7169237408

Your "Idiot #1" in MY opinion. Shut your sewer and mind your business.

I have reported these folks to the New York Attorney General's Office and the FTC.

Here are some fun facts:

-I have yet to find a state that requires licensing for collections in which a "Marval and Associates" or any similar name is registered.
-I contacted the Erie County Clerk's Office (the county in which Amherst/Buffalo is located), and they had no record of a collection agency registered by that name or phone number, which means that they are licensed to practice business in the county.
-I tried contacting the Amherst and Buffalo Boards of Commerce; again, no such company in their files.
-The Better Business Bureau has no information on this company (big surprise).
-I attempted to track down a mailing address through the WhoIs service for domain registration; unfortunately they registered by proxy, and the company in question requires a subpoena before they will provide contact information.

Their web site lists a fax number. I faxed them a debt validation letter with an addendum regarding the fact that they had already been reported to the FTC and the NYAG. Interestingly enough, the calls have stopped.

Too late for them - they've been reported eight ways 'til Sunday; I also provided copies of the voice messages that violated the FDCPA to Bud Hibbs' consumer advocacy organization.

Here's a transcript of those messages:

Message 1: "This is Jennifer Biscotti, senior case investigator, calling from Marval and Associates. This is in regards to a request to release a petition against <my name> to the Maricopa County district. Please contact us immediately at <phone number>. Failure to contact us immediately will result in legal proceedings and the release of your case file to the Maricopa County Subpoena and Warrants division."

Message 2: "Mr. <my name>, Jennifer Biscotti, legal representative, Marval and Associates. This is in regards to a warrant, warrant number <number> about to be released to the Maricopa County district. If you have legal representation, it is in your best interest to contact us personally today. If you do not have legal represntation, it is in your best interest to contact us today. Failure to contact us immediatley will result in a warrant being issued in your county. Please contact us at <phone number>."

I think it's humorous that Ms. Italian-cookie can't keep her job title straight from one threat to another.

Sorry - that should be "which means that they not are licensed to practice business in the county."

a guy named rick called me last night and this morning leaving voicemails that i was in "some trouble" and when i called back he said that if i don't pay my payday loan of 385 dollars (when i only owe 350) that a warrant would be issued in my county and i would be picked up by the police for "fraud of 385 dollars"?????? he was very rude, told me "there's something funny about you" and was cursing during the conversation. then he got pissed off when i said that my mother contacted our family attorney (mind you, in the voicemail he said to have my lawyer contact him so why would that piss him off???) i have no idea who these people are but they are very shady...

All of you people who have commented so stupidly about this Marvel Associates..it is NOT a law firm or a debtor company.  IT IS A SCAM....  Whoever is commenting and saying people who owe debt ar to blame obviously do not know how MEAN these people are and how they steal people 's identity.  This company did this to me and my family....it was not my account and they are the STUPID people who will  get caught.  The FTC and State Attorney's office is investigating.....they all need to go to jail and STOP harrassing innocent people.

This is a scam company.  DO NOT PAY THEM ANYTHING.  My attorney made me file several reports.  They steal your money...do not pay them. They are not a law firm or an agency.  They tried to harrass me and my family.  Be very careful...

What a great blog.  This Marvel and Associates are LOSERS!!!  They have harrassed me twice and honestly the manner in which they call and yell is so ridiculous.  It was not even my account they were calling about.  They said is what identity theft and I should be very worried.  I called my family attorney and they told me to report to the FTC and State Attorney office.  I cannot wait until they are brought down.

Sign me up. My three year old daughter answered the phone at the same time I did and the lady told my daughter that the police was coming to get her mommy.

Alan you're a freakin looser.  Companies over lend, over solicite and have actuaries calculate loss ratios -- they do this on purpose and then hire these scum bags to hunt you down.  It's all in the grand plan to make as much money as they can and screw the public.  No one feels sorry for them or the companies they represent.  I hope the person you speak of sleeps really well at night and once they get themselves out from under this mess live very long, happy and prosperous lives.  You are the only one creating bad Karma by wishing ill on someone.  LOOSER!!!!!!!!!!!  You're probably one of the hired scums for these companies.

