I've been receiving bizarre phone calls from a robot on my cell phone. They start out with, "This is Michelle Thomas. I am contacting you about an important business matter. This is NOT a sales call ..." at which point I hang up because any time someone says it is NOT a sales call, it's a sales call (heh heh heh!).
A reverse phone book lookup turns this up for their caller ID:
Truelogic Financial Corporation
7100 E Belleview Ave
Greenwood Village, CO 80111-1632
(720) 974-0386
A Google lookup turns this up for Trulogic Financial Corporation: "TrueLogic Financial Corporation (TFC) provides enhanced receivables management services for post charge-off collections, and for purchasing client accounts receivables." I.e., they're debt collectors.
Since I don't have any overdue debts (indeed, have a significant sum of money in the bank), it appears that they're calling some deadbeat who *used* to have my phone number. I've had this phone number for two years, but (shrug) some of the debts these guys are buying are a decade old. And of course my phone number is unlisted, so it's not as if they looked up "Bad Tux" in the phone directory and picked my number from amongst all the other "Bad Tux"es in the area (something that happened to me when I lived in another city on the opposite coast from where I live now).
The next question is this: How the heck to get these folks to stop calling me, without giving them information they can use to further harass me for Joe Blow's debt?
- Badtux the Collectable Penguin
Note: Comments are now closed on this post. Please see the latest update, where they change tactics in their efforts to trick people into paying debts they don't owe.
If you wait long enough to get a person on the line, and let them know that you are not who they want, they will cease - heck, they're doing it to make money, and they will not make any by wasting phone time on you. (I usta do that - ick!)
ReplyDeleteIf you don't let them know (just keep hangin' up) they wil keep calling you until civilization implodes.
I sat through the spiel, and all they did was give me a phone number to call (*not* a 1-800 number) and an extension number, then hung up. Completely robotic. No human involved. They even boast about their "collections technology" in their press releases. I'm not calling that number. Maybe a letter?
ReplyDeleteI've had bad luck with telling folks I'm not the person they're looking for in the past. I had one debt collector call me at my office. I explained to him that this was a business phone and there was nobody here by that name. He became irate and insisted I had to be lying to him, then demanded that I give him my driver's license number to prove I wasn't the person he was wanting to talk to. I politely told him to fuck off, don't ever call this number again, and hung up. He did call back even despite the law saying he couldn't if told not to call, and since I was in North Carolina and he was in New York, well...
- Badtux the Non-deadbeat Penguin
WOW. They've decended to new lows in that business! We had someone calling every two weeks about some magazines that my stepdaughter moved and didn't take care of. Hubby finally called tham and reamed them a new one, and they stopped.
ReplyDeleteYou have their website - maybe an email?? ... Persistant jokers!
Or, if you are not expecting any calls for awhile, you could just leave it off the hook, and run up their phone bill?? Aww heck, it probably cuts off automatically too!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting these as well. In the past, I had a debt collector demand my info and then attempt to put my name on the collection, so I never, ever, ever give any info to these people.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the first hundred phone calls they didn't leave a confirmation number (their technology seems to be microsoft-powered...for example, their website doesn't work on gecko or khtml-based browsers), so there was no way to call the dogs off even if I wanted to.
Now, I think I'm going to resort to call blocking.
BTW, it may not be someone else who had the number. They might have gotten it wrong, or someone might have put in your number (not knowing or caring who you are) on their credit application.
TrueFinancial debt collectors are professional assholes. Unyeilding, boorish, greedy m-f's who don't really care about anything but their commissions. This company should be against the law.
ReplyDeleteAfter blasting an email to info@truelogicfinancial.com basically promising every sort of legal action I could think of... They called me at least 20 times... Very frustrating... Here was their response:
ReplyDeleteI wanted to take a moment to let you know that we have received your e-mail regarding calls you have been receiving from our company. I would also like to assure you that your phone number has been removed from our data base.
I apologize that you have been receiving phone calls in error. Please be aware that TrueLogic Financial Corporation is not a telemarketing service but a third party collection agency. The purpose of the call is to collect a debt, and any information obtained would be used for that purpose.
Upon verifying that the consumer we are trying to contact cannot be reached at the number we have, we would remove such number from our records. At this time, please be assured that your number has been removed, however it could take up to 72 business hours to fall from our automated dialer.
Please feel free to contact me if you continue to receive calls after this time. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.
Sincerely,
Crystal Coleman
Administrative Coordinator
TrueLogic Financial Corp.
....
So we'll see what happens...
I just got off the phone with TCF. I never ever want to be in the position to be on the legitimate end of these calls... How can people live like that? I found it annoying... must be awful for those who the calls are really intended.
ReplyDeleteTo get them to stop calling, the operator asked if she could verify the last 4 digits my SSN I told her it was not even close. She promised to take my phone number out of their system... Ok... I'll start counting the days til I get another... walked down that road with TFC a few months ago. How did they get My number? It is UNLISTED... or maybe my service provider sold it? Changing my number won't stop them...I just hate this.
