518-649-8082

This number calls workplace and tries to say you have a loan and they are going to put you in jail if you do not pay them by 10:30 am. They will call every minute regaurdless of what you tell them.

Kudos to "Sam" for giving the most intelligent and informative posts on this scam. READ, Bookmark and use as needed:

https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-631-456-4041/2

I have been receiving phone calls from this group since late April / early May of 2010.  There is a good chance that they also attempted to contact me roughly two years ago before I entered into Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection, as I faintly remember hearing the same script more or less.

As others have stated, the callers are difficult to understand.  Generally speaking their command of the English language is quite poor and their accents are hard to follow. At times they will get certain words or phrases mixed up.  It would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that they had:

a) Your SSN
b) Your home address
c) Your work address
d) Your banking info
e) Names, numbers and potentially the addresses of "references"
f) A complete and total lack of ethics and a basic understanding of the FDCPA.  

I have personally filed reports with the following agencies, often with limited (if any) success:

Local Police
my state's Attorney General's office
FTC
FBI
Secret Service

Generally the local police won't be able to help much.  The callers are using a combination of prepaid cell phones and VoIP, making them difficult to trace.  Also at their disposal are various spoofing tactics being implemented to catch people off guard - meaning the number that appears on your Caller ID isn't the number that is calling you for starters.  Without gaining a subpoena for the billing information for the numbers in question, the local police won't be able to get very far.  

My state's Attorney General's office couldn't offer much assistance either.  I received a form letter in the mail that my complaint was received and I would be contacted if they needed additional info.  It was more or less the same information I obtained from the FTC.  They each advised me not to give the individuals over the phone any account information or to authorize payment.  That's just common sense, though.

I never got anything from the FBI, either.  There is a good chance that since I haven't suffered a monetary loss that my concerns are low on the totem pole.  I hate to say this, but that is truly the case. Unless you were in the hole for a $1,000 (or more) you aren't going to get much more than "sorry to hear about your situation, change your phone number and move on".  I seemed to get some activity from the Secret Service.  I spoke with agent Doug Zloto. (Google him, referencing threads like these plus his name and you'll find his number also)  He seemed to care a bit more than the average person, but after giving him access to my Google Voice account, there has been no further activity from him that I'm aware of.

In the meantime I changed the wireless number the fraudsters had access to, they have no direct way to get a hold of me.  (Calls at work have ceased for some reason)  That in turn resulted in my "references" getting phone calls from the crooks.  Here is a word of caution for women that have been getting these calls - don't say anything and just hang up.  The callers are quite abusive towards women callers.  Why?  Possibly the culture.  If they are Indian / Pakistani, women are second class citizens there.  You will be treated like garbage.  This happened to a family member when she was trying her best to be extremely nice over the phone.  

The callers currently attempt to reach me through the female family member and an unused Google Voice number that they managed to find of mine.  I keep the Google Voice number open because, well, I can't delete it yet.  So, about every day, 4-5 times a day for the last week, I get voice messages from them.  It's usually just two full messages though - the other calls are broken up with static or they are attempts to read the script until the callers then screw up.  Really, they are that adamant on getting the script 100% that they will hang up mid-sentence and call back 30 seconds later.  

At this point it's a stalemate with these people.  

1) While they have the lion's share of information on us, they can't really do anything with this information.  

Why?  Think about it.

If they were to ever take funds out of your account without authorization, it's fraud and worse (for them) it is traceable.  That's why they won't do anything with your information, contrary to threats they make.  The money from your account has to go somewhere, and either your bank or a law enforcement agency can determine where the money was routed.  As a bank customer you are protected - you'd get the stolen money back in your account after 7-10 business days and the bank would be temporarily out the funds deducted from your account while they conducted their investigation.  The bank, along with law enforcement, would track down the fraudsters and apprehend them.  The fraudsters do not want to incur the wrath of a bank, just extort money out of you.  Remember that.    

Your authorization would absolve the bank from any and all liability, leaving you holding the bag.  Never give them authorization for anything - for all you know the call is recorded.  

2) We have no information on them.

