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Called and threatened "legal action"

Called family members asking for me

Mr. Payne Suspicious call threating with legal action for a family member. Nothing on credit report or other outlets substantiates call.

I also got a call today but they left a message for my father n law. I want to know how they got my number. So I called them back and they stated that it was a civil case and they had to talk with him. I was so confused he is 81 years old so I am guessing this could be a scam. Did they say anything to you about a civil case? Also the number came in as my area code in NC but I called that number back first and it went straight to a voice-mail thing. When he called his name was Steven Collins.

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 some sort of complaint 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

Allegedly a debt collection from US Civil Claims Services (wrong number) from a Steven Collins at a different number than US Civil Claims Services website. Regarding a 20 year old debt collection from Wachovia, which I think is completely false. Called back with case ID number and spoke to a Robert Carter. I found Robert Carter online, a former Atty and activist who died in 2012, and Steven Collins who was sued for debt collection by Capital One this past November. I smell [***] and Fraud.

Glad I had the idea to search this number up, i'm guessing we all had similar experiences lol. I just got a call from a "Brian Michaels" asking for my grandmother, it struck me as very odd because if you're looking for her and know her name how the heck did you get my number? Gave me the case number and everything. Thanks for sharing everyone this definitely has to be BS.

Received a call about a Civil Complaint against my father. The name was “Brenda Nelson” and she said she was with “Document Services”. My father is at a funeral right now because his brother passed. These sickos don’t care. Glad I looked it up. Thank you all.