Has anyone ever heard of Global Collections? They are based out of Canada. They are now calling and harassing my whole family for a debt my brother did not incur. It seems to me that crossing international borders to collect a debt should somehow be wrong, but what do I know. Anyone have any advise?
No they are just trying to contact him. Or at least that is what they say. When my sister-in-law called them back they refused to let her speak to a manager. She threatened to sick her lawyer on them if they ever called again. They then called my parents. May parents are in the habit of not answering the phone if they don't recognize the number. They let no message last night but they called again today, my dad realizing what was going on decided to pick up the phone and threatened to sick his lawyer on them.
My brother contacted them and he found out who the original debt was owed too and he contacted them. Funny thing was that his account with the original company was completely fine and they have no idea why Global is now harassing him and my family.
What is super scary about this whole thing is that they have all sorts of information that we just don't give out. They realize who is related to who and how. They had information about me and I haven't lived in the same house as my brother in about 15 years. I am seriously creeped out by the whole thing.
Quote: "What is super scary about this whole thing is that they have all sorts of information that we just don't give out. They realize who is related to who and how. They had information about me and I haven't lived in the same house as my brother in about 15 years. I am seriously creeped out by the whole thing."
It's called "Choice Point." It is a private database company that possesses and sells peoples' background information to whomever has a buck--like crooked debt collectors--including SSAN numbers, DOBs, civil, criminal and driving records,family members and former addresses. Their databases contain tens of millions of records. Even the FBI uses these guys for basic background information. There are others out there like NEXIS, but Choice Point is the biggest and for my money the most dangerous. Big brother is here and he's not the government.
I could not agree with you more. And as you point out, instead of keeping this evil outfit in check, the government protects and supports them because it gives them a way to skirt many of the legal constraints on the behavior of law enforcement.
No longer can we look to anyone in Washington to protect our liberties. It is left to a handful of private entities, ranging from Julia and this site, to EFF.org, EPIC, SE Legal, and others. I wish more people would realize what is happening. We are selling our hard won freedoms at fire sale prices.
BTW - I do not assign blame to any particular party or group. The government has simply become corrupt because we the voters are failing to be informed and proactive. Lady Gaga could be elected president by today's know nothing, celebrity crazed, electorate. Sorry, didn't mean to get on my soapbox, I just worry about what the future holds for all of us, regardless of our personal views.
+2
diana
They called my elderly father, who has been divorced from my mother for 20 years, told him they had a gift for my mother. He foolishly gave them her phone number and address (EVEN tho she is in a nursing home and has ALZHEIMERS!) They also got my phone number and address and called and demanded I send them my Power of Attorney over my mother. I said no and they said they are going to keep calling me and my mother, even tho my mother is a ward of the state and has no money and I am not legally responsible for any debt she may have. I don't know if this is legimate or just a big scam but it is very upsetting that they were yelling at me that they will harrass my elderly mother and myself.
+5
Lisa NYC
| 1 reply
We don't owe any money and had just been ignoring the calls we got from Collection Agencies--whose messages either named no one or named someone who never resided at my number. (We have a listed number and a common surname--I've come to believe that's the problem.) However, we started getting some really scary calls--this was one of the messages:
My name is Mister Qureshi. I'm the manager in this office. I've been granted a short time period in which to establish contact with you to provide all information that pertains to your matter be rectified on your behalf. Due to your continued disregard and inability to return the phone calls or respond to correspondence you have left yourself until 9PM today, Eastern Standard Time, to make contact with my office and secure an arrangement to resolve your matter once and for all. Press any number on your keypad now to be connected or contact 1-866-915-5209 by 9PM Eastern Standard Time today. Save yourself the inconvenience and myself the effort in taking the next step.
That was the last straw. I started a phone log and started googling the numbers that came up on my Caller ID--and that brought me to this board. That's how I found out many of the numbers calling were Global--including that call from "Mitchell and Qureshi" (they had a repertoire of intimidating messages). Some source numbers I couldn't find googling I'd call to find out they were Global--and that wasn't easy--the people on the line didn't want to give me that info but tried to get me to tell my name, number, ect. I had to tell them I had a legal right to know who was calling me and I'd otherwise report the number and their lack of cooperation to the Federal Trade Commission in order to get them to admit they were Global.
I called my state's Attorney General Office. The man discouraged me from even reporting--saying there wasn't much they could do. He told me to send a debt validation/limit communication to mail letter--certified mail, return receipt requested--that it was the only way to get these people to stop calling. They were calling about a dozen times a week before I sent that letter (I made copies of the letter, the filled out envelope ready to be mailed, the return receipt, etc.). I sent it the 4th of August and they received it the 9th according to the USPS.
After that they just *doubled* the calls the next week to 22. I sent formal complaints to the NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs, the Federal Trade Commission and NYS Atty General's Office. The FTC site says this is only for the purposes of data collection. They won't help you. The NYS Atty General's office punted--said they were forwarding my complaint on to the NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs (hopefully your own state atty general's office will be more helpful.). The NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs says it takes about 45 days for them to get to your complaint, but at least they seem serious about cracking down. Since that height of 22 calls a week I have got less calls from Global--they're now only one to 3 hangup calls a week and the last one was August 27th. And btw, I never got any letter back from them--certainly no debt validation.
