8007813445

Please people do not pay this company, they are total scammers and using fear tactics to rob you.

GUILTY is clearly working for Brown Stein and Weissman LLC. Nice legit sounding name huh, this is what a scam is all about. These guys are so stupid they are on here posed as "GUILTY" like that is gonna confuse people. I really hope they don't continue to succeed by threatening people. LEARN YOUR RIGHTS FOLKS!!!

Do not call them , this is just a scam using fear to rob you. Do not worry and do not call them back or give them any info.

This is the company that is calling you all http://www.bswoutsourcing.com/index.html
Anybody can create a website that looks like this, what they are doing is illegal and shady.
Do not do business with them
www.bswoutsourcing.com

These people are complete jokes! Anyone that gets a call from them, needs to report them to the FTC. Trust me, they will wind up in trouble, and potentially go to jail as well over it. First off, any debt that is being collected, needs to be stated UP FRONT, and why they are calling you and disclose EVERYTHING they are calling you about. I would go and buy a recorder, you can get one from Radio Shack for prob $20 bucks. This would be one of the most powerful things to have, cause now you can play back the way they are handing this to the FTC.

ALSO, BIGGEST TIP HERE POSSIBLE. SEND THEM A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER VIA CERTIFIED MAIL! If they call you after getting this letter, they are absolutely in trouble. Do not let iodiot scumbags ruin your day. Take the fight back to them.

http://credit.about.com/od/debtcollection/a/ceaseanddesist.htm 

Here are some helpful links.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_report_a_collection_agency_for_abuses

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Credit_Reporting_Act

http://www.squidoo.com/collection-agency-harassment


Hope this helps.

It really doesnt matter if you check was an accident or not you received services or merchandise and paid will a BAD CHECK that is against the law. Susan be a honest person and pay these people or just

only IDIOTS writes BAD CHECKS. it seems like you have a lot of time on your hands get a job a pay your bills! Whats so wrong with that idea. You have stolen from whom ever the check was written to. Do the correct thing

Brown, Stein & Weissman is a collection agency and A good one at that.  I will speak for myself, but I think we are all on this site because we are debtors.  If I would have paid my debts this guy wouldn't have called me.  I was served papers by a court here in PItts, and I did have to pay. I am thinking about using this approach for people that owe me money.  If we don't want this guy calling us, let's all pay our bills! They would not have called us if we didn't owe.

THE SHERIFFS DEPT DID NOT CALL YOU  AND ITS ILLEGAL FOR A DEBT COLLECTOR TO MAKE THAT CLAIM.  that was who called you - a debt collector

If they are lying about who they are - they are lying about the debt too

DEBT COLLECTORS MUST BE LICENSED IN YOUR STATE - check your Secretary of State Website
if not licensed - they CANNOT COLLECT.

debt collectors are required by law to send info in writing about the debt and tell you how to dispute it.
Debt collectors are required by law to PROVE THE DEBT IS VALID AND OWED, if they refuse to do so, they cannot prove it in court either

Debt collectors CANNOT make threats of any kind or claim you will be arrested or have committed a crime.

THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

HANDLE IT CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL END UP PAYING YOU

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx

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/First.htm    
    
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

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

Hey Justin 09, or anyone for that matter. I see workers from this dumb [***] collection agency coming on here and being cheerleaders for the company. Really, you think that everyone has an IQ of 2, and that we will believe that you are someone that has paid them, and then you come to this site to support the company and tell others to pay? Wow, truly stupid people at this company. Maybe, you learn how to handle your business affairs better, and you would not have angry "debotrs" on this site. Justin, I'm calling [***] on you. Since your in Pittsburgh, go ahead and leave your phone number here, that way people can call you and discuss what a wonderful experience you have had dealing with these idiots. It shouldn't be a problem since you support this company.

Anyone else, CEASE AND DESIST. They cannot EVER call you again, the only recourse is to actually sue you. Another FYI, if this matter was really something you were going to be arrested over, some collection agency wouldn't be calling you. YOU WOULD BE IN JAIL! PERIOD! Also, on the lawsuit side, IT'S A SMALL CLAIMS MATTER, AND THIS COMPANY WILL NOT SURE YOU UNLESS ITS FOR MORE THAN $2,000-$3,000 YOU OWE! Think about it for a second, this company has either bought the bad debt, or they are working for a % of the money collected. Either way, there is not enough profit in it, to be able to get their cut, and then have to send it to an attorney to sue you. The most a collection agency can charge a client is, 50%. So if they have to send it to an attorney, they will give the attorney at least 20%. So over a $300 bad debt, THEY WILL NOT SUE YOU OVER $150, IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE BUSINESS.

They run a business off of scare tactics. Know your and put dumbasses like this in their place.

These people keep on calling. When I turn them over to my accountant and the account asks them what company they are with they immediately hang up. They have done that twice.

sent this company a cease and desist and request for validation of their claims. They continue to call. I will be contacting our state's attorney general.

Thank God I googled and found all this before I sent them anything! The debt they keep calling about is one I know I paid off!! I was going to just send something so they would leave us alone but not now that I have read all this. I read everything too. Thanks for being honest to the ones who did and for the help from LAMET lots of useful information. I wont be doing anything and will be keeping my money and finding my papers that say the loan was paid!

