866-218-3402

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Data Check of America Scam Warning

There is a relatively new collection scam circulating, and I want to make the public aware of it. My office has been contacted by four former clients who have received the same collection call from a “Data Check of America”.

According to my clients, they received a call from this company, and were told that they had bounced a check at a Me & Eds Pizza in 2004. They were told that it needed to be paid or Data Check would execute a wage garnishment. (All the calls reference a bounced “Pizza” check.) I reached out to Me and Ed’s Corporate office and was told they know nothing about these collections, and have not authorized these collection efforts.

The scam artists are “spoofing” phone numbers, so the number showing on your caller ID is likely not correct. Examples of the “spoofed” numbers my clients received calls from are:

559-801-8915,
559-573-8780,
205-801-8915,
205-327-1150
404-400-3654
and 707-205-1628

The number that is left as a call back number in the recording is 866-298-3402, but when I tried to call that one, it went to a voicemail that was full.

I called 404-400-3654, (one of the numbers left) and got a live person. She answered the phone “Legal Department” and I told her that implied there was an attorney there. I asked for the name of that attorney, and said that I would like to speak with them. She did confirm that the company was “Data Check of America”. She said she would transfer me to a supervisor, and I was sent to a voicemail. I left a message, but no call was returned. When I called back and once again asked for the attorney’s name she said it was “Larry” but would not give me a last name, or where he was licensed to practice. She refused to give any information on where the company was located. I could hear a lot of phone activity in the background. It was obviously a phone “Boiler room”. When I pressed them for information on the company “Data Check of America”, they hung up on me. When I called back, the call went to a voicemail box that was full.

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Fresno and Bakersfield have been inundated with calls regarding a debt collecting agency called:  Data Check of America.  Their webpage suggests they are a check authorization and fraud prevention company.  They claim they protect businesses and consumers from the unlawful use of checking account information.  They assert to be in the risk management business.  Under their “Consumer Alert” section, they even claim they are “NOT a Debt Collection Agency or Debt Buyer.”  They state they are working under “both STATE and FEDERAL Law Enforcement to stop unlawful collection tactics.”

Recently, over 2 dozen complaints have been registered with your BBB serving Central California & Inland Empire regarding Data Check of America.  Data Check of America is out of Phoenix, AZ, and currently has a D+ rating with the BBB.   Fresno attorney Timothy Springer discovered that the Arizona offices are virtual offices by Regus – a mailing address, a receptionist, but no employees.