855-643-7815

Got a message from "Investigator Banks" about "charges about to be filed" in some county that I could not understand the name because the caller was talking so fast. Must be a boiler room scam, since I certainly have nothing to be concerned about legally :-) I put my number on the Federal Do Not Call list and still get these kinds of calls!

There is a good chance you were called by a scammer from India (or at least outside the United States).  Even if you did owe money, phone calls are NOT a legal way to send a summons. That must be in writing.  There are many other numbers listed on this site with similar complaints (and NO - you will not go to jail!).

Investigatoer Gonzales called wanting to verify my sisters address to notify her of a court date.

Its a scam. they called from a different number about my sister about a warrant for her arrest and wanted
$2800.00.    About two month later they used a electonic transfer and emptied her bank account. The bank
covered the money and investigating it as fraud.

Said it was an investigations office.  

Repeated calls.  Very rude people.  Have reported number to PA State Attorney General's Office.  In the meantime I pick up any available phone and call them back just to annoy them as much as they have annoyed me.  They have interrupted me while trying to get the baby to sleep, while using the toilet, calling just as I have sat down to work or something actually important.  I'm really sick of these no-lifes.  Please help.  Or, why doesn't everyone just call them as freely as they call us?  

You can buy a call blocking device or phone also. The T-lock Incoming PRO Call Blocker sells for under 60 bucks on Amazon and can block up to 1500 numbers.

Please do file reports with the FBI, your state attorney general and Department Of Justice,FTC & FCC..

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
http://www.fbi.gov/
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action

Also read up on the laws and your rights:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ...
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf

And see:

https://800notes.com/forum/ta-86217073a9c8dad ... 077595690349410
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http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
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http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
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Section 809 of the FDCPA http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf requires 3rd-party debt collectors to give debtors written notice of debt (the key word is *shall*) :
"§ 809. Validation of debts
(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing—
(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;
(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and
(5) a statement that, upon the consumer’s written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor."
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A Collection Agent May Not…

Here are the top 11 actions prohibited by the The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act:

Misrepresent Him or Herself

  A debt collector may not misrepresent himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer.

Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass

  A collection agent may not cause a telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with an intent to annoy, abuse, or harass anyone at the called number.

Threaten Arrest or Lawsuit

  A collection agent may not threaten a consumer with arrest. It may not threaten legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated. In other words, a the threat of a lawsuit may be an empty one.

Use Abusive or Threatening Language

  A debt collector may no use abusive or profane language in the course of communication related to the debt.

Publish a Bad Debt List

  Publishing the consumer’s name or address on a "bad debt" list is prohibited.

Contact By Embarrassing Media

  A debt collector may not communicate with a consumer by post card. It may not use any language or symbol, other than the debt collector’s address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram. A debt collector may use its business name if such name does not indicate it is in the debt collection business.

Contact a Consumer at Work

  A collection agent may not communicate with consumers at their place of employment after being told this is unacceptable or prohibited by the employer.

Seek Unjustifiable Amounts

  A debt collector may not demand any amounts not permitted under an applicable contract or as provided under law.

Contact a Consumer Represented by an Attorney

  A collection agent may not contact a consumer after it learns the consumer is represented by a lawyer.

Communicate With a Consumer After Receiving a Validation Request

  If a consumer sends a written §1692g response within 30 days, the collection agent may not communicate with the consumer until it mails the consumer the requested verification of original creditor's name and address.

Communicate With Third Parties

  A debt collector may not reveal or discuss the nature of a consumer’s debts with third parties other than the consumer’s spouse or attorney. A collection agent may contact neighbors or co-workers only to obtain location information. It may contact a third party again if it has reason to believe the information the party provided previously is false.

Bills.com FDCPA FAQ

Below are questions Bills.com readers ask frequently:

Can a Collection Agent Call My Cell Phone?

  Yes. However, if you tell the debt collector it may not use that number because it is a cell phone, it may not contact you again at that number.

I Keep Receiving Dozens of Calls From Collection Agents. Is That Legal?

