800-969-8340

This sounds like a collections agency.

This message is for Amy, this is Elaine Shine. Please return the call at 800-969-8340 and referrence policy # Q###########.

-Caller ID showed unknown name, unknown number. After several attempts to return call someone answered, "Customer Service" how may I help you. I explained that I had received a message and to referrence this policy #. I was then asked to verify my name and address and I said NO! I don't even know who I am speaking with, you answered the phone customer service! She appologized and stated that she was with, "Erie Insurance". I gave her the policy # and told her that I have never had a policy with this company. She asked for the policy # and told me that it was for property in at **** King William Rd. and I told her that I have never owned a home other than where I currently reside. I asked that she please verify the last 4 of the SSN that they had as she abviously had my name & unlisted telephone number associated with a debt they were trying to collect and she said she could not do that. I was then given a number of an insurance agent with Capital Insurance (not Erie Insurance as she said she was with) to call to try and rectify. I've called the # she gave me and left a VM to return my call.

Their message left was, (in sweet female voice)

"Hello, this is Chumana .. calling to check the status of a Refund request..
please give us a call back at 800-969-8340.
please reference file number xxxxxxx, xxx thank you. (click)

There's no refund request - did not return the call.

I received a call from a Jenifer.  A collection company that has the same address as RMS  Collection PO BOX 280410 East Hartfort, CT 06128.  Do not know exactly where they are located.  Since when I asked her for the address and to repeat the whole address she went very slowly and someone was giving her in a slow voice the address.

Received a voicemail message from this number.  Man's voice said it was concerning my Erie Insurance account.  I do have an Erie auto and home account.  He never said he was with Erie, nor said his name. I have not returned the call to this number and probably won't.  I don't answer calls from either unknown numbers, nor unidentified people.  This number will now be blocked on my telephone and I will contact the home office of Erie Insurance on Monday, since today is Saturday.

For the last 3+ years a series of collection agencies / con artists have called our unlisted number (that we have had for 27+ years).   In most cases they asked for someone named Ron or Ronald Fera (or Ferer or ???) and/or his wife Roberta.   In no case have we ever given them our actual name or any other information.  Internet searches of the various companies making these calls, when we could identify them, produced a long list of subsidiaries, shared ownership, abusive practices and warnings.  In the first 6 months or so, before we wised up, we attempted to deal with these pests/con-men rationally by answering their questions and pointing out the obvious - wrong number.  That is, we explained over and over again that there has never been anyone by that name at this number.  No polite requests or threats worked, so we put together a log and recorded the calls as evidence, and contacted the State Attorney General's fraud office.  Then, after a cease and desist letter from the Attorney General, the harassment from the FIRST collection agency stopped.  Over the next 3 years, a whole series of "NEW" collection agencies has called ~ once every week or so with a variety of new lies including:  1) Your repaired jewelry is ready for pick up,  2) Need to speak with Ron (some other last name) about a critical matter,  3) Need to speak to Ronald or Roberta Ferer about their insurance policy, etc.  

The solution was to buy a phone blocking system that allowed us to create a "white list" of family member numbers that would be allowed to ring through.  All other callers, including those without caller ID, are requested to leave a message, so all of these pest/crook's calls are screened out, no matter what new number they use.  Now we have peace and quiet, and coincidentally, a running record of recorded messages showing their robo-call system is still targeted on our unlisted, do not call, number three years later!  

So the calls have NEVER stopped but are now all quietly shunted to our voice mail.  This latest "insurance policy" lie with the 800-969-8340 call back number is simply the latest ruse.  The "white list" phone blocking system has worked perfectly.  Our advice is don't waste any time talking to these fools, or asking to be taken off of lists, or even pursuing legal actions.  The simplest, most effective solution is to spend a few bucks and set up a white list of family and friend's numbers.  

Problem solved.  

To anyone who actually reads this ridiculous thread. All of you paranoid people checking to see if this is a scam, should really check into it. The number belongs to a specific company who handles collection of past due balances. They are divided into two separate roles. 1st party, and 3rd party.

1st party means your debt is still in the original companies collections. IE. If you have a balance with Erie Insurance your debt is paid to Erie insurance...and if you are going to [***]/complain they also have to pretend they are from the company and provide necessary information on resolving the issue.

- The associate through proxy is an agent of what ever company he/she is representing.. They may represent 1 company or 20 (Alot of morons call in with the bright "what company is this comment" thinking they outsmarted us....doesn't know what stupidity he/she is guilty of until he/she will call back soon enough after getting a collection agency notice.)

3rd party  means your debt belongs to the collection agency. The collection agency side and will affect your credit, so ignore the calls it doesn't really bother us much they don't like talking to you either.

-This is the part where alot of the 1st party "is this a scam?" turns into a " can you help me, I didnt know this was real I dont want this to affect my credit, I want to deal with you etc....."

When people move the forget to update their numbers so companies like this rely on a number acquiring service that gets best possible number of contact as the goal is always to collect. Bottom line if you get a call from this number or referring you to this number either someone you know or you yourself....is in a collection agency or pretty close to being there.

The # is a collection agency. They have been calling my house asking for my ex of 20 years who never lived in this state!  Leaving messages and claiming to be from an Ins agency, that's a lie to get you to call them back. I lived on the other side of the country when I was married, they only way they found my # is from running a credit check on him and seeing my name and then tracking me down, my name has since changed and my # is in no way associated with him. So they call again today and I grab the phone, interrupting her phony message, I said "hello" and she realizes a real person picked up, she says "hello" and then hangs up on me! These people need to leave me alone, I have 0 to do with some debt my ex racked up.

Collection agency I feel, invade our privacy. I also received a call from an agency claiming to have something to do with the will of my brothers wifes deceased mother! That's going too far, again, not even in the same state, no relation to her at all and the woman died, have some respect..I told them I have no information for them and please remove my number, such BS.

Read up on your rights here, get template letters to send and also make a complaint at this government site: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices:  http://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php