800-992-7799

Who is this and is this a scam

These guys are a scam. They blackmail you if you call a phone sex site which I had but it was with my debit card. I may be guilty of that but I am not guilty of having to owe over $900 of charges cause like I said I only have a debit card....if I don't have enough money my card gets declined. They've called my father about it  and told him and myself that they've sent me a bill and a email which is both untrue. When I confronted them about telling my dad that they've sent me an email they completely denied it. They try to blackmail people by embarrassing you by saying,"If you don't pay us we will tell your family that you've been calling all these phone sex lines."  I may have my vices but dammit I'm a good person, these people are not. They are leeches pure and simple.

Since they talked or left a message this is what they are required to do:

Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt.  It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes.  The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.

But in any case I would

You need to send them a certified, return receipt debt validation letter (think of it as the best $6.47 you ever invested).  Also send it first class mail in case no one will sign for it.  Make a notion of that fact at the bottom of the letter.  You also need to report them to the proper agencies to which I have provided links to.  Then you need to go out and get a consumer lawyer to sue them on a contingency basis (no money out of your pocket) and let them pay you for the harassment.  If everyone did these three things, these crooks would be bankrupt and we would all be the richer for it.  Use these web sites to find an attorney in your state that will probably take the case on a contingency basis (no money out of your pocket up front):  http://www.consumeradvocates.org/
http://www.consumeradvocates.org/find-an-atto ... tates_value=All

Everything else you need to know including where to report them:

SPECTRUM BILLING SERVICES AKA PREMIUM BILLING SERVICES AKA FRONTIER BILLING SERVICES AKA CARDHOLDER SERVICES AKA HEAT MAGAZINE
Alternate Business Names
Card Holder Services, Exposed Magazine, Pixel Publishing, Preferred Entertainment, S P Entertainment, SP Entertainment, The Spectrum Club, Secrets
Posted in:  https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-616-7833
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-999-7932/2
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-992-7799

Web site looks real cheesy and lists them in LA:  https://spectrumbilling.virtualcollector.net/Contact.aspx
BBB gives them an F with 56 complaints and 2 negative review but strangely lists them as an eviction service:  http://www.bbb.org/losangelessiliconvalley/bu ... les-ca-13130417
BBB gives Heat Magazine a B- with 42 complaints:  http://www.bbb.org/losangelessiliconvalley/bu ... les-ca-13037580

I can’t find a company registration anywhere which would mean that they are not legally allowed to conduct business.  From the looks of it they are operating under a ton of names in order to avoid detection.  However they are using a PO Box which means they had to provide ID to open it and the USPS will release the information when served with a subpoena.
The address seems to come back to several organizations including an adult magazine:
https://www.trustlink.org/Reviews/Heat-Magazine-205727788
https://premiumbilling.virtualcollector.net/Contact.aspx
https://frontierbilling.virtualcollector.net/Contact.aspx
https://cardholder.virtualcollector.net/Contact.aspx
Other complaints (looks like a history of breaking the law):
http://forums.debtcc.com/forums/spectrum-billing.html
http://forums.debtcc.com/collection-agencies/about17628.html
http://www.checkbca.org/report/spectrum-billing-services-13130417/complaints
http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/so-to-make- ... ill-665587.html
https://complaintwire.org/complaint/YJVb9HZaPQU/credit-card-services
https://www.trustlink.org/Ask-The-Community/Question/Business/Extortion-5217
https://www.trustlink.org/Reviews/Spectrum-Billing-Services-205800547
They seem to be tied in with some sex chat phone line as well:  http://www.outscam.com/spectrum-billing-services-f7
https://complaintwire.org/complaint/hKIBAAAAAAA/card-member-services/13

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:  https://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general

As well as the California AG’s Office:   http://oag.ca.gov/

This scam company had sent me a letter in the mail stating that I owe them money. The phone number is not even mine that they have. I don't appreciate getting [***] in the mail like that.