I to have been getting phone calls from these Marval and Associates. Saying I owe an outstanding payday loan. They are telling me if i don't pay it, I will incur legal fees so because it will go to letigation. In the state of California, a payday loan company can only charge you $15 for an NSF and are not allowed to seek damages or cahrge interest, etc. They want me to just give them my credit card number. Yeah, like that's going to happen. Now they are telling me they are going to turn it over to their Warrants Department. In California, Criminal Action for a payday loan is Prohibited. I have already contacted The California Department of Corporations @ Financial Services Division, 1515 K Street, Suite 200 Sacramento CA 95814 Phone # (866) 275-2677 to file a complaint. Maybe they should stop making empty threats. Not everyone is as stupid as you think. I used to be an assistant manager at a payday loan company and know the rules.

They called me, I didn't answer they left a backround noise message, I called back and they asked me if I was somebody whos name I couldn't make out, when I said it wasn't me they hung up.

Wrong, you do not need to give any information to a debt collector, simply tell them to mail you what they are calling you about and that they are not to call you anymore, that simple. If they continue you can report them.

Also, you can not be arrested for not paying a bill, it doesn't work that way, but you can be arrested for harrassment so be patient and nice if you talk to these people.

They call asking for a guy I do not even know or herd of, EVERYDAY

1-716-923-7408

Could Marval be related to this scam? I can't help but think so. Check out the last names of these leeches.

AG Sues To Shut Down Buffalo Debt Collector
Posted on Tuesday, 18 of August , 2009 at 10:51 am
BUFFALO—The state Attorney General’s office has filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down a Buffalo-based debt collection operation consisting of 13 debt collection companies run by Buffalo residents Omar Smith, Narvell Benning and Keith Marshall (collectively, the “Benning-Smith Group”).



According to the more than 850 consumer complaints filed with the Office of the Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau, the Benning-Smith Group’s employees violated state and federal law by routinely posing as law enforcement officials and threatening to arrest or to physically harm consumers unless they made arrangements to pay the company immediately.



Additionally, the Benning-Smith Group made abuse and humiliation a trademark of their collection practices by verbally abusing consumers and, in some instances, sexually harassing them. To date, the Attorney General’s investigation has allegedly identified more than a thousand instances in which the Benning-Smith Group breached state and federal statutes.



The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Buffalo Supreme Court, seeks to shut down all of the Benning-Smith Group’s operations in the Western New York.



“This company made lies, threats and abuse their calling cards in their efforts to manipulate and take advantage of consumers already facing tough economic times,” said Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. “They did everything they could to demean and humiliate their targets, stooping so low as to sexually harass and verbally abuse individuals nationwide. My Office will continue to protect consumers by making it clear that companies like this one will not be permitted to operate in the State of New York.”



According to the lawsuit filed by the Attorney Generals Office, Omar Smith, Narvell Benning and Keith Marshall ran at least 13 debt collection companies that operated out of multiple locations and under various assumed names in Western New York.



The Benning-Smith Group operated under several names, including: Abrams, Burke & Associates; Benning and Smith Acquisitions, Inc.; Brady and Caruso, LLC; DebtPayments.com; DebtPayments.com, LLC; Fredericks, Goldstein & Zoe; Graham, Noble & Associates Bookkeeping; Graham, Noble & Associates LLC; Graham, Beagle & Associates LLC; Kingman, Cole and Associates, LCC; Marshall and Ziolkowski Enterprise, LLC; Marshall Ziolkowski Acquisitions, LLC; Lansky, Goldstein, Zoe; OLS Payment Services; and University Debt Collection.



