800-860-0644

Got a call today from a number that showed on the caller ID as 866-940-7640.

We used to get calls from the number above in English from Portfolio Recovery Associates.

Lately, however the message are in Spanish and ask to call back to 800-860-0644.

I wonder how they decided to change the messages to Spanish, I do answer our phone in Spanish but I've never actually spoken to anyone from this company.

I'll cross post this message for both number so people know it's the same company.

Received call on 11/2/09, saying our account with Clipper Magazine (we are a business), was turned over to a collection agency.  We are, and have been paid in full on both of our accounts with Clipper Magazine.  I called Clipper (they were so nice and helpful).  They said we have always been paid in full, and they were going to check into it.  This is a SCAM, to get personal information on yourself.

I too have been getting calls from this company.  Today's call (on Sunday) was the last one.  They were looking for someone with my first and last name.  When they determined the date of birth of the person they were looking for was not mine, they said they would take my name off their calling list.  
I filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney Generals Office as I consider this harassment.
They appear to be phishing.  I urge everyone who gets calls from them to file a complaint with their Attorney Generals Office.

Hi, I have been getting calls from the 1-800-860-0644.  All they say is that they are a debt collection agency and don't ask for a specific person when they leave a message on my answering machine.  I don't owe any money to anybody but these people keep on calling.  Any thoughts on how to deal with these people to stop calling.  I will not call them back. Why won't they send a letter to my house address stating that I owe money?  As I said I don't owe anyone any money.

Your company it's sending a bill for 1956.13 please send me the copy of the original contract where I sign for the amount that I odd to your company at the address the send me this information. please send all the comapany has or email me all the information at joaleda@yahoo.com my acc if fl04003629252 I will appriciated for all the cooperation..  F.B.

Your company it's sending a bill for 1956.13 please send me the copy of the original contract where I sign for the amount that I odd to your company at the address the send me this information. please send all the comapany has or email me all the information at joaleda@yahoo.com my acc if fl04003629252 I will appriciated for all the cooperation..  F.B.

Your company it's sending a bill for 1956.13 please send me the copy of the original contract where I sign for the amount that I odd to your company at the address the send me this information. please send all the comapany has or email me all the information at joaleda@yahoo.com my acc if fl04003629252 I will appriciated for all the cooperation..  F.B.

Have rec'd. a couple of calls from this number stating exactly what others have said in their posts.... we are registered on the "Do not call" list, as well, so THAT doesn't seem to be working too well!  The Company mentioned was Portfolio Recovery Assoc., and we also do not have any unpaid debts.  Sheesh....really sick of all the scammers!

Just got a call today.    My credit is excellent.

They were Phising.

How do you stop these people?

I reported  them to a Federal Agency in D.C.

Portfolio Recovery has been calling my house repeatedly in the last 8 months on behalf of Holy Cross Hospital on Marquette Road in Chicago (I asked for the manager and asked who was the company since the collectors always state they cannot divulge the info) based solely on a telephone number that matches my home.  What is more mind boggling is that the company has identified 3 different patients with very different last names that they are attempting to collect for tied to my telephone number.  Obviously Holy Cross staff does not ensure that the telephone number is unique and yet they hire a debt collection company (as they call themselves on their recorded taping) who are nothing more of street thugs who cannot handle themselves professionally on the telephone (when I ask questions) and instead get aggressive and either hang up on me or refuse me access to a supervisor or manager to resolve the issue.  I have spoken repeatedly with individuals who have identified themselves as managers and have given me their word that they will remove my telephone number from the company's callback list.  Obviously they have not since I just received another phone call 5 minutes ago.  What I recommend is find out what company/hospital they are calling for and either send a letter to the hospital's president or contact your local news station or your state's attorney general office.  Portfolio Recovery and Associates needs to get a loud and clear message that their non-business like and unprofessional behavior WILL NOT BE TOLERATED since it is quite apparent they are TOO LAZY TO GET THE INFO CORRECT AND SHOW THEY ARE DOIN THEIR JOB BY SIMPLY DIALING INCORRECT PHONE NUMBERS.

