Getting a call from a debt collector can be stressful. But it can be downright frightening when the caller uses lies, profanity and threats to try to get you to pay. In a case announced today, the FTC says a debt collection operation in Charlotte, NC pretended to be lawyers. Really, they were not lawyers and had no authority to collect debts.
The FTC says the “collectors” used a variety of names to make people think they were dealing with a law firm. The imposters told people they were delinquent on a payday loan or other debt and threatened them with arrest, jail time, or getting sued unless they paid by credit or debit card over the phone.
Sometimes, the callers had personal information, like Social Security and bank account numbers, or relatives’ names. The callers used this information to convince people that the calls were legitimate.
In truth, the FTC says, the defendants pressured people into paying debts they never owed.
You can’t be arrested for not paying your bills. If a debt collector calls about a debt – and before you agree to pay anything – ask for a written proof that says how much money you owe and to who, and what to do if you don’t think you owe the money. By law, debt collectors have to send you a written document, called a validation notice, within five days after they first contact you. If they don’t, that’s a warning sign that they may not be legitimate.
Debt collection complaints account for nearly one-third of consumer complaints to the FTC. If you, or someone you know, has gotten a suspicious debt collection call, report it to the FTC. With your help, we’re finding the bad guys and putting them out of business.
408 Comments
In reply to A company in charlotte by Lynn
In reply to I just got this same exact by Cheryl
In reply to I have been getting the same by Jarrodc08
In reply to A company in charlotte by Lynn
In reply to A company in charlotte by Lynn
In reply to I got a the same call too... by Annoyed...
In reply to A company in charlotte by Lynn
In reply to Both my husband and I are by TLYNN
In reply to 877-589-3077 calls me, says by YTNygaard
In reply to I received a call from a by Just Me
In reply to I received a call yesterday by DMiller
In reply to I have suddenly received by shan
In reply to I have suddenly received by shan
In reply to Got a call from a Blocked by Justin
In reply to Got a call from a Blocked by Justin
In reply to Got a call from a Blocked by Justin
In reply to Got a call from a Blocked by Justin
In reply to I also received a phone call by Jazzy
In reply to Got a call from a Blocked by Justin
In reply to I received a call today from by Mrs.Greene
In reply to I was contacted recently on by SunnyCA2017
If someone took money from your bank account without your permission, talk with people at your bank.
In reply to I was contacted recently on by SunnyCA2017
In reply to I've received a call from by Cheryl
In reply to RRG, supposedly stands for by I WANT JUSTICE!!
Pagination
Read Our Privacy Act Statement
It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.
Comment Policy
This is a moderated blog; we review all comments before they are posted. We expect participants to treat each other and the bloggers with respect. We will not post comments that do not comply with our commenting policy. We may edit comments to remove links to commercial websites or personal information before posting them.
We won’t post:
Comments submitted to this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include personal information. Also, do not use this blog to report fraud; instead, file a complaint.