866-852-2187

Last year I had this guy call my cell phone several times and I called them back, they tried to be intimidating but I have worked in a call center for 13 yrs and stopped them from talking and told them what I was going to do if it continued and not nicely, they were looking for a different name and they were tring to collect a debt but I think they are also a scam. now they are back calling my cell and I can not beleave that all these people that owe are giving my cell phone number and Lisa is calling from my state. So Now I will go after them farther ccuz they were warned last yr I will call them and tell them this. I am retired so I have time to go after this con job even if I have to go to congress to get a bill passed. With all that have written here I know that the attorney general has a lot of complaints on them so I will start there

Under the TCPA, a consumer has a right to file a lawsuit and recover $500 for each call that violates the TCPA. The TCPA can also be used in conjunction with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in some situations.  

Generally, the TCPA does not apply to debt collectors making collection calls to debtors. However, if you are subjected to calls from a debt collector and you are not the debtor, you may file a lawsuit against the debt collector under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the TCPA.

This right was recently recognized by Judge Legrome D. Davis in a case called Watson v. NCO Group, Inc.  NCO Group is a debt collector that uses automated prerecorded collection calls.  In this case, Mr. Watson alleged he was getting hundreds of calls from NCO Group after he got a new phone number. Mr. Watson claimed he owed no debt to NCO Group, Inc.  Mr. Watson filed suit under both the FDCPA and TCPA.

David Israel, defense lawyer for NCO, argued that the TCPA should not apply to debt collectors.  Judge Davis rejected the argument made by David Israel. The judge ruled that Mr. Watson had a right to sue NCO Group Inc under the TCPA for $500 for each call.  Judge Davis wrote;

[The] Court is convinced that a non-debtor's rights are in fact violated when he is subjected to repeated annoying and abusive debt collection calls that he remains powerless to stop.

Judge Davis' ruling was based upon his interpretation that collection calls to non-debtors violate the privacy rights provided by the TCPA.  

So what can you do if you receive "wrong number" calls from debt collectors?

1. Sign up for the Do-Not-Call registry.
2. Save the calls captured by your voice mail or answering machine.
3. Contact a consumer lawyer.

http://consumerlawyer.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/the-do-not-call.html

same as above.  we had also received a letter from Prevention magazine that we had been turned over to collections for $17.94.  I called Prevention this morning. Our subscription expired in December (one month ago!) and we were apparently on "automatic renewal."  I told them to cancel the subscription.  No problem.  Said this collection agency is an "affiliate" of theirs.   I told them it was ridiculous to turn over $17.94 for an expired subscription.

Got a call from a recording "Lisa" stating John Taylor urgently needs to speak about a file that came across his desk. I happened to call them back and someone else answered saying John Taylor was not available. Apparently Bank of America thinks I owe them money on an account that was supposedly closed 6 years ago. I told them I didn't owe BofA any money and if BofA wanted to discuss the matter, BofA needed to contact me, not some third party company. I nicely told them Go F$%K themselves... :)

a 6 year old account is past the statute of limitations for MOST states and not legally collectable. (they cannot sue you - but some will try)  Unfortunately its not illegal for them to call you and try to collect it.

THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to send you information in writing within 5 days of making 1st contact with you.  THEY HAVE TO SHOW PROOF THAT YOU OWE THIS DEBT etc..  

You dispute the debt by stating you do not owe this debt as it was paid to original creditor and closed over 6 years ago and that is passed Statute of Limitations - and to cease all collection attempts.

Record their calls where you can gather evidence to sue them yourself.  

Read dealing with Debt Collectors, Statute of limitations by State and Recording calls by state

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY – use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE’S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!

Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies – report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

Dealing with Debt Collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html


Statute of Limitations by State – always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm


Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website – FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you’re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor’s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn’t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter – even if you don’t think you owe the debt, can’t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector – in writing – to stop contacting you. Here’s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don’t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people – but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
    you will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt;
    they’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
    legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn’t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt – or your state law – allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don’t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don’t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don’t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans’ Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members’ Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors’ Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can’t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney’s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector’s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General’s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General’s office can help you determine your rights under your state’s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government’s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad
February 2009

There is no John Taylor.  The number is to Regent Management. They give fake names all the time.  Regent is a collection agency.  They are the worst.  The grade is a big fat F.  Don't go through them to settle your debts.  And do not give them your account information or debit card info.  They are frauds!!!

Recieved a call from 877-591-7021 stating this was Lisa from Mr. John Taylor's office it was important that I returned Mr. John Taylor's call at 1-866-852-2187 in reference to a case that has been turned over to his office. He will be there until 7 pm tonight.

this "agency" calls and claims to be lawyers. they are not. they are collectors. it is fraudulent. if they harrass you after you inform them to stop it is illegal in most states, it is also illegal for them to lie and threaten you this agency will do that. take a stand for yourself

I too got a call to call "John Taylor's office".  After you read all these posts, it is amazing how many people Mr. Taylor needs to get a hold of.

Calls late with call back numbe, John Taylor and report of file, No name on whom looking for.  Have not done business with any us bank. Will not call the number back.

Didn't ask for me by name, just said John Taylor's office needed me to call them back. I have never heard of this and pretty sure I wouldn't have anything in collections, because I haven't financed anything other my home!!!!

A female person left a voice mail instructing us to call John Taylor back and that it's important that I call him back directly at 1-866-852-2187.  Taylor is supposed to be at this number until 7pm.  I think it's a SCAM.

I just got the same message. Lisa asking me to return a call to John Taylor about verifying some information in some file. There were no specifics. very strange

These morons buy up bad debts for pennies on the dollar that credit card companies have written off, then attempt to collect. They will try every dishonest tactic under the sun trying to get you to pay them ANY amount of money. DO NOT CALL THEM BACK! If you answer the phone and they try to scam you, inform them that until you receive documentation in the mail YOU WILL DO NOTHING. They will try scare tactics as well WHICH IS ILLEGAL but they do not care. Also NEVER give them any information. If they were ligit they would already have all of the info that they require. Furthermore they would not use a recorded message to contact you.

Lisa from John Taylor's offices called stating I needed to return her call immediately regarding a file they recieved and that their office would open until 7PM that evening. They called on 2/11 but i was out of town so did not receive the messege until I returned the following Sunday.....they did state who they were trying to reach or what it was regarding.

Called them back.  Its a collection agency,  Wasn't for me, they took my number off.

Caller keeps calling and it needs to stop.  They have an apparently old phone number for a prior person.  I tell them this, and they say, we have taken your number off the list.  Yet, 2 weeks later, i get another phone call.  When I try to calmly help them understand this, they say the same thing and then hang up!

they will not take your number off.. you will get another call in a few weeks.

thanks to all of you...i keep getting the message myself...from lisa and john...all recorded.  i have not returned the calls b/c i know it is their mistake...should i?

Just received the same call.  Tried calling it back and hung up because it's an over seas call.  Message was from Lisa for John Taylor - same 'ol same as all of the other posts here.

Don't plan on calling again.