866-333-0442

Same thing here...hung up with no message

Automated message Philips & ?? & Associates debt collection. Strange the phone # cannot be found online in association with their business name.

They got through to our answering machine wiuth a message looking for Mr. Duvay? (Could not really make it out). If you are not Mr Duvay, please hang up now. Of course, the answering machine did not hang up. Since you are still on the line that means you msut be Mr Duvay. Please call 1-866-332-7103. I called to complain about their logic. The lady that answered asked who they were calling for? I said why would I care? She then needed my number to know which number they were calling? She tried to explain that it was like a wrong number. I disagreed. She hung up on me saying that she did not want to waste her time. The irony.

My Mother is getting the same call you got from 1-866-332-7103 same message I can not find anything on line in regards to who they are etc. I find this type of call very suspicious.

They are a collection agency that tries to collect money from family members of people that are deceased.  They are about the lowest of the low.  they called me 32 times in one month.  I finally realized I had call block, but they have called on 6 different numbers.  I blocked 3 of them, and the calls stopped, now I just got one from this number which makes 7 numbers they call me from. My husband died in July.  He only owed 3 bills, I was going to pay them, but once you write the company he owed, they write if off and then these scumbags buy it.  I went to a lawyer before the calls started and he told me not to pay any of the bills.  My name was not on his credit cards. I got a letter from them yesterday about a debt that had gone to court and the judge ruled in our favor, and now that he is deceased they sold it to these low lifes.  Don't answer the phone if you can put up with the constant calling.  They are trying to get someone to say they are responsible.

The debt collectors are behaving badly again. This time they're hitting up surviving family members for money that's owed by the dead!

The New York Times reports that some collection agencies specialize in this somewhat morbid pursuit. Collectors even receive "sensitivity" training to deal with grieving relatives. They'll speak in hushed tones on the phone like a funeral director and refer you to a legitimate grief counselor if necessary.

In most cases, you have no legal obligation to assume the debt of a late spouse, sibling or parent. But the collectors will never tell you that.

The only states where there is a possibility that a surviving spouse may have some responsibility for a debt are "community property states" -- Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

In such states, an executor/executrix or administrator (in the event there is no will) may be responsible for assessing the estate to see if there's money to pay out to creditors.

But in general, if you get a call from these slimeballs, know that you likely don't owe them a penny.

http://clarkhoward.com/shownotes/category/12/103/358/

Get one or two messages from these people daily.  They leave a message to call on voicemail.  The "debt" they are trying to collect is 11 years old and past the statute of limitations in our state and I have even requested the original documents showing it as ligitimate...got nothing.  They will not send any correspondence that you ask for.  DO NOT PAY THEM ANYTHING without the proof of debt.  You cannot get an address on them or anything.  They will not tell you where to mail any sorrespondence..I guess they dont want you to know where to let your attorney send the summons?  If they are truely a debt collector and are legitimate then they would give you more than just an 866 or 800 number to call.  They are very rude and make all sorts of threats like garnishment and taking your property and went so far as to threaten our retirement.  If anyone has an address please post it.  I cannot find anything what so ever on them.

Business Contact and Profile
Name: Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd
Phone: (609) 518-9000
Address: 695 Rancocas Rd
Westampton, NJ 08060-5626
Website: www.phillips-cohen.com 
Original Business Start Date: July 1997
Principal: Mr. Matthew M Phillips, President
Customer Contact: Mr. Matthew M Phillips, President - (609) 518-9000
Entity: Corporation
Incorporated: July 1997, NJ
Type of Business: Collection Agencies
BBB Accreditation: This organization is a BBB Accredited business.
Additional DBA Names: Phillips & Cohen Associates

http://www.bbb.org/new-jersey/business-review ... ton-nj-80010298

They are calling daily & leaving a message. When I called them back, it was indeed Phillips & Cohen. They are looking for a neighbor with the same address as mine except they are W. 123 & I am E 123.
They said they would stop, but it will take 24 hours.

866-333-0442, also called via a Level 3 Communications provided line originating with the number 208-297-5762... but that's a digital number and subject to change by the b*st*rds who hide behind unidentifiable numbers.

They claim to want to speak to Robert Mcarthy. There is no such person at my number and never has been. Why do I know this? Because my number is not a reused number, it is a brand new local prefix just created!

The very first call was a lady claiming to be an "Investigator" calling about an ongoing investigation. All very official sounding and such. But still insisting that whomever answered the call was really "Robert Mcarthy" and lying. For a test, we had a small child answer their call and tell them "I'm not Robert Mcarthy, you have a wrong number." Still, even when a child answered the phone, the child was accused of being a liar. This kind of cr*p has got to stop!