Seriously, this has been going on at least since 2008, possibly longer than that based on some accounts. (6 years??? Holy crap!)  You would think someone would have slipped up by now.  Sadly, they haven't.  We can continue to grow our own intel on them and compile lists of aliases and phone numbers used, along with paraphrases of scripts used in order to educate other victims.  I'm actually putting together a site now in the meantime where I'll host audio files and lists of previous numbers used.  800notes.com is great, but no two calls are exactly the same.  It would be nice to have a site dedicated to the scam and how it works.

So that's where I am with these calls.  I have suffered no monetary loss, though I have been harassed both at home and at work.  They threaten me with arrest and other "fun" things in order to get me convinced I have to pay them.  My friends and family have been targeted and local and federal law enforcement agencies haven't been able to put a stop to things.  So, it is what it is.  I am out a wireless phone number I had for roughly six years, which is terrible since I was using that line when looking for a new job.  

Whenever I'm bored I spoof my number using Google Voice and return the calls.  I've called them the poster children for birth control, etc.  Basically a lot of nasty things that I'm sure the moderators here wouldn't appreciate me repeating - bottom line nothing nice.  I always like to close saying their parents must be real proud knowing their sons weren't man enough to get real jobs.  That usually gets a decent response.  

Way I see it - they can't do anything to me. (Despite a threat yesterday that my life would be f'ed up)  They can threaten all they want but my credit is frozen and my bank information has changed.  I've changed the only number they could really access me directly on and I've instructed my employer and family to not answer the calls.  I just call and harass them now when I find a few extra seconds.  What's the worst they can do to me?  Charge me with harassment?  

Nope, then they would have to identify themselves.

Oh, and don't bother contacting Cashnet USA about the calls.  Their "fraud" department could honestly care less.  Their "investigation" is merely a means of buerocratic CYA.  I would even be surprised at this point if actual law enforcement is involved in any shape, way or form at this time.  

There is a good chance that the information these crooks have on us was obtained from Cashnet USA - either from a database leak or from a collector that was once authorized by Cashnet to call on delinquent customers.  The other chance is they have access to Teletrack, and pulled all of our information off of there.

https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-646-274-1143/3

For at least the last four years, possibly longer, a group has been calling former payday loan applicants advising them that they have defrauded a bank and are now being sued for non-payment of a loan.  The callers will claim to be calling on behalf of an attorney's office (name varies), the Dept. of Law and Investigation, ACS, or other similar combinations below:

United Legal Processing Division
Midline Marketing
Crime Monitoring Services
Monetary Crime Division
U.S. National Bank
Attorney General’s Office (usually in California)
American Legal Services
Affidavit Consolidation Services (ACS)

You will be threatened with arrest, a costly trial and possibly worse.  In no shape, way or form can you be arrested for non-payment on a consumer debt.  Do not believe these threats, as they are without merit and cannot be carried out in the manner they allege.  

Who are they?

In the past when pressed by law enforcement for an address, the callers have provided the following information:

David Morgan and Associates
Morgan & Associates
Morgan Associates
954-727-8481
1155 Northwest 85th Street
Wintergarden, Florida  33150
(Address is likely invalid)

The collector's MO matches a once legit collections agency called Ellis Crosby & Associates.  Here are some links on them:

http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/ellis_crosby_and_associates.htm
http://www.budhibbs.com/collectorpages/EllisCrosbyJudgment.pdf

They have been previously fined over $1.3 million for various violations.  They have been known to use phone banks in India to make their calls, which more or less coincides with the difficult to understand accent many of us detect when we are contacted.  

The last time this group went by any "official" name was back in 2008:

Ellis Crosby & Associates / Douglas & Morgan Associates
4494 Southside Boulevard Suite #200
Jacksonville Florida 32216
Phone:  800-928-3536 / (904) 928-3536
(Address is likely invalid)

There are NUMEROUS consumer alerts out against this group of individuals:

Florida:
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061107/met_176207561.shtml

Kansas:  
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/ks_debt_collection.html

Colorado:  
http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/press/ ... lls_likely_orig

Rhode Island:  
http://www.collectionscreditrisk.com/news/rho ... -3002135-1.html

West Virginia:
http://www.wvago.gov/internetloanscam.cfm

Missouri:
On July 15th, 2010 a Public Awareness Bulletin was sent out by Missouri Information Analysis Center.  

