800-620-4284

In MA. I know legally they have to tell you who they are and where they are calling from, even if they leave a message, some of these shady collection agencies dont tell you who they are on voice mail, but legally in MA> they are suppose to.

You all are a true burden to america... just take care of it if you love the freedom and the soil you walk on you leeches...

By law collection agencies can not identify themselves as a collection agency to ANYONE execpet the borrower or the borrower's spouse. This is in accordance with the Fair Debt Practice Act of 1974. Therefore, they need to ID who they are talking to first, otherwise if they ask "are you Susan..." and your friend or room mate says yea and they go into how you owe money, they are disclosing information to a 3rd party (illegal). It's annoying, but for your protection and theirs. Sounds like you may have the same name as someone with the debt or someone stole your ID. Best way to deal with them is to tell them that you are disputting the debt. All student loans go through the Depart of Education, who has to research your account and if it's not yours, they will update the agency's records. It's a hassle, but try not to let it get you down.

This 800 number is for a student loan collections agency contracted by the government. My BF works for a collections agency and they have several skiptracing methods. Probably someone they called gave your cell number to them, don't think it'd be Sprint (too much liability). They either gave them a bogus # that happens to be yours or it's also possible that your number was the "skip's" old number - unless you own money on a student loan... Good luck.

they called my cell and left a message.
a minute later without giving me even 24 hours (or even an hour) to respond they called a place of employment to ask if I worked there.
(i know this because the place of employment called me to give me a "heads up")
i have no debt, no loans, always pay every bill when i get it.

i think it was completely inappropriate for them to call a person's work
without even 1st giving the person a chance to respond.
fortunately, the work place googled them, gave them no info., and advised me to google them which confirms my belief they are not upstanding and full of crap.

i am not sure if i should even call them back since after reading this there is absolutely no info. i want to give them. also, given the fact i know i have no debt and excellent credit.

is there any reason i should call them back if i have no student loans and no debt?  i am afraid of identity theft so i just want to call them to ask what specifically this is in relation to so i can most likely deny it and send them on their way.

The same number above called my mother with a lady trying to get my mothers boss to garnish her wages from her work. My mother has never had a student loan. And they told my mothers boss that they needed to start garnishing her wages and her boss asked for what for and the woman wouldnt state why and when my mothers boss told me they must have the wrong person they told my mothers boss that she had no idea about my mother. "Seriously like who the heck are these people"  And to top it off when my mothers boss asked if they had the proper info on my mother, like her Social Security info or birth date. They where wrong on BOTH.  Thank GOD that my mothers boss asked the right questions.  I have a really bad feeling this is a HUGE SCAM    These people should be stopped, someone who doesnt know any better is likey to pay out of fear.

I did not return their calls
and they took my money attached my wages

Its always important to return all calls because
Laws prohibit reps leaving detailed messages

_good luck Yaw

i have a collection agency garnishing my wages fro this company from a TEN YEAR OLD DEBIT!!! I hardly think this is allowed! what to do?!?!

This number is a collection agency trying to collect debt on unpaid US educational government loans.  The caller asks for Dan or Doc Stager regarding a personal financial matter. Mr. Stager had an association with this number years ago, and they have been told that but they keep calling. They have been professional, but I would like the calls to stop.  Once they contact the individual they are actually looking for I hope they do.

Contact a lawyer - you did not say much about what happened prior to garnishment.  

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

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/start.html


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

want to talk to manager or boss
wants info / gives no info
absolutely very vague

Yes I have received numerous calls from that number. They claim that I owe a student loan from 1978. I asked them to stop calling. They refuse to stop. That particular loan was paid off from my taxes in 1986. All other loans and debts I had was cleared through filing bankruptcy in 1997. CTI stated they saw the bankruptcy and they decided to re-open the case. These people are rude and very unprofessional. I am being called at least one to two calls a week. I asked them to send any documents or statements from me involving the loan. They decline any such actions.

Picked up on the call out of curiosity.  They asked for me.  I asked who was calling.  The caller gave his name.  I then asked from where.  He said the US Dept. of Education.  I had enough information to satisfy my curiosity so I hung up.

They want to collect your unpaid student loans. I see the number I don't answer it & Julie leaves me a message everyday. I erase it. I talked to them back in Oct. she said they could garnish my welfare check & tried to trick me into paying. I'm not gonna pay so I'll ignore you as long as possible!!!

So let me understand you borrow money from the government that you have no intention of paying and now your on welfare so me a hard working american can pay your bills! Maybe if you paid your bills you would not get calls everyday. This country is in crisis because of dead beats and free loaders. Im sure you will be crying poverty when the government seizes your taxes and doesnt keep giving you handouts!

i was like all of you avoiding every call.. until i got my taxes taken and then my wages garnished. Collections agency for student loans arent the same as regular collection agencies..they dont buy your debt for original creditor and add their fees. The have some kind of contract with the dept of ed. the government gives them ALL your info name ss# dob. you can go to the dept of ed website and see a list of their legit companies. The balance they give you isnt something they pull out of the sky its what the federal government says you owe and whatever they ask for references payment amount whatever...is what the dept of ed requires. I called the Dept of ed after it was too late  and found out all this i also found out that had i set up payments with the agency its actually the Dept of ed that takes they payments and processes them. My company thought they would help me to ...they avoided the calls avoided the garnishment order and guess what! They got fined by the government!!! And my wages still got garnished!  I called that 800 number after the fact using the reference number they had been leaving. The girl verfied who i was she gave me the last four digits of my social and dob i found out the payments they were requesting were so much less then i was being garnished. So basically i screwed myself. As for all of you saying it isnt you and if you give them your social they will make it your debt, i asked ed about this too. They informed me the ss# cant in any way be changed by the agency. Neither can your dob or the name you used to take out hte original loan. Only ed can change this!

Are things slow in the boiler room today, or do you clowns just make fake posts on this site during your breaks?

So you want us to believe all this happened to you, then you came on this site to tell us all about it?  LOL.  

You crooks keep thinking that you are smarter than the people who come to this site, and the opposite is true. You'll have to make money they old fashioned way, by lying on the phone!

Your ignorance is why your in the situation your in. I worked in insurance not collections. My friend told me about this site because she was getting calls and said she was not calling back because of what all you people said. When i told her what i found out she suggested i post so people would not be so stupid and get in the situation i did.

Yeha, things MUST be slow in the boiler room.

haha why dont all ya douchbags get jobs!!!!! If all you have to do is go back and forth about why collectors suck because they bug you to pay your bills,,,here's a hint PAY YOUR BILLS and no one will call you!!!!!