I received a call from 1-800-860-0644 but the caller id lists a number of 1-800-772-1413 with a recorded message saying it was a collection agency and to call 1-800-860-0644. When I asked the gal what this was about, she said she was unable to give out any info by my phone number and asked my name.  I  gave her my name and she claimed that there wasn't anything listed with my name and asked about my husband's first name so I gave it to her.  There again, she claimed that there was nothing under his name and if there are any other family members in the household and I told her no.  Then she proceeded to say that she can check under a social security number and I told her that there's no way I'm giving out a social security number to anyone I don't know, and she stated that, "then I can't help you".  I told her that unless she can provide me with more info as to what debt she's referring to, don't bother me anymore and I hung up.  I should of Googled the number first here online before I called that number.  If anyone else receives a call from those two toll free numbers, disregard them since it sounds like a scam!!

Print out the complaints and forward them to your Attorney General's fax number for investigation.  Some debt collectors are being audited for what they have collected for themselves and what have collect for the banks.

Portfolio does not collect for anyone but themselves.   They do not deal in current VALID Legitimate debts on behalf of original creditors. They BUY old time-barred debts, discharged in bankrupcty, already paid or result of identity theft.

they cannot PROVE anyone owes them money and once THEY decide without any proof whatsoever that you are the person responsible - they will break every state and federal FDCPA law to collect it.

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

Had a call from them and returned it. They seem to be located in Tennessee and the gentleman could not find out any thing with my name or phone numbers. He then asked for SS # which of course I refused to give. He said he could respect that and I then said good luck.

Portfolio Recovery Associates, collecting a debt, which I don't have.

I just got a message from 1-800-860-0644 someone with a recorded message wanting to  collect a debt, this is very disturbing, and I keep getting these harrassing phone calls daily, and I want it to stop, I OWE NO DEBTS, PLEASE STOP IT.

The message was from Portfolio Associates on COLLECTING A DEBT. No debt is owed to such a person or number, please make it stop,

thank you

Haha!! same old scam!!  we started getting these calls from 'bogus' collection agencies about 2 years ago.
Fist they started out with a ficticious name of the person owing debt and the name of their company, then when that didn't work, they changed their name again that they called themselves, when we "still" did not return their calls, they used another tactic, and so on and so on.  They must have used 5 different agency "names" to identify themselves in the last 2 years to "trick" us into calling them.  They even started to call and just hang up when the answering machine comes on, apparently HOPING that we'd pick up just on the ringing(??).  That's how we foil their attempts.  We screen every call.  We're so used to it by now that we laugh at it and hardly notice it.  They even have sent collection letters to our address but with someone elses name.  We just tear them up.  If it's not our name, we are not legally bound to respond.  They just pick someone's name that owes debt that "sounds" similar to our name and is near our zipcode.  We however do not owe any debt, pay our bills and have great credit.  I think the trick is to NEVER call them, because once you do, they know they have a "live one" and will never give up.  we get less calls now than we did 2 years ago, so it does diminish in time.  I will report them to the local news and state attorney general though.  I think the guy who owed debt and has a similar name, had died, so that's why they are trying to recoup their loss with scumbag tactics.  These guys are lowlifes and congress should get off their fat butts and do something about this since it's been a problem for YEARS!

Call left on answering machine - this is Portfolio Recovery Associates calling in regard to a debt.  Please call 800-860-0644.  Our address is 120 Norfolk Blvd, Norfolk Va.23502.  This is an attempt to collect a debt.

Scam artist for sure - wants your ss#

They have been leaving message on business answering machine.  Heads up all I have noticed a few illegal things here.....#1 it is illegal to do collection calls on a Sunday....file complaint....#2 It is illegal to call after 7pm....file a complaint...it is the only way to stop them and these are FEDERAL collection laws.