"..received reports from individuals in Ohio and Illinois reference suspicious telephone calls they received. In both instances, the callers are reporting that a voicemail is received from a man, with a Middle Eastern accent, identifying himself as an officer working with the Financial Crimes Unit.  The message indicates that the reason for the call concerns a loan made by the receiver or someone in the receiver's family. The voicemail requests that a return call be made and a telephone number is provided. When a return call is made, the caller is asked to provide personal identifying information such as their date of birth and social security number.

Reports indicate that the calls are frequent and persistent and that they even threaten arrest or legal action if information or money is not provided. It appears that the individuals making these calls may have access to some records connecting individuals and their relatives.  Missouri does not have a Financial Crimes Unit and all indications are that this is a fictitious agency. If you receive a similar phone call, please be advised that it is a scam and please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Missouri Information Analysis Center at 866-362-6422."

Bottom line:

Do not supply the callers with any additional information.  Inform them you have reported them to law enforcement and hang up.  If you haven't already, go ahead and report the calls to local law enforcement, your state's Attorney General and beyond.  Look up the local Secret Service branch's information in your area and get in contact with an agent there.  

If you ever applied for a cash advance online, your information is out there.  
Possible sources for the breach of your privacy are:

* The scammers obtained your information from Teletrack - a reporting agency used by many cash advance lenders to determine their risk lending to you.  The service is able to tell cash advance lenders if you have existing loans with other companies, for example.  Many state laws prohibit borrowers from having more than two cash advances out at the same time.

* The scammers created their own fake payday loan application site.  People looking for a cash advance went to the site and applied, thus freely providing the scammers with their information for malicious use at a later time.  

* The scammers were able to get into the database(s) of cash advance lenders - probable targets being Sonic Payday and Cashnet USA.  


How to protect yourself:

* Inform your employer.  You are likely getting calls at home and/or at work, so make sure your employer is aware the calls are part of a scam and to not take them seriously.  Advise the callers that they are no longer allowed to call you at work.  If they continue to call, document the date and time of the calls you received.  Save voice mails left if at all possible.  

* Change your number(s).  For some this may not be an option, for others a one-time number change can be done free of charge.

Be advised - any references you listed on your payday loan application will be contacted.  Let those people know that this is a scam, and they can disregard.

* Use Google Voice.  Google Voice is a great replacement voice mail system for just about any phone number you use.  Messages can be transcribed and voice mail recordings can be saved as mp3 files.  

Pro Tip - call the scammers with a Google Voice number before turning off your old phone numbers.  Make sure when you call you identify yourself so they can start up their script.  At any point after they have your information pulled up just hang up.  They will then start religiously calling your Google Voice number.  At this point, you are free to change your regular phone number(s) and enjoy not having these people ever call you again.  (And laugh at the fact these people are basically talking to a brick wall several times a day)

The scammers change their numbers frequently.  Law enforcement used to think it was because the callers ran out of minutes on their prepaid wireless accounts or they were shuttered due to fraud, but now they understand it's simply to evade detection by savvy consumers online.  With the proliferation of VoIP, it's even easier for the crooks to stay a couple of steps ahead of law enforcement.  Below is just a sampling of the 30+ numbers that have been used in recent memory.

1-201-244-7722
1-209-349-7382
1-209-797-2212
1-212-500-0839
1-213-256-0408
1-213-995-3039
1-281-763-0433
1-347-289-3902
1-347-844-6817
1-347-844-6831
1-424-354-4270
1-516-232-8905
1-516-232-8935
1-518-212-0219
1-561-300-8018
1-561-210-4185
1-626-200-4646
1-631-456-4041
1-646-274-1143
1-646-810-8635
1-650-241-4604
1-707-401-4056
1-707-633-2789
1-708-401-0535
1-716-442-2824
1-717-862-4080
1-718-705-8669
1-760-514-0132
1-760-563-5384
1-772-318-4938
1-850-201-1111
1-858-777-1977
1-859-908-2281
1-866-860-4509
1-877-226-7488
1-888-706-7463
1-888-771-9249
1-888-785-4479
1-909-327-4870

So can they really do anything to you?

