949-743-1156
Did you get a call from 949-743-1156? Read the posts below to find out details about this number. Also report unwanted calls to help identify who is using this phone number.
Danny2 May 2008- tsbfarmer9 May 2008Very rude man stating he was Brian Johnson from Morgan associates in California. Stated that I was going to jail if I didn't have my lawyer contact them before 4pm this afternoon. Never heard of them. He had my social security number. Tried finding Morgan and associates can't find them anywhere.
- Colleen20 May 2008I received a voice mail last week from them, then they called back today and I answered. Saying I owe $2k from a $300 pay day loan from 2003! Said they can not give me any information other then they are calling to inform me that I'm going to have charges filed against me in 48 hours. I asked for written information and they said they can only send it to my attorney. So I said I didn't have one and to fax it to me instead and they refused. I asked for a manager and the manager hung up on me when I asked for written proof of a debt from over 5 years ago! I spoke to a Keith Parker.
- As you probably already guessed, it's a scam. This is the same group of foreign scammers who use caller ID spoofing software or VoIP to disguise where they're really located. (They go by many phony company names such as US National Bank, Morgan Associates, Hopkins Law Office, US Legal Investigations Bureau, White Collar Crime Unit, etc.) One thing to remember is that anytime someone calls you demanding money to prevent you from being charged or arrested, it is ALWAYS a scam. No debt collector (let alone criminals posing as debt collectors) have the authority to have anyone arrested for anything. (And it's illegal to them to threaten such a thing.) These scammers also routinely impersonate FBI agents, police and other law enforcement officials, which, obviously, is illegal as well. (Besides, law enforcement officers aren't in the business of debt collection.)
The bottom line is, these are criminals trying to steal your money.
I suggest you do all of the following (most of which you can do online):
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 give them all the details.
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.naag.org
5) File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
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 sampling of phone numbers used by this group of offshore scammers. Read the reports and you'll see the same pattern time and again -- thick foreign accents, oddly worded and non-sensical threats, and fake business and government names:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-925-262-1327
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-954-6346
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-341-4004
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-856-831-0640
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1140
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-410-505-8128
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-917-464-2534
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-210-858-6602
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-775-2121- Thank you for this email and information. I was contacted by US Legal Investigation Bureau yesterday and for some reason remained stoic when they spewed their lies. There was a phone call on my voice mail at work today which I did respond to and a friend of mine, who is an atty, conferenced me in on the call. The man who is very rude, very thick accent, refused to give any information on the alleged debt, or how much was owed. He became very angry everytime we asked a question. I was so relieved when I saw the name of the company in your email. I have followed your suggestions and contacted all of the agencies mentioned.
Thank you for your knowledge and your validation that these guys are scam.
Ria
- red28 May 2008i have been receiving calls from morgan and associates with a different area code 856-831-0640. the persons name is sebastian and can hardly speak english. i asked them to stop calling me and they start talking really nasty to me. i asked him for his address of his company and keeps saying it's a law firm in california named morgan& associates. i hung up on him after he wouldn't give me an address and i told them it was a phony company.
- Anon2 Jun 2008This is the same group that keeps calling my husband and I. DO NOT give them any information - they are trying to scam you. Follow what ec suggests above and keep your financial data safe! This is the number that they keep leaving as a call back number. Report any such calls to the correct law enforcement agencies (secret service, your state attorney general's office, etc.). They have posed as collection agents, attorneys and the police. They are just a bunch of criminals trying to prey on your fear. Ignore the calls when they come to you!
- V3 Jun 2008I received the same call as collen above. I was very frustrated and I have reported them to all the above agencies. They also go by US National Bank, and Department of Restitution. I have dealt with a Leo Walters and Ricky Simon. The code they use for Moneygram is 6181 and the business is registered as IBM-Impact Business Marketing. They have their code city as Palm Coast Florida. The number lsited with Money Gram is 888-954-4040 and if you dial this number it is routed to a cell phone number of 904-993-2800. I also was told I will be locked up for a payday loan, charged with several counts, etc. This is an eye opener to share with others
- I received several calls from a man name Jason from US National Bank on behalf of Cash Advance. He left me threatening messages on my home saying that it was a time sensitive issue that if I did not return the call that he wished me good luck. When I finally called him back, from my cell phone, my call went right into a voice mail. I just hung up. Then 30 seconds later this person called back on my cell phone. He stated that I owed $5000.00 for a payday loan that was supposedly taken out by me back in 2007. He asked if I had other cases against me and if I was prepared to face federal charges and arrest. He spoke with a heavy foriegn accent and very fast with his threats. After awhile I told him that I would agree to pay him but that I needed time. He wanted an answer in 20 minutes or my case would be "downloaded".