Worse, these people use automated systems to make the call, then switch you over to someone in INDIA if you respond in any way. Then the guy in INDIA accuses you of lying to them.

We called our local phone company who cannot do anything because the fraudsters keep changing their numbers when they call.

This is a debt collector
Phillips & Cohen Associates
1002 Justison St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

If this is indeed a debt collector then they are barking up the wrong tree. I checked my credit report about a month ago and there is nothing on it showing anything is in collections. I'm thinking SCAM. I hope I am able to talk to them at some point so I can share the fact that I keep tabs on my credit. If it continues I may talk to an attorney about harrassment.

After my elderly mother received 'incessant' phone calls from the collection entity of Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd.; I was determined to provide her solace under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, (FDCPA) Section 15 U.S.C. [1692d] 806 (c). Harassment or abuse. #:(5). Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.  I had been informed that Phillips & Cohen ignore 'cease & desist' notification and that they're notorious for violating the Federal Trades Commission (FTC)laws and regulations.   In my mother's case we sent a 'cease & desist' (written) notification CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with Return Receipt.   Be sure to stop off at your local Post Office branch and pick up 'free' U.S. Postal Service Certified Mail Receipts with return 'green' card and keep them on hand.   They come in handy if you have several collection letters to send.  They are free to the public, but you must pay additional postage to send them.  We felt it was worth it.  Judges like to see a vested attempt from you that you tried to address the debt problem before a court hearing for a judgment.  If you can show that you sent a 'certified' letter before things escalated into court proceedings, a judge is more likely to respect your responsible efforts than if you ignored the correspondence or phone calls.  A signed postal receipt holds a lot of credence with a judge.   Just saying.....

A person does not have to be an attorney to advocate for oneself. We were advised (by an attorney) to put the certified numbers in the body of the letter as the attorney stated that it would validate the letter as received (signature) and the numbers on the return card would match the numbers in the body of the letter. [example:] (Sent Via CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with Return Receipt #:  0003 0005 1112 9933 6621) under the address in the letter.  Below is an example of the notification that yielded us positive results.  It also does not matter who signs for the letter as long as an entity at the business received it.  Below is a (fictitious) example of how we did our letter that garnered my mother positive cease & desist results.  Please feel free to use the example by honing and putting in your information to fit your specific situation:

August 33, 2055

Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd.
695 Rancocas Road
Westampton, NJ 08060

(Sent Via CERTIFIED RETURN MAIL with Return Receipt #: 0003 0005 1112 9933 6621)

Re: (Telephone number if you don't have an account number with them).

To whom it may concern:

This document is in response to persistent phone calls I'm receiving from your company.  This document will serve as formal notice to 'CEASE & DESIST' all PHONE calls IMMEDIATELY and any collecting of any debt you may have incurred through a 'junk debt buying' process.  

Furthermore, because there was no exchange of any benefit or detriment between collector and former debtor, there is no enforceable agreement.  No payment history, nor products, or services have been rendered to the collector because these elements do not exist; there is a 'failure' of consideration and no valid agreement.  I invoke federal law by sending this document 'certified return mail with return receipt'.   I will file a federal lawsuit against you if you attempt to tamper with my protected income as my only income is Social Security benefits. (PLEASE NOTE FOOTNOTE).  You are hereby instructed that under Section 806. Harassment or abuse [15 U.S.C. 1692d] and in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, (FDCPA) you are to stop collection efforts immediately or face legal sanctions under federal laws.    This letter will be tendered in court as evidence that you have been formally notified of my legal rights under state and federal law and choose to ignore them.

Please give this very important matter the attention it deserves!

Respectfully,

Jane Doe.

*Do not sign your name as it has been known that signatures have been transferred (and put on documents you know you didn't sign) by computer.  Your typed name is just as valid as a signed name.

FOOTNOTE:   (My mother is a Social Security recipient and her (SSA) is federally protected income.  The same applies if you or someone you know is a recipient of Social Security-Disability benefits (SSDI), retirement pension, government annuity, unemployment, Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) etc.  Under Section 207 (42 U.S.C. 407) (a) of the Social Security Act, (SSA) income is protected from garnishment, levy, attachment or any legal process.

The letter worked and my mother has used it for a few debt collectors.  It has stopped phone calls and written correspondence harassment.  Please use this example at your own discretion.  We hope we have been of help.  I am not an attorney nor do I claim to be.  The sharing of public information is  a constitutional right.  Thank you.