816-420-1818

A Sears account rep admitted that they are actually behind this.  Call them at 866-518-9055 (this number is on the bottom of your Sears bill) and tell them what you think of it.  They won't be getting any of my business again!!!

This needs to stop..if there call is purposeful than a message needs to be left. if not...it is harrassment. Enough is enough!

Call 8 or 9 times a day

My elderly mother has been getting calls from this number, something about "Sears" and "government" (I haven't personally heard the message). It said to enter her checking account number to pay her "past due Sear's bill". She did, unfortunately, but could not complete the transaction for some reason which was why she had called me to ask my help.  My immediate "gut" reaction was that it was a scam. We went down to Sear's to check on the "past due" bill. IT was not past due, and their records showed that she had already made a payment, and was current with her bill. I am calling the Honolulu Police Department next after writing this blog. I had to "google" this number to see who it was or who it was registered too etc. I had my mother call tthe credit union to take steps to protect her checking account by closing it down. So far what have seen on the internet about this number screams "SCAM".  Please DO NOT give any personal vital information over the phone or attempt to "pay" your "past due"  Sear's bill. Check with Sear's.

My elderly mother has been getting calls from this number, something about "Sears" and "government" (I haven't personally heard the message). It said to enter her checking account number to pay her "past due Sear's bill". She did, unfortunately, but could not complete the transaction for some reason which was why she had called me to ask my help.  My immediate "gut" reaction was that it was a scam. We went down to Sear's to check on the "past due" bill. IT was not past due, and their records showed that she had already made a payment, and was current with her bill. I am calling the Honolulu Police Department next after writing this blog. I had to "google" this number to see who it was or who it was registered too etc. I had my mother call tthe credit union to take steps to protect her checking account by closing it down. So far what have seen on the internet about this number screams "SCAM".  Please DO NOT give any personal vital information over the phone or attempt to "pay" your "past due"  Sear's bill. Check with Sear's.

Yep, it's Sears credit via Citicorp  and they are completely messed up I have a card with zero balance! I'm guessing they want to sell something but this is not the way.  Also if you have business with a company (like having any Citi card) they can call you even if on do not call list.  Annoying!

CitiCorp calling for Sears account

This number calls 8 - 10 times a day.  

It is completely automated and no "agent" or operator will ever help you because there is none. There is an eventual prompt to speak with an agent, and you go on hold for roughly two minutes during which time, there is an announcement indicating that if you get disconnected, please call 800-733-1116.  You do, get disconnected (I did the three times I tried) so this is clearly a dead-end.

By listening to the prompts and pressing to hear some of the other options on the menu, I was finally asked if I wanted to research further possibilities of payment other than pay by phone (this is the option they are really pressing you to do and they make it very difficult to find alternative options).

The other "possibility" offered to me, was to go to www.searscard.com and login to my account and settle things that way, which is basically the same as the pay by phone option except it is via the internet.

www.searscard.com routed me to:
https://www.citibank.com/us/cards/srs/index.jsp   notice it is citibank   (valid at the time of this posting)

From there, I clicked on Contact Us/Faq and found this page:  (valid at the time of this posting)
http://www.citibank.com/us/cards/srs/contact_us.jsp

From the link above, you are presented with a table listing the phone numbers and addresses which correspond to the sears card you are having trouble with.  Each card type has a general 800 number and each one has a collections number:  800-733-1116 (is the one that is referenced when you ask to speak with an agent and is a collections number).

I called 800-733-1116 and after the usual blather about the call being solely for debt collection purposes and may be monitored blah blah blah, I was able to speak with a rather patronizing woman who tried to get other information from me; cell phone numbers, work numbers and an alternative address other than the one they had listed.  I asked what address they had on file but she told me she wasn't authorized to discuss that since I wasn't the primary card holder!  When I asked for the first letters of the street address, she wouldn't provide that either.

I told her that it was no matter whether I was the card holder or not, but that the calls must stop since there was no negligent failure to pay and only a single late payment recorded.  She told me they would not stop and I indicated that they would indeed stop and the harassment will cease.  She "invited" me provide my complaint in writing (which has been done).  