I then went on the internet and try to do a reverse phone look up on his number. I looked for any information on Cash Advance or US National Bank and I found websites like this and was able to confirm that this was a scam. I did not give him any personal information but he had personal details from me. Thankfully the account he mentioned was closed. I followed the advice on this website and reporting this to all of the agencies mentioned. I then called him back and told him that I was aware that this was an extortion scam and that I had reported him to the FBI, FTC, etc... and to not call me again. I told him that I had recorded our converstaion and was sending it to the FBI. I told him to never call me again. He then wished me good luck and hung up.- i think we received a call from the same people this week. the person i talked to name was james parker. i said i owed 839.00 from a payday loan i took out in november 2007. he knew my social security number and checking account number which i just opened this year. he had a foreign accent as well. told me that if i didnt fax documents over such as when i opened my bank account and a copy of my bank statement to him that i was going to jail. a woman called me first and gave me this number to call 949-743-1157. she told me that the issue was time sensitive and that if she didnt hear from me or my attorney that she wishes me good luck. these people need to be stopped. i did exaclt as this website told me to and contacted the FBI,FTC, and my local police department.
- GR4 Jun 2008I have received calls from the same Morgan Assoc. . The first caller is a woman identified as Angela Williams. Then she gives the phone to a bery rude man identifying himself as Daniel Paige. I began to research them on the internet and found this page. Thank goodness! Same thing a payday loan from 03' and it was with US National Bank. I called the Secret Service as listed by bloger"ec". I was advised to report the calls to the Federal Trade Commision. If and when the rude person calls back I can tell them that under the rules of the Federal Trade Commisons I have reported them and the telephone # they are calling from. The callaer id says a 849- and the call back # is 310-499-9983. The agent advised me not to stay on the phone wiht hem long and NOT TO GIVE ANY INFO OUT. I was also advised to protect my identity.
- GR9 Jun 2008Update from my blog dated 6/4. The caller id # is 856-831-0640 call back # 310-499-9983. Today they left a treating voice message on my phone @ work. I called them back on the 310-499-9983 and asked for Angela Williams. They asked my name(man name Rick Simmons)and never would tell me their company name. I continued to aks for Angela Williams. They out me on hold for a long time. At first Angela woudl not come to the call. I insisted that I wanted to talk to Angela and no one else. When Angela came to the phone I told them her our call was being recorded and that I hdd reported them to the Federal Trade Commision (which I have) and the local FBI office (also which I have) and for them not to call me again. She gave the phone to Ricky (i guess he is ht ename fo the day) I him the same things I told Angelaand that I am again reporting the call to the FBI and Federal Commision along with a copy of that phone call. They kept asking me for my name and asked me what I felt they had done wrong. I would not entertain any questions. I asked them directly not to call my job again and any correspondence any debotrs has wiht me they should do it in writing. I said what I had been told to say and hung up the phone.
- Colleen19 Jun 2008
- Update:
A consumer posting a complaint about these same scammers at http://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 who are posing as federal law enforcement. Be sure to give as many details as you can.
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.naag.org
5) File a complaint online with The Federal Trade Commission at https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
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:
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-925-262-1327
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-678-954-6346
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-341-4004
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-856-831-0640
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1140
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-410-505-8128
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-917-464-2534
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-210-858-6602
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-775-2121
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-949-743-1156
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-1402
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-245-0922
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-214-723-5572
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2863
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-718-831-7157
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-904-425-2857
- rtexas23 Jan 2009I received a call at work today from 904-592-6283 today. I am GR from June that complained before. This time I was not at work yet so they talked to the Admin and my manager and told them that they were going to be arrested if they did not give them my cell phone #. Thank goodness they knew this sounded fishy so they didn't. Our admin immediately called the FBI becasue they were treartening a place of business. The called said his name was James Robinson with a heavy middle eastern accent.
Other phone numbers in the 949 area code