803-329-9791

My mom received a call from this number looking for me...I have never been late paying a single credit card bill, and this call was (I'm guessing) from a student loan I have. I have been out of school for 6 months and am in the process of getting a deferment on my loans. The first payment was due YESTERDAY and they called my mother's house at 8AM this morning!!! What?! Screw these guys, I've been on the phone with the Dept. of Ed and Student Loans for days working out my deferment, pretty sure I'm dealing with my "business". These people need to leave me alone

Just wanted to add that although I DO intend to pay off my student loans, there is no way I will ever send a DIME to this company. I will pay my bill directly to the Dept. of Ed.

This company is not legit, I know because I have yet to even receive a late notice from the loaner...much less anything informing me my account has been sold to a collector. Also, if what you all say is true, this company's inevitable refusal to send me paperwork, and/or stop calling is a clear sign of their professionalism...er, lack thereof.

I say ignore them...take care of your business if you have it, but don't do it through this agency.

once it is past the SOL what can they do can they garnish wages on a private student loan??

Hey there fella, don't worry about other people's business.

BC is such a doofus, I wish you lots of luck in life.

Have you asked them to remove the number? I did when they had a wrong number and have never had another call. This is a real company. looking and real people doing a job trying to find students who have defaulted on there students loans, I asked. Man was very nice. Just doing his job.
You people who are running from them just dont want to pay what you owe and you know why they are calling you that is why you are not answering your phone. That is what is wrong this this country today people not paying what they owe and running from the truth and wanting to blaim others. Good luck in life you will need it.

Because you have no money does not nean you have no Bills. How do you
live? You have the internet? You eat dont you. and I bet you even have a cell phone that someone pays for. get a job and start paying your bills.

I have one better than that... Take the call and pay your Bills. this company is being paid by the school you signed up for and for what ever reason you have a outstanding debt you need to pay. Just answer the phone and
grow up.

If you have a federal loan that was placed in collections they can help you. I did not get my deferment paperwork turned in on time and was put into collections and got a call from Williams and Fudge. The lady sent some paperwork so I could consolidate all my federal loans into one with the Dept of Ed and I don't even have to make payments. Thank God she found me and I was not dumb. If my loans has gone back my taxes and paycheck would have been taken. I checked this out and it is true. If this company is calling you someone hired them to find you for a good reason. I asked for proof and it was mailed to me. Took about 3 weeks. Good job good people.

Just call see what they want maybe you did not get your deferment. It happened to my Daughter and williams and fudge helped her. very nice to her but they could not talk to me some kind of laws that once your child
reaches the age of 18 a company cant talk to you. I had her call them she did not want to but she was glad she did. Owing money to a school in nothing to play around with. Botton line is it is money owed to the goverment and they dont play around.

Try answering tha phone. Better than that Pay your bills ummm Thats a thought.

The National Do Not Call List is for people trying to sell you things only.
Has nothing to do with money owed. This is how stupid people are who spend their life running from their debt. lmao

You sound very upset you must have a very large bill their you are trying to get out of paying that your school sent to them lol. So sorry

call your school and see if they will let you pay them. some schools  wont  let you make  payments mine would not thats how I ended up in collections. They hired williams and fudge to collect the debt.

must be real good if can dial 2 numbers at the same time same with your lies lmso

Nope. I finally called W&F after almost a semester of being hounded, and I explained that my family and I couldn't afford to pay 6500$. The man I spoke to was THE rudest [***] I have EVER had the misfortune of talking to. He said it wasn't my parent's debt so they had nothing to do with my debt from school even if I still live at home.

He even had the audacity to tell me that they were "Only a debt collection agency" and that my debt "will just be sitting there." I broke down crying and told him that he was so unprofessional and that I had never spoken to anybody so rude. He then said they can't do ANYTHING to help me. I'm still in tears because that guy was so unprofessional and rude to me.

I called to see if they can help me, but obviously they don't give a [***] about anybody or anything except being rude and collecting money.

I understand I have to pay them back. I'm not stupid. I hate how I was treated. They could have said the EXACT same thing but acted like they cared about me and my situation.

They called me on a 2 week old work cell phone asking for me to call them, but the message didn't state from who it was.  I guess I'd better get it changed after reading this, they sound bloodthirsty and seem to post here a lot too.

Wow, I hope you didn't graduate and if you did can you tell me the school you went to so that I can make sure that my kids never apply there?

"THANK GOD SHE FOUND ME AND I WAS NOT DUMB."

BBB is a waste of time - they cannot do anything and if by chance this CA are a dues paying member - BBB will not do anything, siding with them over the consumer.

THIS IS THE WAY TO FILE COMPLAINTS THAT GET SOMETHING DONE

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

COLLECTION AGENCIES DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!
FROM www.budhibbs.com  A CONSUMER ADVOCATE WEBSITE that specializes in Debt Collections and offers assistance to consumers.  THEY ALSO EXPOSE THE WORST FDCPA VIOLATORS IN THE COUNTRY

Dealing with debt collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html

Statute of limitations by state – always double check directly with your own State Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from debt collectors – always double check with your own State Government website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm

From FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WEBSITE – FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

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.


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.

go to www.armedforcesjustice.com for assistance

This website deals strictly with debt collection issues that involve our service people.  Y