calling my office every week too...

the use of the terrm "investigator" is illegal.  It implies they are law enforcement and they are not.

It is an ILLEGAL scare tactic that is used when the collection agency CANNOT prove that anyone owes any money at all.  they want to cause Panic so you will pay them without them having to PROVE the debt is valid and owed as they are required to by law. They do not want you to DISPUTE the debt - as they have to either validate or cease all collection efforts.


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/forum2/index.php
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

If anyone figures out what this is, please post what you learn.  THANK YOU!

I THINK I am a little less confused now.  There is a Data Industries International with a web site and phone number that matches the phone call I was concerned about.  When I checked out the web site it had some long, fancy description, but sounded like it may be a collection agency.  Maybe the person they were looking for used our names as a reference at some point.  Otherwise I don't know how they would have gotten our name and number.

Sorry.  It's Data One International.

I got a call today from a rep from this company Griffin, Lynnwood and Associates said this company was looking to sue me, regarding a old payday loan, from 5 years ago.. whatever there not getting that money.. I told them i am disablied and not working. I am filing for chapter11 or 10 bunch of freaks

An "Investigator" Jacob Miller of Griffin, Litman and Associates has called my # 4 times. The first two times he was looking for Annie Wyatt. On July 2, he asked for Annie Wyatt and then changed the name to Annie Keys. He called again today, with his voice sounding a little more rude, asking for Annie Keys and for his call to be returned so we may help him in this matter. I don't know anyone by that name, so how can I be of any help? Just for fun I called his # back. I got a fax tone the first two times. The third time a lady answered the phone as "Synergy" and said there was no Jacob Miller at that #. I repeated the # I dialed back to her and she said that was Synergy's ph#. Hmmm....sounds fishy to me.

Got a LOUD message on the answering machine - called back just because I wondered - she wanted to know my name.  Certainly if she is calling me she should know my name.  She tried a couple of times to get it out of me (paused during typing, asking "and your name?")
 I have no desire to have some fool bill collector calling me - CLEARLY not about our bills - and getting my name down regarding somenoe else's debt.  Look out, folks...

I got a call from this number from a Lauren Daniels.  She gave the name of the company as Grissin Littman (I had her spell it out for me) Investigators out of Atlanta, Georgia.  She said she was trying to contact a possible relative of mine.  When I enquired about the reason, she said it was a confidential.  
After I got off the phone with her I googled the company name and found a reference to a CSI episode and no company by that name in Atlanta.
Thanks everyone for sharing.

I got a phone call today from Investigater Donahue of Griffin Littman Investigative Services looking for my mother in law.  She gave the same call back number as stated above and left an extension and case number.  I'm not sure how they arrived at my phone number but they asked that I give her the message to call them back immidiately.  I googled the company just out of curiousity and now I am glad that I did.

I have gotten several strange calls looling for people I don't know saying that this person had used me as a reference. Today someone from said company asked for my husband and left a case number and when pressed for info said it was a civil matter in another county in our state. we have not a clue they are vague and trying to get info. DON'T TALK TO THESE PEOPLE!! Report them to the attorney generals office if you can get a legitmate company name and address.

Griffin, Littman and Associates as they call themselves are out of Snellville GA whichis a suburb of Atlanta. They are a collections agency and the names they are using are bogus names. The so-called "investigators" are nothing more than collectors. They are told from day one to chose a name to use so that the debtors will not come looking for them. They are also told to increase the original amount of the debts and negotiate down but to try and get the most of of the consumer. They will not send you anything in writing as the debts are old payday loans that are usually out of statute of limitations. They use words like summons and the case numbers are made up. If you call your local courts you will see there is no case pending. They also use all kind of "skip-tracing" tools to locate friends, neighbors, relatives and most of the info is inaccurate. Believe me, no one is going to show up at your job or home to serve you anything on those accounts and it will not be on your credit file. I wouldn't pay them anything because as I stated before the amount they quote to you that is due is not the truth.

Wow! It sounds like I am mad about something. Let's see hmm Bills are due so with no money, Its kind of hard to think straight.

Let me help you.

This is what I found out.  
Yes, they can sue you and if they believe that they will be able to recover thier funds, they will definately follow through with it. They can garnish your wages or bank account. I work at a collections agency. We once garnished a man's checking account for $8000.00 They can still sue you if you are sending small payments. Some people are under the impression that if they send monthly payments of 25.00 they will not be sued.
A collection agency can sue you for $25.00 if the client is willing to go that far. It costs about 200.00 total to file suit against a debtor. Anyone who says that they think that you should call them on their bluff is an idiot. Beleive me, I own a collection agency and when I say I will see you in court, it happens. Plus if it does go to court, the courts will force you to pay attorneys fees and court costs as well as the original balance.
A collectionagency can sue you for $25.00 if the client is willing to go that far" by Paul is incorrect. This would fall under small claims court. The minimum amount owed would have to at least be $50 in order for the collection agency to file a claim against you.

Helpful
K********G*******GO Celtics2010

So I have been getting phone calls from this number for the past week and now are calling not only my cell but my work place.  Investigate King( hard to understand) states in 2006 a loan was taken out and not paid and now owe $160.  I said I have not received any corresponce on this.  She states now she would take $100 and call it good.  I asked to have something mailed to me with this information on it; however she put me on hold and had me speak to a director Reeve?( again hard to understand)  I said I know nothing of this. He asked my address and said will be mailing something to you and HUNG UP ON ME.  WHAT IS THIS? How do you get this to stop?

i do belesive these are the same people involved with that guy from new york ... running these collection agencies from prison

Hey hey... don't worry... they'll be closed in noooo time.. thanks to my uncle, who is the Attorney General in GA... sheesh, you really should do your research before you call somebody... oh and by the way Director Reeve, good luck to you in court.. hahaha..losers!

hmmm...
sounds like your riding on someone believing this crap... maybe we'll pick up the phone and pay you.. NOT! This company is bogus, and they need to stop their "harrasment" tactics, get accounts that are in stat and clear up the complaints with the BBB, then maybe, just MAYBE, I would buy your BS.

Ok. I got a call from 877-400-0287 and they stated that I owed a past debt and they needed this to be resolved, so I set up payment arrangements with them. They took the 1st payment, and then 4 days later I get a call from 877-297-7570 telling me about this same debt!!! I told them that I just paid whatever the amount was on this debt to another agency. They then begin to tell me that they have no right to take that payment and it should go to them!!! So I'm like great!!!!! Now what do I do??? So I gave 877-297-7570 all the info from the 877-400-0287 and they said we will call them and then call you back! In the mean time I called 877-400-0287 and talked to them! They said that I was completley paid and they would fax me a letter stating it. So they did and when I got it I called the other people back and said I needed to fax them this letter so they could see that I was paid in full and she tells me they don't have a fax!!! What business, expecially a collection agency doesn't have a fax?????????? That's the question of the day!!! They had e-mail though.... hahahahahaha

im confused... i just googled 877-297-7570 and there are NO complaints with them at all.. not even BBB, BUT when i researched these guys it was sooo much .... sounds to me like griffin were tryna cover theyre a$$ when they were busted ,......