866-700-2176

Have received multiple text messages urging me to call them. Today my MIL received the same text with what should be my name (incorrect 1st name) associated with it. The text states "A notice of intent has been issued, Case Name: (name) Ph: 866-700-2176, ID#2023-33030, Filed as non-compliant." My text message came from 1-209-432-7436, Case Name: (name), ID2023-33030 Complaint dispatched for service to address associated with this number, Phone: 866-700-2176. I have not tried calling nor texting back and these texts have been blocked by both my MIL and I. I did the reverse number lookup and it does not come up as legit. I figured if they can't get my name right and this # does not pop up with a legit company, it must be a scam.

One of the tricks they use is to call your family, friends, neighbors and/or places of employment (past or present or both) to create panic and embarrassment so that their intended victim calls them and they can scare that person into paying their extortion money.  They often call people that have never even been associated with you because they get erroneous information off of the internet.

The fake process server/location specialist scam usually contains:

They mention that they have received a Fax document or that some sort of complaint has “come across my desk” and that there is a pending legal matter or action about to filed against you to create the sense of urgency.  They tell you that they are a “process server” and cannot give you the particulars of the case since the file is sealed. This is simply ruse to get you to call another number (often with a made-up case number) where they will ask for money to “make it go away” (this is actually the same place, they work in teams, one pretending to be the server, and the other usually pretends to be a lawyer).  They threaten to serve you at home or at work.  They tell you that if they serve you at work they need a supervisor, security, or HR person there as a witness, hoping that will cause you to panic over the alleged embarrassment of being served at work.  They also tell you that you will need two forms of ID.  None of which is true.  Process servers do not ever call ahead so that you can dodge them.  Process servers get paid to serve papers, nothing else.  They certainly are not going to pass up a paycheck by telling you that you can avoid being served, they are not going to give you an extra day or even a few hours to get a “stop order”.  Court documents are time sensitive and have to be served within a certain amount of time.  Remember that you can always call the local courthouse to see if there is actually a lawsuit that has been filed against you.

It is incumbent upon them under the law to prove that the debt exists and that you owe it, and (this is the important part) that they have the legal right to collect it.  You are not obligated under the law to prove that you don’t owe or that it is paid.  

Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter, email, or text (postmarked in the case of a letter) within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. Unless they have communicated it to you verbally at the beginning of your conversation. It also must contain the “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes. The one other important thing that this communication must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified. If and when you get that communication you should immediately send that debt validation letter by certified, return receipt mail.

First, you should make a complaint at this Federal Agency, and while there you should also read up on how debt collection is supposed to work as well as what your rights in this matter are: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices:   https://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general

Unwanted Text Messages

Forward unwanted text messages to 7726 so that carriers will block them. Some carriers do not accept that code and if that is the case then contact your carrier about how to block unwanted text messages, however 7726 is accepted in the US, Canada, and Great Britain. Also, never, ever click on a link in a text message as it will probably install something nasty to your phone that you really will not want to deal with and never, ever respond to one because lets them know that they have a good number with someone on the other end.  It will result in more calls and texts.

I received the same message. They attempt to call everyone connected to me. This started when AT&T had the data breach. I blocked them in my text messages and reported junk. I also kept calling back over and over without saying anything. They answered the phone without a name of a company and said "good morning". Well, it was not morning where I was, so I immediately knew it was a scam. They blocked me from continuing to call.