  No. Unscrupulous collection agents will use "block parties" or "office parties" where they contact a consumer, multiple neighbors, or co-workers telling them they need to reach the consumer on an urgent matter. This is not permitted under the FDCPA.

A Collector Says I Will Be Arrested if I Do Not Pay

  This was a true statement before the US Civil War, but has not been true since. People may be arrested if an aggressive judge files a bench warrant for a person who does not appear at a hearing relating to a lawsuit regarding a debt. However, in that case, the offense is the failure to respond to a court order, and not the existence of the debt. As stated above, it is illegal under the FDCPA to threaten a consumer with arrest if the consumer does not pay the debt.

Just received a call from this number from investigator Ryan Chase.  Said I owed them money in the amount of $3,338.00.  I don't owe them anything.  When I argued with him and told him my son-in-law is an attorney and will be contacting him, Mr. Chase said we could settle for $200.00.  What a scam!!!!.  How many people out there fell for this, I wonder.

Total scam I have a fake name out there in the world wide web of someone that of course wouldn't have a bank account and they called me today for her saying she was commiting check fraud. Investigator Smith such a lovely dear is who I spoke with.  oy vey is there no end?

I keep getting calls at work and my cell saying they were gonna serve me papers if I didn't get back to them in 2 hours. Now they are calling my boss saying they are trying to serve me papers.

These jerks! Tell your boss it's a scam and report to the attorney general and any of the other links provided.  Try not to talk to them but inform them you've reported them. This has worked for me. Tell them to speak with your attorney if you don't have one you might be able to "find" one that will talk to them pro bono.

it's funny cause Ryan Chase is contacting everybody in my family for me. I told him if charges are being filed against me, send the subpoena. It's just sad

They are calling my cell and work, with  a recorded message saying I have two civil complaints pending charges and one is for a bad check, which is funny because I havent owned checks in over 5 years.  Such a scam

they are also calling me and telling me I have some charges pending haven't spoke with them yet but there saying there an investigator unit and I need to contact them asap....

got a call from ryan chase from Vaughn an assoc  law firm saying he is a investigator an needs to speak to me to regarding charges that may be filed scam??? or not

Ugh I got the name of Vaughn and Associates and I got an address of 1201 Main St, Columbia, SC but I looked it up and they aren't listed as a business in the offices there.  So they have fake info and fake addresses and they tried to say it's 3 pdl's I owe for all to a bank account that did not exsist at the time they claim the loans were taken and when I tell them this they seem to get mad.  Then they say they have subpena'd my bank records.  Amazing isn't a subpena only for court?  anywho I asked for a copy and they said I would get it in court when I get my discovery package.  They also said I will have a bench warrant out for my arrest since I wouldn't give them a physical address.

called my friend and a coworker stating they were investigating fraud case # TNC2239 Investigator Rebecca Carlyle calling

called and said they were from Vonn and Assoc investigating two counts of fraud against my friend and asked me to get a message to her and have them call immediately to 1-855-643-7815

I've had success stopping these calls by screaming at them. The idea is to convince them you're crazy. Crazy can intimidate even criminals like this "agency" apparently is. It's also more fun than actually becoming crazy over calls like this. Better them than us.

I have received 2 calls just today, tons in the past and the gentleman who calls doesn't mention who he is with or whom he is calling for.  Just rambling about a civil claim and that whomever he is trying to reach will be served papers in their jurisdiction..  The calls are just to generic to take seriously and I don't know of any outstanding debts that require that type of harrassment.  My husband received one the other night and the caller got very angry when my husband wouldn't give him his birth date.  

Real [***] hats.

I advised the guy who answered that I was an actual investigator, told him the name of my agency, and that I'd had several calls from his number where no one ever talks.

He put me on hold for awhile then came back on, saying that he had no record of me being in their files.
I asked him who they were, and he responded, angrily, "We're Vaugn and Associates, OK? OK?"

I was going to ask that I be removed from the call list and he hung up on me.

I called back, and said, "hi, you just hung up on me." and he hung up on me AGAIN.

I called back a third time and a different guy answered. I asked him to do me a favor and remove my number from their call down list, and he said he would.

Ass. Hats.