800-598-9331

Someone left a message from this phone number asking to call 800-598-9331. I called back and it was Afni calling about a past due bill I don't remember having.

AFNI is trying to scam unsuspecting consumers on BOGUS Verizon/GTE accounts dating back to the early 90's:

http://www.budhibbs.com/debtcollectorpages/AFNI.htm

Stay OFF the phone!!

fraudulent attempt to collect on a debt.

Afni calling asking for someone I dont know, trying to collect money, scam artists should be locked up,

Afni calling about a debt that i dont owe seems like a scam

i received a call on my cell phone from this munber . it was a recording asking for a gavin (NOT ME) . i hung up my cell and called the number back from my home phone and had to pretend that i was this gavin just to get a person who then would not give me the name of the company, but said she would remove my number from her system. this was the third time they had called my cell.

I have received at least one telephone message a day from this company.  I don't pick up the call when I see the number on caller ID.  A few months ago, someone called me from this telephone number and told me that I owed Verizon a past due balance of $1700.  When I asked them how they arrived at that amount, they could not tell me.  They then asked me how much I thought I owed to Verizon and I told them that I would have to dig up bills from a year and a half ago to find out if I owed Verizon anything.  I no longer have Verizon service in my home and I have not for over a year and a half.  I think this is probably someone who has received information that I switched providers and is trying to scam money from me.

AFNI, Inc.
fka/Anderson Financial Network, Inc.
404 Brock Drive
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: 866-633-4384

309-828-5226

800-767-2364 or 888-338-2364
Fax: 877-435-8073    (309) 828-0931

309-663-4510

309-829-2682

Web Address: www.afnicollections.com

Head Debt Collectors:
Bruce F. Griffin
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
President Ronald L. Greene
Vice President Gregory J. Donovan
Secretary Gregory J. Donovan
Treasurer V. Curtis Oyer

Bud Says...

CONSUMER ALERT: Feb. 2007

CONSUMERS ARE WARNED NOT TO FALL FOR THEIR SCAM OF ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT ON TIME BARRED DEBTS FROM VERIZON/GTE ACCOUNTS THAT DATE BACK TO THE EARLY 90'S. AFNI CANNOT SUE ON THESE DEBTS, THEY CANNOT REPORT THEM ON YOUR CREDIT FILES. AFNI IS HURTING FOR COLLECTION ACCOUNTS & PAID PENNIES FOR THIS WORTHLESS PORTFOLIO, HOPING TO CASH IN. THIS IS A SCAM -- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ON THESE OLD, OUTDATED ACCOUNTS!

FAX A LETTER TO AFNI AT

(309)-828-0931

STATING: I REFUSE TO PAY THIS DEBT! (Get a receipt it was received)

This used to be a decent operation with a good name and reputation… not anymore. They have slithered down to the lowest point a bottom feeder can stoop to, collecting on old, worthless, out of statute accounts, especially on a VERY old Verizon Wireless portfolio. Our friends at Rip Off Report www.ripoffreport.com have been inundated with complaints about these sleazy vultures, take a look at:

http://ripoffreport.com/results.asp?q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search%21&q5=afni&Search=Search

We have ben aware of the fact that junks debt buyers are running out of paper as the market has far too many collectors looking to make a fast buck at the expense of unsophisticated consumers, however collecting on 1994-1995 debts is a sign that AFNI and it’s debt collecting owners may be somewhat desperate to keep their ship afloat? Are things that bad at AFNI that collectors are harassing and threatening consumers over debts that are more than ten years old?  

I will not be surprised when I learn that AFNI is changing dates of last activity on credit reports, such is the scam of these bottom feeders. They do this to inflate the net worth of their portfolios, so they can borrow more money to buy junk debts. These are the lowest of the low life’s, which collect debts.

Many other bottom feeders such as NCO, Portfolio Recovery Associates, Asset Acceptance Corp. and almost anyone with a Buffalo, NY area address are out there collecting on VERY old debts. Their argument is they purchased the accounts and have a right to collect. My argument is they paid pennies for them and are gambling consumers can be intimidated, threatened and in some cases monies extorted on false threats of legal actions and/or credit reporting. Consumers are urged o demand validation of all debts from a bottom feeder because the majority of them have nothing to back up their claims.

2007 looks to offer a lot of surprises in the collection industry. AFNI is giving themselves and Verizon a bad name by collecting and threatening on these old, worthless debts. Consumers are urged to NEVER pay them a cent until/unless they can validate them legally. These parasites are preying on old, dead carcasses to earn a living, make them spend a LOT of money in the validation process.

If you are being harassed, intimidated or threatened by AFNI, we urge you to contact us. Record their collector calls (where legal) as a good tape can put money in your pocket. Contact me for assistance and referral to a local consumer law professional. If you suspect information on your credit reports by AFNI is bogus, talk with an attorney with; www.myfaircredit.com who can offer you assistance.

NEVER GIVE A DEBT COLLECTOR YOUR BANKING OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. MAKE THEM VALIDATE THEIR CLAIMS.

http://www.budhibbs.com/debtcollectorpages/AFNI.htm

called me at my house number at 3:00 pm (ET) and did not leave a message.

Here is a good way to deal with these Hitler Youth rejects and their disreputable tactics; First, never mind the number on your caller ID, it’s virtually always a fake and strictly one-way.  But the call-back number on the voice-mail has to be real, otherwise they could never scam a dime out of anyone.  Also, if you know for sure which collection company it is, visit their website and if the e-mail address under “Contact Us” doesn’t readily suggest a debt collector use that also.  Write a realistic-sounding too-good-to-pass-up add for anything appealing to as wide a range of people as possible using their contact info. - then post it on Craig’s List! The ruinous overload of calls and E-Mails will soon cause their networks to crash and with these vermin, down-time is money down the drain.  The vast majority of collectiods took the short bus to school and are therefore notoriously slow learners, but this method will likely get the point across.

One of Afni’s lowest tricks is the “Settlement Offer” (Other low-order debt-buyers have started using this one too) They say you can “settle your account” for a fairly small percentage of the original total (which often they have fraudulently inflated)  Not only does this reactivate the SOL for collecting and reporting on a dead account, but as soon as they get your money, these lowlifes turn around and sell off the uncollected balance to yet another debt-buyer!  Don’t fall for this scam!

indeed they're scam! they're very aggressive and rude on the phone too. they called and asked for my husband without even telling me who they were. the lady was like "I need to speak to him. Tell him to call me at once!". when I asked "and who is this?" she barely gave me any information. next day they called again and I told them I'll report them. yet it doesn't seem to matter too much for them

caller left message stating they were trying to collect a debt
then called again a couple days later, when i answered they put me on hold for a while then hung up on me

Definitely illegal bottom barrel debt "collectors".  They have to provide written proof of the debt plus the name of the original debtor or it's not legal.  They get most people to fall for it because the person will pay or agree to pay and then re-active a statue of limitations on the "debt".  Just don't pay....check your credit rating and fight it.