888-975-2598

Called and said there was a complaint filed against me in a county I haven’t lived in since college. Said a notice was being delivered to my address but of course nothing came. Told me to call back with a case number provided.

Got a call from this number stating from a county that I am currently residing that they need to deliver legal documents with case number.  My son got that same voicemail stating the same thing with his name but he doesn't live in the same county

This is the fake process server scam. Real process servers don't call in advance.

Received a call and a message from this number, (888-975-2598).
The message said they had some papers they were sending me regarding some complaint against me, If I did not call them, they would take adverse action against me. I have no idea what this is about. Looks like another stupid Scam.

I got the same message today and close to 3 weeks ago.

They called my father and brother looking for me and won’t tell me where they are from and when I call back that number they hang up on me! My wife called them and they picked up and said they are out of San Francisco. I don’t live there and probably a scammer

A caller left a message on my phone and my husband's phone, saying that he needed to respond to this phone number, and the caller stated her "alleged" name, gave a case number, and implied that she was a county server.   We made  arrangements for one of us to be home, and no one ever came.  I left a few messages to try and get an ETA as I had things to do.  No return call, no messages, no one showed up.  This all took place about 3 days ago.

By the way, I should have classified that as a scam suspicion, not debt, as we don't owe anything, but the woman we spoke to implied that we did. Again, haven't heard back at all, and no one has come or left a message, or responded to ours.

You actually expected someone to show up and still do expect them to show up?

The fake process server/location finder extortion SCAM usually consists of the following:

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 then they will 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 must be served within a certain amount of time. Remember that you can always call the local courthouse to see if there really is 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

Oh ,no I definitely don't expect anyone to show up! I realized soon that it was a scam.  They were
just a lot more "polished" than other would-be scammers I've dealt with in the past.

Had the same message on my phone, an alleged "complaint" with a made up case number. Claimed to be in San Diego County.

Well they hungup and also started to harrass me but never gave the name of the company they said it was from the county for some legal paper that they were gonna take action agaisnt me from a complaint.