It's not a simple yes or no answer.  Logic dictates that, if they really wanted to take you for a ride and drain your bank accounts, they already would have.  

So, why haven't they?  

Authorization.  

Why do you think you are being called so much?  Perhaps it is because they like the sound of your voice?  No, they have to have your authorization to take any form of payment from you, period.  The callers know their audience, and that audience is typically a bunch of people that have applied for payday loans in the past.  Most of those people they call couldn't afford an attorney if they wanted one, and are so used to receiving collections calls that so long as they sound like a real collector, they will likely be perceived as one.

Furthermore, they don't even really want to talk to your attorney - that just sounds official and scary enough.  A real attorney would take the callers to task and write them off as two-bit con artists.  The callers need you, in writing, to authorize payment against the fictitious debt they claim you owe.  Go ahead, ask them for proof you owe the debt - more commonly known as verification of debt.  See what they say.  A phone authorization carries very little weight, so if they have something signed by you on file, you are done for - and the callers know that.  That authorization is the only thing these callers are doing by the book, and for good reason.  If they just went all willy nilly and made an ACH debit from your checking account, without your written approval, you could in turn report the transaction as fraudulent to your financial institution.  In about 7-10 business days, you would get the funds returned to your account.  Then the scammers would be up against a bank and their team of lawyers and investigators.  

Bottom line:

If you haven't paid the callers a dime, don't.  If you planned on paying them to shut them up, just don't.  Remember - you are not being contacted by a legally licensed, ethically owned and operated collector.  Read up on the FDCPA - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf - and know your rights.

PS--The FBI sent out a Press Release on this scam just last week:

Extortion Scam Related to Delinquent Payday Loans

Washington, D.C.
December 07, 2010  FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

— filed under: Press Release

The Internet Crime Complaint Center has received many complaints from victims of payday loan telephone collection scams. Callers claim the victim is delinquent in a payday loan and must repay the loan to avoid legal consequences. The callers purport to be representatives of the FBI, Federal Legislative Department, various law firms, or other legitimate-sounding agencies. They claim to be collecting debts for companies such as United Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Advance, U.S. Cash Net, and other Internet check-cashing services.

According to complaints received from the public, the callers have accurate data about victims, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, employer information, bank account numbers, and the names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends. How the fraudsters obtained the personal information varies, but in some cases victims have reported they completed online applications for other loans or credit cards before the calls started.

The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim’s home, cell phone, and place of employment. They refuse to provide any details about the alleged payday loans and become abusive when questioned. The callers have threatened victims with legal actions, arrests, and, in some cases, physical violence if they do not pay. In many cases, the callers harass victims’ relatives, friends, and employers.

Some fraudsters have instructed victims to fax a statement agreeing to pay a certain amount, on a specific date, via a pre-paid Visa card. The statement further declares the victim will never dispute the debt.

If you receive these calls, do not follow the caller’s instructions. Rather, you should:

Notify your banking institutions.
Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file.
Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger.
File a complaint at www.IC3.gov.
Tips to avoid becoming a victim of this scam:

Never give your Social Security number—or personal information of any kind—over the telephone or online unless you initiate the contact.
Be suspicious of any e-mail with urgent requests for personal financial information. The e-mail may include upsetting or exciting but false statements to get you to react immediately.
Avoid filling out forms in e-mail messages that request personal information.
Ensure that your browser is up-to-date and security patches have been applied.
Check your bank, credit, and debit card statements regularly to make sure that there are no unauthorized transactions. If anything looks suspicious, contact your bank and all card issuers.
When you contact companies, use numbers provided on the back of cards or statements

http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/paydayloanscam_120710

I received a call at work today from this number. Foreign sounding man who claimed to be a deputy for criminal justice department and had issued a warrant for my arrest. he could not tell me the company I owed, the date I incurred the debt, but wanted me to pay him $1500 immediately (before 1200 EST) or he would have me arrested. When i told him I would be talking with my attorney he changed the amount to $850. I told him to serve me with legal papers and he hung up. He then called me back, and offered a third amount, I told him if he called me again i would file harrassment charges against him. He hung up. I contacted the local police. they said it is clearly a scam, there is no warrant and if they call back threaten harrassment.

