Agency Accused of Abusive Collection Tactics

I can't believe people actually fall for junk like that. If they called me, I'd tell them to go F--K themselves...

I don't believe that this business should be allowed to give no account of a person's debt, but if a person is stupid enough to deal with these dirtballs then they deserve to lose some money.
Idiots lose every time.

if you borrow money, you know the sharks want it back!! What part of LOAN don't people understand??

I find collection calls amusing, I even traced one to just over the river from where I live when they told me they were a call center from a national company and could not release any information about where they were and in fact they are in a pit stop of a building that has been in the neighborhood for a great number of years. They had been calling my house looking for someone all hours and acting like they were my friend, the persons family member, and worst of all the layer voicemail that said,“if you continue to listen to this call you prove you are the one indicated to fulfill this debt etc”. My question was leaving a automated voicemail on a cell phone what kind of a response does a person or company expect to ever get except delete message it really bugs me and wastes my air time and I am not even the one they are calling about.
I know my neighbor has a problem with creditor not accepting that the bills are already getting processed with the original debtor and they are not going to get anything from them as a middleman.

I like to use something from Jerry Sinfeild show. When they ask to speak to you ask them for their HOME number and when they don’t want to give it to you tell them I guess you don’t want me calling you at home well now you know how I feel.

Thank You!!! These people did the same thing to me and my husband, 3 years ago. We are stationed in Ft. Hood, Texas with the U.S. Army. My husband was in Iraq at the time. These people called and told me that my husband would be picked up when he stepped off the plane when he came home for his R&R, and taken straight to jail if I didn't wire them money overnight. I did what they asked, because I was scared, and didn't know what else to do. My daughters and I lived off of hot dogs for the next several days until we got paid again. My husband is a hero, I didn't want him going to jail, and they wouldn't send me anything in the mail, either...same as what the article says. It was several days later that I finally found out who they were. I had to investigate using the computer. I finally found out that they were Ellis & Associates...They are an awful company and the people that work for them are just as awful. The employee that was harassing me was very condescending, plain out mean, and a jerk. He had me convinced that my husband was going straight to jail. I am so happy that they are finally getting what they deserve!

Smack em down judge! Debt collectors and Pay Day Loan places are scumbag jerks.

who could i contact if i had similar situation?

zib wrote:

I can't believe people actually fall for junk like that. If they called me, I'd tell them to go F--K themselves...

...and that's exactly what I done when they called me. I didn't file a complaint, but now I wish I would have.

Who is getting the remaining $912,000.00? The judge and lawyers?

the way i see if you have to use a third party, that third party call all hours of day/night, etc you are not worth my time and are not a worthy company to begin with.

There are many legitimate agencies who abide by the laws contained in the FDCPA. Unfortunately there are also some like this one who give all of them a bad name. I work for a collection agency and we take violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and/or complaints very seriously. Employee's found to be violating the law are terminated immediately. I was glad to see this company get what they deserved.
Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of a collection call but businesses are going under because people are not repaying their financial obligations. The debt collectors did not put the consumers in this position. Anyone who is not familiar with the laws pertaining to third party debt collection should look up the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and know your rights. Violations of the law should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.

jaxgirl72 wrote:

the way i see if you have to use a third party, that third party call all hours of day/night, etc you are not worth my time and are not a worthy company to begin with.

If a company is calling you all hours of the day/night they are in violation of the law. Debt collector's may call between the hours of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM the consumers time.

Orange Oracle wrote:

Smack em down judge! Debt collectors and Pay Day Loan places are scumbag jerks.

Were the Pay Day Loan places "scumbag jerks" when they loaned the money?
Debt collector's wouldn't be necessary if the loans were paid back per the terms of the contract.

Karen-

I am dealing with one specific agency and have been for the past two years and:

How do I insure that they quit calling and leaving voicemails on my cell taking up airtime and text dollars? I have explained numerous times they were calling a cell and not to call and have even tried calling cell company to see if I could block them and due to them changing calling number, using a phone tree, and using a 800 number cannot do that.

How do I prove I am not the name they are looking for? I have even asked them to look up the caller id of the number they are calling left a greeting on my voicemail indicating my name specific, and traced the main office and explained and told them the number they were calling did not belong to the one they were looking for to no avail.

Why do they keep insisting this is a layer and if I keep listing to the voicemail or accepting text I am the on intended to receive the debt call?

jaxgirl72 wrote:

Karen-
I am dealing with one specific agency and have been for the past two years and:
How do I insure that they quit calling and leaving voicemails on my cell taking up airtime and text dollars? I have explained numerous times they were calling a cell and not to call and have even tried calling cell company to see if I could block them and due to them changing calling number, using a phone tree, and using a 800 number cannot do that.
How do I prove I am not the name they are looking for? I have even asked them to look up the caller id of the number they are calling left a greeting on my voicemail indicating my name specific, and traced the main office and explained and told them the number they were calling did not belong to the one they were looking for to no avail.
Why do they keep insisting this is a layer and if I keep listing to the voicemail or accepting text I am the on intended to receive the debt call?

Find out the name of the company if you don't already know it and their address. Write a simple letter demanding that they "CEASE & DESIST" from calling you on your cell phone number ###-#### and your home phone number ###-####. Let them know that you are not the person (name) they are trying to reach and have requested they cease calling you however the calls continue.
The pre-recorded messages you are receiving are actually the agency "trying" to abide by the laws in the FDCPA regarding third party disclosure. If you are not the person they are trying to reach you should have been instructed to hang up the phone. The law regarding third party disclosure is being debated in congress. It's one of those things were you are required by law to leave a "meaningful disclosure" but in doing so on a voice mail you may be in violation of third party disclosure which states you cannot imply to anyone other than the debtor that the call is regarding a debt. The courts have ruled both ways. Basically the collection agency is just trying to abide by the laws. It can get confusing even to the professionals. I hope I have helped answer your questions.

Karen-

So it is or is not legal for them to leave these automated voicemails, messages, and texts sometimes with the info of what and whom they are calling about? Also, I have tried numerous times to beg the person on the phone to stop calling are you saying I have to make a formal letter?
By the way have you ever heard of MAF I think it is this is the name of the company I am dealing with?

jaxgirl72 wrote:

Karen-
So it is or is not legal for them to leave these automated voicemails, messages, and texts sometimes with the info of what and whom they are calling about? Also, I have tried numerous times to beg the person on the phone to stop calling are you saying I have to make a formal letter?
By the way have you ever heard of MAF I think it is this is the name of the company I am dealing with?

Jaxgirl72 -

Yes it is legal for them to leave the pre-recorded messages however as you said they have the wrong number, you should write them a letter and send it via certified, return receipt requested demanding that they Cease and Desist all phone calls to your numbers. By law they must comply or risk being sued and fined by the Federal Trade Commission.
I am not familiar with a compamy called MAF. Do you have any idea what the initials stand for?