The AG’s investigation revealed that collectors regularly demanded payment for non-existent debts or substantially inflated the amount owed on an actual debt. Using their false law enforcement identities, collectors coerced and cajoled terrified consumers into agreeing to make payments. Frightened at the prospect of arrest and humiliation, consumers authorized withdrawals from their checking accounts, sent Western Union moneygrams and/or money orders out of fear.



In one instance, a Benning-Smith collector kept repeating the name of a consumer’s daughter, describing various sexual things he would do to her unless the debt was paid. Another collector told a female consumer that if both she and her husband would engage in sexual acts with him, he would pay their debt himself. Collectors routinely called consumers “drunks,” “scumbags,” “deadbeats,” and, in one instance, “a low-life piece of trash.”



The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the New York State debt collection and consumer protection laws prohibit the following conduct: posing as an attorney, threatening lawsuits or other legal action which cannot be taken, saying a consumer committed a crime or will be arrested and talking with third parties except to get location information. These statutes also bar the use of deception and harassment in collection practices. The law further requires collection agencies to send a written notice within five days of initial communication with the consumer explaining how he or she can dispute the debt. If properly disputed, the collection agency must stop all collection attempts and send verification.



This action is part of a larger investigation by Attorney General Cuomo into unlawful debt collection practices. In June, Cuomo obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent activities of another Buffalo-based collection racket and initiated criminal charges against the owner of that operation. His Office previously shut down two other collectors for threatening and intimidating consumers into paying debts that they did not owe. Additionally the Office of the Attorney General remains engaged in litigation with two debt settlement companies for fraudulent business practices and false advertising by selling misleading debt settlement plans that very rarely deliver the promised benefits to consumers dealing with debt.



Cuomo also launched a website - www.NYDebtHelp.com- that explains consumer rights, allows victims of debt collection and debt settlement companies quick access to the Attorney Generals office to file complaints, and outlines the stages of the Attorney Generals investigation.  8-18-09

I keep getting calls from this number and have no idea who they are but they keep leaving me voicemails saying that there goin to take legal action if I don't pay money. And it is getting annoying. I would like them to be investigated.

When this # started calling me in June the caller ID would read "unknown", but the voicemail they would leave was from "Marvel & Associates"...harassing of course.  Anyway...they've changed up their game and know my home caller ID reads "Vaspian".  I googled Vaspian and it comes up as a telecommunications company in Buffalo, NY.  Very interesting considering the article that "Ducks82" posted above.

These guys are scammers and I don't owe a debt and I filed a complaint on "good ole" Marvel & Associates to the FTC back in June.

I owe 1600 to Chase which is going on 3 years now. I have not had the money to pay but fully intended to pay the amount due when I got on my feet. The law offices of Brock and Scott/Bullhead Investments placed a civil action against me and yes it is legitimate as I checked it out through our local county website. They told me I had to pay 25 percent up front of a 2600 balance. I told them I will pay every 2 weeks for 3 months until the original balance of 1600 was satisfied but not a dime more. They refused to accept so I have hired my own attorney and will be going to court as they have threatened to place a judgement on my primary residence but they are banking on that they I don't show up in court so in essence they win. DON'T BET ON IT. I have already filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. They have filed lawsuits on 125 people in the lower part of South Carolina with only 4 of the defendants winning. The other 121 never showed up. Don't let these greedy people win especially when your wanting and trying to pay your debts.

i've told them repeatedly to stop calling me at work and to send me something in the mail...hasn't done any good.  went thru a divorce and am a single parent of an 8 yr old so the income isn't there at the present moment.  no, not an excuse or a sob story...that's the truth.  if i had the money, they would've been paid already.

My wife received a call from these people. Funny thing is they were not even calling for anyone residing or related to anyone at my home address. They were rude and dismissive when my wife informed them that they had the wrong number. If they call back, I will record the conversation, or call from my office number where I have telephone recording equipment and send the audio to the appropriate authorities. I understand everyone needs work, but to be rude and arrogant is inappropriate. I would love to see what would happen if you, the debt collector, would call to collect from one person who put this country in debt for trillions of dollars...You would be singing a different tune...