i recieved this call from the vci justice dept and was threatened with arrest by a officer andrew johnston telephone number 518-649-8082.
it sounded like a middle eastern person with a anglo american name so please what can i do

When I receive this phone call the number that always shows up on my caller id is (416)971-2222This is the number that shows up on my caller id on my cell phone everytime these people have called me. When the Indian/Pakistan male leaves a callback number its been (518)649-8082.They have said they are from the Department of Bureau of Criminal Investigations. The last call I had the male left his name saying his name was officer Davey Jones(apparently they watch the Pirate of The Carribbean movies in India) which I thought was very odd for an Indian/Pakistan male have an American name like that.Ive researched the 518 number and have seen the same complaints. They have been calling my workplace. Im very annoyed with these people at this point.I have yet to pick up when they have called me so Ive only had voicemails. When they called my workplace my boss informed the man that she couldnt understand him and he was cutting out so she hung up on him, he then continued to call my job three times in a row.They are very rude to women on the phone. They have also been extremely rude on the voicemails they have left me. For instance one voicemail I had they guy was rude and said I was being investigated. Another voicemail the guy said I could only help myself by returning the call and showing a record that I had called back. And at the end of both voicemails they very rudely say bye then abruptly hang up. These people are absolutely ridiculous.

I received a call from 518-649-8082 just a little bit ago. Thank you for the in depth information about this scam, had I not found this online, I would have paid them in order to get them off my back..they "Deputy Officer James Brown" had me scared out of my mind! So glad that this really isn't as bad as I thought. But still scary that they have all of my information

received a call at my work  I was gone for the day and a man namedJimmy Anderson left a message saying I was under investigation and the police were going to arrest me the next day I was in work He was very detailed in the message and my co-worker was concerned I explained it was a scam these people need to be stopped BEWARE

I am receiving a call from this number every other minute and yes they are threatening to put me in jail for fraud. they scared me to death, they know personal info about me that they shouldn't know.

Sory I can't add much more than everyone else.  They called me and told me I would be arrested within the hour.  That was 2 hours ago and I'm still a free man!  HaHa!  They called back several times.  For what it's worth the number showing on my caller ID was a New York number the first time.  The second it came up with just the number.  The third time it came up unknown name and number.  The last time they asked me straight out if I was going to take care of this or if I wanted arrested.  I told them I wanted to be arrested an hung up on them.  I haven't heard back since.   But, time will tell.

For the past several days I have been getting calls from this number from a man that sounds like he's mid-eastern,and he too gave me the name of Jacob Matthews.He was looking for my daughter and I could not understand him and the connection was'nt clear at all.He wanted her work number as well as her cell phone number,both of which I refused to give.He accused me of being a liar that my daughter had just called him from my home,which I knew was'nt true because she does'nt live here and has her own home phone.He has harrassed her as well as me.When I told him he was a scam artist and I was'nt about to give out any information,he got highly pissed off and threatened to have me and my daughter arrested within thirty minutes.I told him to go ahead that I had already called the police to report him.He got mad and hung up on me.The FBI,Secret Service,or maybe a call or e-mail to America's Most Wanted might help and all of us that are victims because of  these people need to demand that something be done.I'm even trying to get my local news station to do a story on this.Hopefully we can get this person or persons caught if we go public.

