844-838-7351

Wage garnishment. Call that number back...blah blah blah. I happen to be on top of all my creditors and my debts are clear. Bogusness - they "found" my new cell number.

Received a phone message at home stating ""Hey Ms. Muscle I'm with the offices of EDS with the legal outsourcing division. I'm contacting you today in regards to legal file here in the office contacting you to inform you that we have been given the approval for wage garnishment and or court order proceedings under your name and social. If you feel that this maybe a mistake or of questions or concerns.
Now would be the time to contact me back at 844-838-7351. Failure to contact me will result in the necessary proceedings to start against you. I strongly suggest you or your legal representative contact the office back today. And refer to file number XXXXXXXX."  I am unaware of any outstanding debts that would support a wage garnishment.  I did unfortunately take at pay day loans > 5yrs ago but all were paid per agreement.  Does anyone know who this company is?  When I tried to call back the line was busy.

The recording says that it is ADS and that they have a legal file of mine. They indicated that I am going to have my wages garnished and be taken to court. This is for a pay day loan that I got back in 2008. I called the number back and the lady was "RUDE" ... I explained to her that they can take me to court as I have the documentation that this is a PAID IN FULL DEBT. She hung up on me. I called back several times. The recording says that it is Mark Andrews Law Office ... .so this seems so fishy!!!! Smells like scamming to me.

So ... I WISH they would take me to court so that I can throw my Paid in Full documents right at them.

How can I verify whether or not a debt collector is legitimate?
Here are a few warning signs that could signal a debt collection scam:

The debt collector threatens you. Legitimate debt collectors probably won't claim that they'll have you arrested or claim that they or their employees are law enforcement officers.

The debt collector refuses to give you information about your debt or is trying to collect a debt you do not recognize. You have certain rights to ask a debt collector to verify the debt. You can use this sample letter to request this information. Ask for an explanation in writing before you pay.

The debt collector refuses to give you a mailing address or phone number.

The debt collector asks you for sensitive personal financial information. You should never provide anyone with your personal financial information unless you are sure they're legitimate.
If you think that a caller may be a fake debt collector:

Ask the caller for his or her name, company, street address, telephone number, and professional license number. Many states require debt collectors to be licensed. Check the information the caller provides you with your state officials, or the state in which the debt collector holds a license. If the caller refuses or is unable to provide you with information about his company, or if you can’t verify the information he provides, do not give money to the caller or company.

Tell the caller that you refuse to discuss any debt until you get a written "validation notice." This notice must include:
The amount of the debt
The name of the creditor you owe
A description of certain rights under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
If a caller refuses to give you all of this information, consider requesting this information in writing or seeking assistance before paying the debt to make sure the debt, and the company, are valid.

Tip: You can consider sending the collector a letter requesting the information by using one of the CFPB's sample letters. You can also submit a complaint to the CFPB or you can contact your state Attorney General’s office.

Do not give the caller personal financial or other sensitive information. Never give out or confirm personal financial or other sensitive information like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you know the company or person you are talking with is a real debt collector. Scam artists, like fake debt collectors, can use your information to commit identity theft such as:
Charging your existing credit cards
Opening new credit card or checking accounts
Writing fraudulent checks
Taking out loans in your name

Contact your creditor. If the debt is legitimate – but you think the collector may not be – contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.

Report the call. Submit a complaint with the CFPB or get in touch with your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers.

Stop speaking with the caller.If nothing else works and you believe the calls are fraudulent, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files.

Tip: You can use this sample letter to write a letter demanding the debt collector stop contacting you. By law, real debt collectors must stop calling you if you ask them to in writing.