I'm repeating all this for whom it can help. The upshot is treat these people like they're radioactive. They're flagrant violators of the law. Every time they make contact they're supposed to give the name of the collection agency, the name of the original creditor and the amount of the debt. They can't call before 8AM or after 9PM or call you period if you've told them not to call. Get everything in writing. Document everything. And find out who locally can help you enforce the law to make them stop calling. In some states that might be your Attorney General. In others a more local agency like my NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs. ---------
+6
Lisa NYC
| 1 reply
Oh, and one other thing. Check your credit report to make sure it isn't a case of identity theft or they aren't fraudulently reporting an illegitimate debt. The NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs pamphlet recommends www.annualcreditreport.com. Thank God, my credit reports showed no negative accounts. That gave me some peace of mind. I knew it wasn't a matter of having to clear up some legal mess or fraud or fearing they could sue me because someone stole my identity--that it's just a matter of making them stop calling.
And you know what--if you do owe them--and you know you do. I'd still be awfully careful with these people. They're not ethical or law abiding. Make them validate. See if you can pay the original creditor directly--and use a money order to do it rather than a check that gives them your bank account number. Like I said--treat these people like they're radioactive. They're the worst.
YOU CAN RECORD - its more a matter of disclosure and consent - Some states DO NOT REQUIRE that you tell the other party you are recording - some states require that you tell the other party and have their consent. If you live in a state that requires disclosure and consent and they refuse....
LEAVE THE RECORDER ON - Firmly state they are NOT TO CALL back unless they are willing to consent to being recorded then hang up. Do this everytime they call.
if you can record without telling them - stay calm and let them violate away - this will be proof in court of their harrassment
-4
tony
record everything youse a magnetic tape machine the diggital recorder does not work they have a jammer,so youse an old recorder and tape machine with mic,,save every paper they send you all calls recorded and times writen down they will call at all sorts of times and be a bother to you and your famly.they will tell you a rule ask them to explain it record it then rip it appart like they would you,it,s easy one hand there doesnt know what the other is doing.i did it on the w.c.b keep going a little higher with alittle more info than youre supposed to know hit the next one up get the next point accross so you can move forwards and doit again,and again till you get to the to.the vice prezz took me a month to get to ,and the rest is history they will lie delay,tell you it,s not there problem but it is,all there info comes from someone with power over you and there tring to get you to roleover and be a sheep.were canadian timber wolfs and im howling mad at these people that becouse there computer says somthing that im a peice of owing [***] srew them and the way this is run
+1
dianne
Just got a call from this company and the young man was very snotty to me so I hang up.They are creepy
+1
Amy
| 8 replies
We have been receiving calls from these guys for months for a debt that was looked after well over a year ago and does not show up on our credit report. We are in Canada and not sure what we can do!!! They call all the time from many different numbers, get beligerant if we ask to speak with a supervisor (in fact I listened to one supervisor flat out refuse to take my call when the agent forgot to hit the mute button). We have put them in touch with our bankruptcy agency and they were advised that the debt was satisfied yet they are still calling. Different agents each time and they are never aware of the previous contact. They have been advised to deal with me as my husband is not home during the day and yet they still deny it. The woman who called me today seemed rather sympathetic when I told her the history but then placed me on hold to "speak to a supervisor" and I was put through to her voicemail. I have two very small children and cannot spend my days fielding this type of nonsense. We have registered with the national do not call list in Canada but that doesn';t stop them either! Any suggestions?
I'm not familiar with Canadian law on debt collection so I'm at a disadvantage here, but, if legal in your provence, record their repeated calls, get solid documentation that the debt in question was in fact satisfied and consult an attorney on possible causes of action against them. Don't rely on thinking if only you can explain the situation, they'll be nice about it and see things your way--forget it! They want your money, period. This sort of bullying over false debt claims of a person in your position is an outrage. I hope you can teach them a lesson.
+1
Neal Michel
These guys were calling me about an account that was real old. You can't expect me to pay for something from 5 years ago!!! I tried talking to them but they didn't seem to get it. I googled their company name "Global Credit" and found their website. I sent a request to stop bugging me. A manager called me back a couple days later and told me they were closing my account. The website is http://www.globalcollection.net
They called my house to for my husband one day only told me it was a financial matter to get him to call back.He called them and all he got was an answering machine. So the next day they called again my daughter answered we weren't home the girl asked her to get either me or my husband to call.Again the next day we called back both times we got charged for long distance it wasnt a toll free number we got an answering machine again. I started to get pretty mad at this point so i did *69 and got the number they called from and called that number they were located in new jersey.This time we actually got a person on the phone but they wouldn't tell me anything and expected me to give them my social insurance number. I told him he was crazy. he wouldnt even tell me what kind of company they were.It wasn't until the 5th call to them after answering machine again and again that I got pissed and started swearing at them that they finally told me they were a collection agency, but still wouldn't tell me anything so I told them to put me on a do not call list or a [***] offf list or something and that i would have them charged for harressment if they kept calling that they finally stoped calling. The funny thing is is that we went bankrupt a year and a half ago so there is no way we have anything in collectons they were full of [***].They must be some kinda scamm to get your info from you.
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