866-991-1828

Called my phone anonymously trying to reach a relative and left a voicemail. Sounds like a shady debt collector or just another tax season scam ............ “This message is for XXXXX, I’m calling on behalf of document control for Ellington and Associates. I’m reaching out on a notice of intent to advise you of a civil complaint they have with their office and due to no contact on your behalf, I would like to instruct you to give us a call back at 866-991-1828 and we have an account number with you and that is XXXXX. If you could, give us a call back and please be advised that if you do not contact the office, the office will go ahead and move forward without your participation or acknowledgement. Again, this message is for XXXXX.” ............... SEE ALSO: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-311-0604

Some chic left a voicemail using my maiden name. “This message is for XXXXX, I’m calling on behalf of document control for Ellington and Associates. I’m reaching out on a notice of intent to advise you of a civil complaint they have with their office and due to no contact on your behalf, I would like to instruct you to give us a call back at 866-991-1828 and we have an account number with you and that is XXXXX. If you could, give us a call back and please be advised that if you do not contact the office, the office will go ahead and move forward without your participation or acknowledgement. Again, this message is for XXXXX.” blah blah blah wish I could kitboga them!

I just got a call from this number with a bogus message about a file in their office. I already know the drill. Can't get me! 🙅🏾‍♀️

Had a message left on my cell phone from Ellington & Associates for a family member . I called them & they would not give me any info regarding the civil complaint. REMOVE my NUMBER if you don't want to talk !

They left a message for me and called my son! They know what vehicle I drive which is scary! and my previous address from 2000.. Ellington & Assoc.

They called my father first. They didn't ask him any legal questions. They just informed him that I had an outstanding credit card debt. That is illegal. They can only call someone else once with the intent on locating the debtor. They said I had three days to accept an offer to pay well over five times the original amount on a debt that has long been time-barred. They were supposedly filing a court date to sue me on Friday the fifth of 2021. We'll.see.

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They just informed him that I had an outstanding credit card debt. That is illegal.

True, they cannot legally talk to a third party about the debt unless they have permission to do so.

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They can only call someone else once with the intent on locating the debtor.

Not technically true.  The law actually states:  https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemak ... ctices-act-text

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(3) not communicate with any such person more than once unless requested to do so by such person or unless the debt collector reasonably believes that the earlier response of such person is erroneous or incomplete and that such person now has correct or complete location information;

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They said I had three days to accept an offer to pay well over five times the original amount on a debt that has long been time-barred.

 They cannot add extra charges to the debt unless it was specified in the original contract.  They can legally attempt to collect the debt past the Statute of Limitations in 48 states.  They cannot threaten or legally file a lawsuit past that time.

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 so that they can scare that person into paying extortion money.  They will usually also state information that would be illegal for a real debt collector to state to a third party such as that you are being sued, that you owe money to someone, etc. They threaten that if you do not call them back, they will contact your HR department and tell them that you are a deadbeat who does not pay their bills.  They often call people that have never even been associated with you because they get erroneous information off the internet.

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 (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt. It also must contains “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 letter 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 letter 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 complaints with the FTC: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1

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

Stated that I have a civil case in Lexington County
The call came from Ellington and Associates out of Texas.  They claim to be attorneys but are not.

Called me twice,  using my maiden name and my previous married name.  That's usually the tip off that it's a scam or debt collector. The girls name calling is Yolanda

Lady named Mia calling saying I had outstanding credit card debt from 2007 and would be sued unless I paid over $3,000 on a $500 credit card.

Received a voce mail regarding a legal pursuit on march 24, 2021.  I have no ideal who would take any legal actions against me especailly when i can barely afford my bills now.  Is this a scam?

You know, if you'd bothered to read the rest of the thread you wouldn't have needed to ask that question.

I work for Ellington & Associates in Houston/Sugar Land, Texas.  We are not making these calls.  We do not do collection cases at all.  I have filed a report with www.tips.fbi.gov regarding these calls and advise that anyone receiving a call also file a report.

Thank you for the information.

Thanks for posting that and confirming- I just got a call from them today

Olivia called and left a message sayint they were filing a civil suit, and stated the county I live in, return this call before we file against you...

Same person called me saying, they are filing a lean aginst my car for $4200 for a past dept with mercantile bank from 2016, never did business with Mercantile, Scam!