Here is the address which she provided, and is also listed on the contact link of the website mentioned above:

Sears MasterCard Billing Disputes
PO Box 6276
Sioux Falls, SD 57117
(General number on the site was:  1-800-669-8488)

Sears and Citibank are going way over the top by harassing people who have made late payments. This is excessive and unnecessary.  As for my own personal observation, what happened to Sears?  A once trustworthy, reliable, store that provided good quality, long-lasting items many of which had lifetime warranties.  I'm sorry to see you go, but if this is part of your latest customer retention policy, good riddance and there will be no tears shed once you are gone!

_________________________________________

How to fight back:

Fair Debt Collections Practices Act
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf

Telephone Consumer Protection Act
http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/policy/TCPA-Rules.pdf
Read the rules, see what applies, and hold these organizations to the letter of the law

FCC complaint site:
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

Do not call complaint site:  Do not call list is absolutely worthless, but you can still file a complaint.
https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx?panel=2

_________________________________________

Below is a template of the Cease and Desist letter I used to get rid of these fools.  I sent it CERTIFIED and REGISTERED and the calls stopped roughly 4-days after it was sent.  I received the return receipt (as my proof they received it) in the mail about 6-days later.



Your Name
Your Address
Your City & State
Your Zip

Date

Bill Collection Company Name
Their Address (see address for sears/citibank above)
Their City & State & Zip

Re: Telephone Number or Account Number or Reference Number...

To Whom It May Concern:

This will serve as your legal notice under provisions of federal law, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to cease all communication with me in regard to the phone number referenced above. If you fail to heed this notice, I will file a formal complaint against you with the Federal Trade Commission who is responsible for enforcement, the States Attorney General office and/or the American Collectors Association.

We have decided that we do not desire to work with a collection agency under any circumstances. We will contact the original creditor to resolve this matter directly, as circumstances warrant.

You are also notified that should any adverse information be placed against my credit reports as a result of this notice that appropriate actions will be taken. Give this very important matter the attention it deserves.


Sincerely

See: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-733-1116/

have been receiving calls from this number for the past three weeks....have posted it on do-not-call list but that takes some time...just talked to citi bank and it definitely is not them......would not answer this numbe and place on do not call...........

have caller ID and will not answer. Am on do not call list  thats a joke.

I receive at least 4-5 calls per day but my line is hooked up to my fax machine.  I don't answer it but it's really annoying for them to keep calling so often.
I don't have debt so I'm sure its definitely a scam.
I wish they would just stop calling - I blocked it but it came back!!!

I keep getting 3 or 4 calls a day - nobody on the other end of the line - nobody answers when i call back - STOP CALLING!!!!!!!!!

Not sure why they are calling me, I don't owe money to anyone because I filed for Chapter 7 two years ago and   now I don't owe money to anyone.

This number calls twice day and there is always silence on the line when I answer and then it hangs up.  They never offer me any options to speak to a live person. Just hangs up (that's a red flag right there).  I was told that sometimes scammers can call you and charge your telephone bill if you answer.  I don't know how true that is however.  Anyway, nobody in my household has a sears account or a citi card.  I have no idea why they would be calling here.  True debt collectors are not allowed to threaten you or tell you that you will be arrested.  They can subpoena you to come to court, but they can't threaten to have you arrested at your home.  Also, if you request for the debt to be sent to you in writing, with the company you owe debt to and the account number they are required to send you this information.  Scammers, will either just get rude with you and say they aren't authorized to do so or hang up on you.  This all can be researched on the FTC website.

This number calls our house all hours of the day and night. We don't answer,  and they leave no messages on our machine.  Its harassment,  and even though we are on the do not call list,, I am reporting these numbers to the attorneys I work for.  Does anyone know who this caller may be from Missouri???

I have received 5 calls from 816-420-1818 starting at 10:27a. If noone answers the phone, they should take a hint.. Can I submit a harrasement case against them? If it is Citicorp or Sears, I don't have an account with both.

Got a call from this number dont reconize. compant does not leave message to confirm who they are.

Lol you guys are so dumb its unbelievable. Saying its a scam makes you look like an ignorant turd. Its not a scam. Pay your bills on time and they wont call you. Simple as that.

Ignorant is as ignorant does. Phone numbers are faked. Did you know, genius that you are, that people who pay their bills get these calls too? Oh! You didn't think about that.