832-476-1739

Very harrasing calls. Have reported them to my State Goverment and will continue. Then I will take further steps for harrasment.  Have no business with them and they will not send any paper work to prove I did or do!!!!

It is very important you call us on this matter  832-476-1739

These people are a bunch of [***] that have no respect for anyone! especially JEFF FORD.......It's one thing if you owe a past debt, but it's another to constantly harrass someone and even call their place of work and harrass their boss who has nothing to do with the debt.  Times are hard and people are doing the best that they can do without [***] like JEFF FORD!   It's thanks to people like Jeff Ford that are causing struggling people to loose it and commit suicide.  So thanks Jeff for doing such an awesome job......just a little tip......why don't you take some [***] english classes so we can at least understand what the hell you are saying!

Wrong Wrong Wrong I keep up with all of my bills MUST STOP CALLING ME!

They have been calling me non stop. Today I finally picked up and talked a guy named Adrian? I asked him what is this all about and he would not tell me, so I got really ticked off and I went off on him. The police needs to do something about this! Stop these people from harassing others or shut down their business.

A guy named Tom Jacobs left a message to call this number about a debt.  When I called I got a message in broken english saying it was Avante and then a dial tone.  They are really incompetent even at strong armed debt collections.  I have no idea who they want or what for.  Tom Jacobs sans an extension gets one nowhere!

I have been working on getting some credit established for the last year..doing all I could to make sure that there was NOTHING negative on my credit report (even signed up to some credit monotoring companies) and I had everything going great and finally on my way to a couple credit cards and a new vehicle and then ultimately in a couple of years buying a new house. And now someone from 832-476-1739 has called me twice so far leaving VERY RUDE messages on my voice mail. Had I not signed up for the C.M.C.'s than I would have called them back..but I know they cant get me for anything...so screw them, they're very rude and a waste of space.

Calls everyday at various times.  After many attempts I was able to call back at 832-476-1739 using extentions 603 - they wanted a person who does not live here.  After a rude inquirey as to where this person might be contacted I turthfully said I don't know.  I requested they take my number off any "list".  They responded with "There is NO LIST.  Everyone thinks there is this BOOGEY MAN list and we don't have one."  Sure hope they don't call back.

I've been receiving these phone calls for almost a yr now. Not leaving messages and when I finally talked to a REAL person, they would not give me info, so I told them NOT to call back, but of course they have and still doing it, GUESS WHAT?? My Lawyer is wanting to speak to them!!:):) So, we are getting ready to have this set up...So there AVANTE.... Get ready for a fight!!

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/creditors-information/know-address.html

Follow this link people

They left a message, different number than caller ID.
When they call pick up and play the radio or get an air horn and blast into phone. That should fix them.

these people need to be stop and put out of business! there should be laws protecting our rights against these kind of business, they are rude, total unprofessnal, they threaten you, treat you like yur scum! I would love to get there personal number and have everyone call them at all hours. So, were is our so called BBB for each state? why arent they helping?

I have had my current cell phone for over 2 1/2 years and I am still getting calls from this outfit for someone who evidently had this number before me.  My voicemail has my name so if they would listen to it they would realize, along with my requests, that I am not the person they are trying to collect from.  Now, if I don't recognize the number in my caller id I just don't answer the phone!

keep calling my cell phone..have NO idea who they are...

the phone will ring for couple of times and then stop. I got 16 calls on one day alone on 01/07/10.

Called back andleft messages askingthem to call back but none called so far.

I have received one call per weekday from this number for about a week now, usually with no message left. I almost didn't call them back after reading the comments about the number, but I figured ignoring it wasn't going to do any good either. I called, got a female representative for Avante USA, and was told they are looking for someone who does not live here. I informed her that I do not know that person. She said, quite curtly and quickly, "Okay then we'll remove the number. Sorry for the call." We'll see how that goes. If the calls don't cease I WILL be contacting the BBB, and I will be posting the outcome on here as well.

This is a debt collection call. As annoying as they may be, being on the DNC does not pertain to them. If you don't call them and find out who they're looking for they will call you nonstop. The only possible way to resolve the situation is to call.

It is a third party collection agency which buys old debts from other places such as credit card companies, then attempts to collect. The best way to handle it is to call the number back and find out who they're looking for.  If it's not you, tell them so, and they should remove your number. If that doesn't work, report them to the BBB.

the BBB CANNOT AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING -

you have to file formal complaints in order to get them stoppped - BUT DO IT TO THE CORRECT AGENCIES - NOT THE BBB!  


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

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/start.html


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

Received a caller on my machine from Tom Jacobs or Jenkins stating "this is regarding a debt collection and that I needed to call immediately." I called back and it was Avante. I left a message with my name and phone and stated that I knew of no debt that was outstanding. After reading this I am sorry I did that. We have had some dealings with Bally's, but not for years now. I will be checking my credit report and not taking their calls now after reading this.