They keep calling me too. I found this information online. Page 2 lists 4 corporate officers, their office phone numbers, and home addresses. I left a message for CEO Paul Konkel and told him that every time his agents call me, I'm going to call him.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/ViewImage.do;jsessionid=0000gt8cnL35LggeXhAxU3SUWhw:10e80j0vs?masterFileId=20041010232&fileId=20041010232
I can't believe it. Michelle Thomas has been harassing me for a year! I don't owe anyone anything. I am 70 yrs. old and consider this A#1 harassment. I have talked to them and ask them to pleeeese stop calling me. They were very insistent on geting MY name altho they are calling someone with a family name of Miles. This is terrible as I am on the Indiana Attorney General's "no call list" and my phone number is unlisted.
ReplyDeleteThe Attorney General's office of Indiana has suggested I report this to the FTC which I have done just today. Maybe if everyone that is being harassed by this bunch of nimconpoops reports them to the FTC we can get some positive action.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe this company! I've been getting these calls for 8 months. When I try to reach the "if we've reached your number in error message" they transfer the call then cut me off! I have yet to talk to a human. The calls start coming in as early as 7am. I feel like I'm being phone stalked!
ReplyDeleteI got a phone call this morning at 8am on a Saturday. I waiting through the message and pressed 1 to talk to a representative. Then some grouchy old guy answered and I asked what is so important to be calling on a Saturday morning? He said he was gonna hang up on me and call again next Saturday morning cause he didn't like my attitude! I notified the Verizon Nuassance Dept. and blocked all Private calls from coming in. We'll see what happens...What an asshole!
ReplyDeleteI also received the same phone call this Sunday evening. Fortunately, I didn't get to my phone on time and no message was left. I use Vonage for my phone system and checked the number to see who called. I didn't know the number so I googled the number and found this blog. I have been getting the recorded messages for quite awhile and when I hear it, I hang up. I didn't know what it was for and didn't care since a human didn't care to converse with me. I don't owe any money, I have no payments on anything and I don't know how they got my phone number other than the luck of the draw, or the luck of the dial. Thanks for the information about what the calls are about.
ReplyDeleteok just got this famous call..on a phone number i just got 4 days ago lol - i thought cellphone companies were supposed to hold the numbers for 30days or more before reassigning them out.
ReplyDeleteWell it looks like they are now harassing Arizona State (State cell phone)! I have been ignoring the call since I can determine that this is not a State business number and I definitely do not allow personal calls from out of state on my issued cell phone. I called back from an alternate phone and asked a simple question, "What kind of company are you"? Which the reply was what is your cell number? I replied back that all I needed to know was my initial question? I guess I irritated him and he said he did not have time for me because they were extremely busy and he hung up. Part of our initial phone usage requirement is to register with the "Do Not Call List" which I did!
ReplyDeleteI find it funny that you would not just simply take the time to call and let them know that you are not the person they are looking for.
ReplyDeletealso, before you go trashing companies you may find it interesting to know that this company is being nominated for one of the best places to work in colorado.
the industry is a necessity. you should not be sour against the industry...for if people were able to pay their bills and made responsible choices collections would not exist.
i hope you have better things to do in life than trash business' of which you know nothing about.
I finally did call and followed the instructions to tell them that I'm not the person they want. They kept calling.
ReplyDeleteAs for being the best place to work in Colorado, that's what happens when you have a state run by Republicans -- the whole place goes to shit and the best place to work is for scumbags who have nothing better to do than harass random elderly people and penguins who have no outstanding debts.
I'm sure you are enjoying the $6.50 per hour that they're paying you to harass people who have no money, but that doesn't excuse being a bunch of incompetent scumbags.
- Badtux the Harassed Penguin
I have also been getting these same incredibly annoying messages from and today (after reading this blog) decided to try and do something about it. I called and finally got connected to the rudest guy. I told him I wanted the calls to stop, and he wanted me to give him my name, my husband's name, and the last four digits of my SSN#. I said I wasn't about to give out any information to him and that I wanted to speak to his supervisor. He kept yelling at me that if I chose not to cooperate, they would keep calling. His supervisor finally got on and said essentially the same thing, in as rude a manner as possible. After realizing they weren't going to let up, I hung up on them.
ReplyDeleteDo they really think most people would just call them back and give out all their personal info? If they aren't a fraudulent company, they might want to seriously rethink their collection tactics, because I can't imagine they get much out of anyone with these practices.
We have no debts, so I'm trying to decide how to get them off our backs. I think Verizon call-blocking is our best bet. What a bunch of morons they have working there.
They have been calling my cell phone almost daily for weeks. I have tried to talk to a person but all I get is voicemail. I have left a dozen messages. Here are the numbers to call any or all of the execs at TruLogic Financial : 720 area code 974-0715, 974-0716, 974-0714, 974-0713, 974-0386.
ReplyDeleteAnyone have true logic's fax #?
ReplyDeleteWe've have problems with them too. I have never owned a cell phone, but they are trying to collect for AT&T. I n my case I believe it was identity theft.
