About a week ago, I was made aware of a fraud group operating from a Tampa, Florida number, who were calling people and using some pretty heavy-handed tactics to collect (steal) money. Interestingly enough, the person that let me know about this had never done business with the company they were impersonating.
Please note, there might be a reason for alarm even if you don't think you owe a debt and a collector calls. With more and more people becoming identity theft victims, a call from a collector could be the first notification a person gets that someone else is using their information. Of course, in this instance, since the calls were bogus, it is not the case. In fact, if you give these scammers any information they can use, you will likely become an identity theft victim yourself.
The person who provided me with this information also provided me with the number she was called from. I called the number and, after a slight delay, I got a person with a Indian accent, who identified himself as "William Scott" from ACS, Inc. Leading him on, I told him my wife was always getting us into trouble by borrowing money — and that we had received a message to call them. He asked me for my wife's name and I made one up. He then told me to wait a minute, while he looked up the file. After about a minute, he said he had located the file and that she owed $500.00, and said this was a "serious legal issue we needed to get cleared up right away." He even offered to settle for $300.00, if I paid that day with a debit/credit card.
During my conversation with William, I could hear the chatter of other calls being made. Listening carefully, I noted that all the people, "chattering" in the background seemed to have Southern Asian (probably Indian) accents. This leads me to believe that the call was being forwarded, possibly overseas. This is not hard to do and there are a lot of legitimate call centers where callers are forwarded from a local number, all over the world.
Article comments
1 - william harbison
I just experienced the same type of scam which is currently trying to play itself out on me by these guys. Earlier this week i get a call from a rep. named Victor Kratz saying that i owe $1340 dollars for a loan
taken out supposedly in Sept. '09. for $600 dollars and if the matter wasn't settled the legal action would be taken. Not even knowing these folks just to stop future nagging calls; i agreed to make arrangements with him. Sure enoguh, he wanted my card information and wanted me to fill out two forms to sign off and fax back to him. I looked over the forms and left it at that for the day. Just a few minutes ago, i get a call from a guy saying he wasan attorney named Neil Johnson. Thing is, this guy along with Victor Kratz both had heavy indian accents!!! Furthermore, when i told this "Neil Johnson" that i already talked with Victor about this matter; the total due changed; now he wanted only $610 bucks but would settle for $304 bucks if i were to make a card payment today! Now, unforunately he has my card information that i gave him through our phone coversation; but in order for them to pull the scam, they want me to sign off on the two forms of documentation they sent me through email which i'm not going to do and furthermore, i plan to file a complaint with the police department and the FTC regarding this matter. Currently i'm unemployed and have been unemployed going on nine months now. I have been a victim of "fleecing" before a couple of years ago when i got took for several thousand dollars; it's not a pleaseant experience. To prey on innocent people who are trying to make it by day to day is the most disheartning thing people could ever do to one another. Wish me luck and good luck on your case as well...