They called my wife's cell phone claiming to be Immigration.. and threatened to have her arrested.. so I called him back and cussed him out.. we are both born in America so I knew it was a scam.. then he threatened to have me arrested, so I cussed him out some more.. she has a Mexican sounding name, so I think they play off different things depending on the names and info they get.. he sounded like a Indian or middle eastern guy.. he sounded like the illegal immigrant to me haha

They called claiming that they were special agents. They told me I would be arrested within 30 minutes if I didnt send them certain amount of money for a loan I didnt pay back. This countinued for weeks. Then one day my phone started ringing non stop. Someone was calling,hanginging up when they got voicemail and calling right back. After 4th time I answered and told them they had wrong number and not to call back. As soon as I hung up they called back. This time the guy made sexual comments and threaten me and my daughter. He called 17 times between 11:06 and 11:25.  I didnt find it funnyat all. It creeped me out to say the least.

they keep calling me too saying i owe cash net usa like a thousand dollars and if i pay now all i have to give them is 500 i called cash net usa and they are aware of them and gave me a number for someone in their company to let them know they have called and threatened me. they also can use other numbers to call you with so you will think its true they use my local police number to call me with i lnow cuz i call that number and it was the police dept so i believe them at first but when i look back the person who called from the olice dept sounded just like john smith from the investgation place lol really i not that dumb. they think u are though.....

I was call at work 5 times, and I tried to tell them that I ddin't hold any loan so Mr. Paul Hurbert starting threating me that he will call the police withing 30 minute, so I tried not to panic, I left work because i was scared but while I was on the phone with them someone else call me from 000000000 with the same voice and this time the name is leo Fernandez, then this man starting to curse me out and telling I so F.....dumb, so I hung now he told me I have until monday to call them back or they will arrest me.

These people keep calling me saying that they are going to take me to court and enjoy watching me loose this case. They could not even send me anuthing saying what company they were from or anything saying who I was going to be paying. It is ridiculous.

I received a call today from 518-649-8082. The Eastern sounding man, claiming to be an officer with the "BCI" (Bureau of Criminal Investigation)left a voicemail informing me that he was trying to reach my wife "Angela" (who's actually my ex wife). It was borderline comical. He told me "not to even think about not departing this message to my wife", & that he would "send someone to my doorstep." He also closed with noting that if he did not hear back from me or my wife that they "will come to her work and she would end up behind the bars." He's called only once. I assume that's because I'm not the primary target, just a "reference." If he calls back, threatening to "send someone to my doorstep", before hanging up, I'll familiarize him the details of my 2nd Amendment Rights.

Women out there, PLEASE do not be scared or intimidated. These guys are 2-bit wanna-be thugs. Simply hang up. No one is going to arrest, show up, or sue you. Their fatal flaw is they sound like a scam. So treat it like one. Hang up, block the number (s), & go on with your life.

These people are terrible and should be stopped.  They have called my phone and that of my husbands stating that they work for the Attorney General of New York.  They have called and said they can put us in jail.  We have never been to New York.  They don't even know the name of the Attorney General in New York.  I have called the Attorney General's number and these people do not work for them.  They have given us names of Michael Black, David Cooper, Jay Clark, & James Brown just to mention a few. They state they are officer's but when asked to provide badge ID number's they did not know what I was speaking about or they hung up on me.  Be careful.  Do not give information to these people. It has to be against the law.  They always speak with a foreign accent and make it really hard for us to understand them.  Be careful!

I have received. Phone calls every 5 seconds about thi same issue I am a 21 years female wih no credit card at all and they haev most my details they new my address but couldn't inform me and the street nme. My boyfriend and my room was gettin threating calls saying they ca get arrested if they don't pass the message to me. I don't know ho they got my boyfriend or roommates number. They started yelling at me sayin its my fault and I have to pay them they are supposely located in new york and I live in california. This makes no sense at all

I have gotten the same kind of harassement.  They called me at work and I asked them not to call at work again because it was a form of harassement.  They were persistent and kept calling and hanging up for about 30 minutes until we had to put the phones on night ring.  We called the local police department to report this incident.  These people are vicious telling me they were going to have me fired and put in jail.  I work for attorneys so they don't understand I know a little bit about the law.  They cussed out our receptionist and my boss.  Unscruptulous.  They have a Nigerian accent but give an American name.

Is there no stopping these individuals??????

C

I have been recieving these calls as well. It has been going on for about 8 months now. They never stop and I think they just need to get a life already. The number I get now is 518-649-8082 and he says his name is Office David June. After reading all of these comments I now can do nothing but laugh and get angry at the same time. I don't understand how no one will do anything about this though.