Tip: If you're having trouble with debt collection, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Do not call them back again. It is bogus. Once you actually connect with them and speak to someone, they've got you. My voicemail does not identify who I am, just repeats the number they reached. The name they use to contact me, is my former (last)name, which is a red flag for me because I WAS scammed when that was my name, even after my name changed. Scammers were also calling my relatives, harassing them and lying (scaring) them - making them think I was in legal trouble and had even "named" them as references or some other such accomplices in whatever it was. All of which were lies. I changed my phone number almost a year ago - but it seems they've found me, through various cyber means. I have no idea how they do it, but they eventually track you down. IF I CALL THEM BACK, THEY'LL HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT I AM THE ONE THEY WERE LOOKING TO SCAM (again)...but I won't. So, don't. Also - I did take out payday loans (under the previous name) 6-7 years ago. That's how they get you. ALL of my previous loans are clear and paid. I read recently in a report from the FTC (you need to sign up for updates with them) that bogus creditors will use the actual names of the legitimate payday loan companies, or some very close variation of it, to trick the uneducated. Go here, and sign up: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/statutes/federal-trade-commission-act   And then, relax. Do nothing to correspond with them, don't ever get a payday loan again; and live your life.

No chance of them calling you again. But don't be surprised if you get another similar call in a couple of months. Don't call these fools back. Don't get into a dialogue with them. I won't give them the satisfaction that they've reached the right party.

Same message today a guy answered and would not give me info until i gave my ss# but they called my fiance mom phone looking for me and i never gave her number out

As a former collection manager (for a legitimate company), I find it absolutely hilarious at the lengths these so called collection companies go to scare people.  I received a voicemail this morning from 'ADS' 844-838-7351; 'Ms Goldstein' is the alias the collector used and she stated I defaulted on a returned check (not true by the way).
She then stated that she was going to contact 'Check Services' and they were going to "shut down any and all active bank accounts and debit cards of mine".  All I could do was laugh!  Do not let this idiots scare you into thinking they are going to do any of the sort.  Its not gonna happen!

They called this morning - after checking these out, I won't even call them back. Same thing as above about freezing any and all bank accounts and debit cards of mine...right.

They wouldn't even give me their address or let me speak with "mr Andrews" lmao what a bunch of scam artists!!!!

I had the same issue as all above. Even my wife called and the guy was very rude. We tried to explain about our bankruptcy and they said they didn't care and that bad checks don't fall under that. Then we explained about being active duty means no judgements can be made due to federal laws and he said that we need to know the laws better before talking about that stuff. He then hung up. These guys don't know anything they are talking about especially since we have not used checks for over 5 years.

Same message garnish my check, close check accounts and debit cards, who do they think they are, they need legal documents from court before they can do anything, get a real job idiots, do not return their calls, do not waste your time.

I almost fell for this because someone has hacked my Facebook account and has been scamming my friends. I thought maybe the FB scammer had gotten further and bought something under my name. I really burns me that they got my cell phone number. How do they do it?

they left threatening message closing bank accounts coming after me ads i can print out my voice mail so i am going to send copies banks etc anybody that can shot these people down they cannot threaten like this

I just received the exact same phone call. word for word is what she said in the voicemail.

Ms. Goldstein must be very busy today, called my phone, leaving a message for someone else other than me,  leaving her silly, ridiculous threats not to mention someone else personal information. My voice mail does not state my name, so this is just beyond desperate tactics, just plain crazy !

Ms. Goldstein is very busy today, didn't answer cell and got same message as the others...unpaid check, freezing bank accounts, etc...not answering, ridiculous.

I got the same company and lady

Harassing my sister-in-law, these people! She called me just now, worn out because they (and they've always had her number, since they started trying to scam me 3 years ago) are now flooding her voicemail with these messages. Because she works from home, she has to check her messages, at least. Most of the time, she says it's an "unknown" call. But unknowns just have to stay that way. I never answer those. It's sad. I just told her she has to ignore it and clean her voice mailbox out regularly. They're trying to annoy her into a conversation. They haven't been able to speak to me, so they keep trying her. SICK!

'Ms. Goldstein' is busy,  calling me on the 28th with the same exact line as with other calls. I knew I had not written a bad check.  I will know to disregard.   Thanks for information.