I received a call from this number. They said I had a debt for loan in 2008 that had to be paid or they were going to send asummons and investigate me for "bank fraud" since they had been unable to do a debit my bank account (during that 2 yr period I had closed that account and reopened for other reasons not connected). I told "Mr. Mike Scott" that I did not recall ever borrowing money from this company but if he would send me documents of some sort I would pay it if I owed it. I explained I live on disability and did not recognize the company he was representing. He actually laughed at me and said "the attorney" handles too many of these cases to send documentation to every "deadbeat" who wants proof they owe it, and that I would see their documents when they take me to court for bank fraud. When I continued to request proof, and said several times if you show this is mine I will pay it, he became threatening about this "bank fraud" thing. He scared me to death, as I do not recall doing business with the company he mentioned. It was all over $410. He then said the attorney would give me a break and take $205 to settle. I got confused, frightened etc and gave him my  acct info. Then I got nervous because I still did not have any proof of what this was so I called my credit union and was advised by the rep there to move my money out of that account and to go to the state attorney office to see what I could do to get more info. I have done that but am now nervous to see what they are going to do. I will be visiting the state's attorney on Mon and will write again to advise of results. Any info or suggestions would be appreciated

I spoke to the Texas State Attorney office this morning and they advised me that this is a company who is using scare tactics, just as many of you have written. They said even if the debt is legit the company has the guidelines listed by another writier, and that they cannot send anyone to jail etc. I have decided not to pay anything until they provide me with proof, which if course they have repeatedly refused to do. I have filed a complaint with the Texas State Attorney , the Federal Trade Commission and will be sending a cease and desist letter today. Just wanted you all to know our state considers them scammers (Texas).
Good luck to you all. I know things can happen that can cause a good person to be unable to pay a debt, that not everyone who has something unpaid is a "deadbeat". When words like that start flowing, I am more sure than ever that this company is not legitimate. BTW, the name of my caller was also Mike Scott, and his extention was also 105. Wonder if it is 90 guys using the same name & extention number.

I spoke to the Texas State Attorney office this morning and they advised me that this is a company who is using scare tactics, just as many of you have written. They said even if the debt is legit the company has the guidelines listed by another writier, and that they cannot send anyone to jail etc. I have decided not to pay anything until they provide me with proof, which if course they have repeatedly refused to do. I have filed a complaint with the Texas State Attorney , the Federal Trade Commission and will be sending a cease and desist letter today. Just wanted you all to know our state considers them scammers (Texas).
Good luck to you all. I know things can happen that can cause a good person to be unable to pay a debt, that not everyone who has something unpaid is a "deadbeat". When words like that start flowing, I am more sure than ever that this company is not legitimate. BTW, the name of my caller was also Mike Scott, and his extention was also 105. Wonder if it is 90 guys using the same name & extention number.

Almost fell into the same trap with these guys except the bad check I puportedly wrote was to a company I have never done business with so I caught on pretty quick.  Did a bit of research on these guys.  They were incorporated in April, 2010 and the owner is not an attorney.  They are not registered with the BBB nor do they have a valid business license in the state of GA.  Additionally, they are not registered with the GA bar and no attorneys on the GA bar are associated with this firm.  This is 100% a scam and is an attempt to defraud you.  I work in the legal field and have just spoken with my contacts at the FTC.  There is currently an investigation into Brown, Stein & Weissman for fraud as well as misrepresentation as a law firm.  From what I have discovered about the investigation so far, the scam is an attempt to gain bank and/or credit card information from you.  In turn, they are using the information to drain your account and/or sell the info to other criminals.  If they call you, do not give them any info and hang up!  File a complaint with the FTC and the GA State Attorney General's office immediately.

I did do an investigation on this company and found out that they are legitimate. They are licensed to do collections for bad checks from Georgia Check Recovery. I did however asked them if they were a law firm and they said no. I spoke to the owner Kevin Brown and he explained everything. I had 3 bad checks that I wrote to a liquor store here in FL. But I paid off two of them after I explained to the owner what happen, he asked me to only pay for the check that I owed and then closed the other checks. He also gave me a letter showing that I did pay them.

To all who is reading this Brown, Stein & Weissman is not a law firm. And if one of our employees is saying so please contact our office and ask to speak to the owner I am always there. If you have been contacted by this office and you are not getting the information that you request or your questions or concerns was not met to your satisfaction kindly call me @ 800-781-3445 ext 108 or 678-279-5441 directly and I will assist you. Don't let any of our employees intimidate you be giving you misleading information that we are a law firm...I repeat we are not a law firm and we will never be a law firm. Thank you.

Mike Scott, collector for Brown, Stein & Weissman, is not only telling people the company is a law firm, he actually transferred me to another of their supposed employees, "Attorney Nichols", who was obviously also Mike Scott.  He also threatened law suit and claimed that there was a sherriff on the way to my house to arrest me.  I was in our county's court case sytem as I spoke with him and informed him that there was no such filing which is when he "transferred" me to his alter-ego, Attorney Nichols.  This is in direct violation of 15 U.S.C. Section 1681 and has been reported as such to the FTC and the GA State Attorney Generals Office.