888-673-4720

A message was left on my husbands uncles ex wifes voicemail for me saying that there was a pending civil complaint against my name and social security number. I called the number and finally after several rings, a voicemail message came on and the guys name is Alex Warner, so I left a message with the File number and for them to call me back. I think it's a scam because I don't or haven't done anything wrong.

I wouldn't have done that. It's a scam-plus, you don't find out about civil complaints (or ANYTHING legal) over the phone. Giving case info to a third party is frowned upon as well

Criminals masquerading as debt collectors attempt to extort money from people by scaring you into believing that you will be criminally charged (they use the bad check or hot check claim a lot) and go to jail, lose your driver’s license, have wages garnished without actually being sued or going to court, be sued, and a variety of other variations on this, all for an alleged or nonexistent debt.  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 will use the words “Mediator”, “Arbitrator”, or “Law Office” to make you believe that they are something other than a debt collector want-a-be and that they don’t have to follow Federal and State collection laws.  They do have to follow those laws, but they won’t.  They mention that they have received a Fax document, to create the sense of urgency.  They also tell you that if you fail to call them back you are "waiving your right to council", which is pretty much nothing but hogwash.  They also use the “process server” ruse who calls and claims he is going to serve you, but then says you could avoid it by calling another 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).  Process servers do not ever call ahead so that you can dodge them.  Process servers get paid to serve papers, nothing else.

It is incumbent upon them under the law to prove that the debt exists and that you owe it, and 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.

Read up on your rights here and also make a complaint at this government site:  http://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

A Mike Flerro called my husband about documentation that his office has received for immediate service. Need to present a valid state ID and a third-party witness and if failed to sign off will be forced to file an affidavit for intentionally and willingly avoiding the servers and to call the 888 number to discuss. Will they really show up at his job to serve him the papers?

Helena, I wouldn't worry about it. I have had the same phone call because what had happened is I disputed a collection on my credit report and it was deleted so I believe I disturbed the bees nest. I highly doubt they will send someone to his job to serve him papers. They don't want to pay the money for that, they are just trying to scare you into paying money for a debt that THEY BELIEVE is yours. Like the other guy said before, any legal action needs to be done in paperwork and even then at worst I would just show up to the courthouse if a date was given with REAL PAPERWORK. Bottom line they are just trying to scare you to make you pull out your wallet.

Best regards,

Greg

Hi Helena, I just received the same message from the same person.  Just wondering if he did show up at your husbands work?  He said he will be showing up here unless i call  1-888-4720 with my case number.

I received the same message as Helena saying they was coming to my job tomorrow ! My boyfriend called this number 888-673-4720 and told them they have the wrong # they said the person that called my phone is a debt collector and they don't know who he is because they sell the debts to third parties ! WTF so I got my # changed if they come to my place of work I'll be calling the police they cannot do that it violates the FDPCA law .... Not to mention the guy that called me called from a unknown # .... HARRASSMENT AND A SCAM

Did they ever show up??

Same as above they said thwy would go tonplace of woek and that i needes official identification and a witness but they sis not even get my name right...

They called my job and my personal phone saying that they would show up to my work place or home. They want you to have 2 forms of ID and they want you to sign an affidavit. THIS IS A SCAM!!!! THEY WILL NOT SHOW UP TO YOUR WORK OR HOME!!!! THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SCARE YOU INTO PAYING SOMETHING. They call from an unknown number so you cant call back or trace it.

A woman identifying herself as Samantha Lewis left a message saying that she received some paperwork about me this morning and she would be at my place of employment or home tomorrow between 12-4.

I just got a call for my husband saying her name is Samantha Lewis that she has forms for him to sign. Unlikely, he doesn't have anything on him. Scam!!!

I received a call from a 612-255-5644 number telling me to call a 888 number for a "thinking issue" what the heck is that? I'm not calling them back.