Good luck all,
Jerry
"Michelle" calls every few days, trying to collect a 'debt' of about $85 from over TWENTY years ago. This amount was dealt with a long time ago, and is NOT outstanding! I made the mistake of returning 'her' call, and gave enough info for them to determine they were calling the right person!! What a dummy I was!! For some reason they do not have my address to send a letter? Did they not hear about Google?
ReplyDeleteWe are all dealing with a bunch of dummys.
So happy (and frustrated!) to see I'm not alone! They call me at 8 am on Saturdays, 8 pm during the week... I have more than once told them (and numerous other lawyers and collection agencies) that I am not the person they are looking for, nor do I know the person they are looking for. I have even gone so far as to give them the current address and phone number of the person they're looking for (from the current phone book, don't they have access to this info??!), and yet they still call, weeks and months later!! GRRRR!
ReplyDeleteToday I received my first phone call from this company. They did not indicate who they were, but my caller ID gave a telephone number. Since the call left me with an odd feeling I did a reverse phone search on the internet to find out the call came form "TrueLogic Financial". I then looked the company up on the internet, and found this blog. In my case they asked for "Xxxxx Xxxxx" The first name they asked for was my offical given name (but I use a derivative of that name). The last name started with the same letter as my last name, but the similarity ended there. I told them no one lived here by that name and they hung up. I suspect they were fishing for someone or something. After finding your blog, it will be interesting to see what happens now. I also have A-1 credit, and no debt problems. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteThis is why they continue to harrass people they know are NOT the originators of the debts:
ReplyDeleteFrom http://www.edcombs.com/CM/Actions/Actions332.asp
Just because a debt buyer claims money from you in court or in a collection letter does not mean that it is entitled to anything. Many of the debts they purchase are undocumented, beyond the statute of limitations, or legally invalid. The older the debt, and the less documentation a debt buyer acquires, the cheaper it is, and the more money a debt buyer can make.
In 2004, the Federal Trade Commission shut down a debt buyer called CAMCO headquartered in Illinois. The following is from a press release issued by the FTC in connection with that case.
. . . In papers filed with the court, the agency charged that as much as 80 percent of the money CAMCO collects comes from consumers who never owed the original debt in the first place. Many consumers pay the money to get CAMCO to stop threatening and harassing them, their families, their friends, and their co-workers.
According to the FTC, CAMCO buys old debt lists that frequently contain no documentation about the original debt and in many cases no Social Security Number for the original debtor. CAMCO makes efforts to find people with the same name in the same geographic area and tries to collect the debt from them – whether or not they are the actual debtor. In papers filed with the court, the FTC alleges that CAMCO agents told consumers – even consumers who never owed the money – that they were legally obligated to pay. They told consumers that if they did not pay, CAMCO could have them arrested and jailed, seize their property, garnish their wages, and ruin their credit. All of those threats were false, according to the FTC. . . . (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/12/camco.htm)
This is also why they ask for SSN and other information. With little or no information on the original debt they purchased, perhaps they feel the need to make it up by supplying yours? Gives identity theft a whole new meaning, don't you think?
Although I have not called back the company (especially not now after reading what y'all have gone through), I just filed a complaint with FTC. I have been receiving calls from Michelle Thompson for over a month. We'll see if these calls stop now.
ReplyDeleteWe just started receiving these phone calls as well. I just filed a complaint with the FTC, and recommend everyone else do the same.
ReplyDeleteYou can also contact your state's attorney general's office to file a complaint as well.
A look at their standing with the BBB will show they are not a reputable company and have many complaints against them.
Link to the FTC complaint form.. https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
In an update, "Michelle Thomas" *FINALLY* quit calling me, two months after I told them to quit. Yeah, that's right, they broke the law for two months, calling on average twice a week (which I didn't answer since my cell phone was programmed to identify them, but it was still interesting to watch their robot work).
ReplyDeleteThese guys are shameless. If it wasn't for the fact that it's more trouble to file lawsuits than to simply ignore their calls, they'd be bankrupt from all the lawsuits coming in against them. What a bunch of maroons.
-BT
I get the same phone calls from them and other dumb ass' around the US. Recently I was getting a call from Educational Direct every day Morning , noon and night. Sometimes twice a night. I finally got a packet from them and they're saying that I owe 64000 bucks thatI never went to school for. The social the App was not mine and the birth was not either. I called them back and told them to stop calling me. And that they had the wrong person. The attempted to call me again the next day and I answered the phone and tild them what for and if they call me again I'm taking the pamphlet and them to the police. They stoped calling. Thank you very much.Maybe I should try it with trulogic. I know that if you went to school in denver CO you probably get phone calls from trulogic. If not than take them to the police for harrasment.
ReplyDeleteJust found this post. Thank god for all you who posted stories/potential solutions. I thought I was the only one going through this hell.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I get the same message too! I have found a very effective way to stop it, as well. Basically, record the message to your computer or another device, call them after hours and wait for Michelle to come on (robot). Press 2, wait for voice, then 2 again. After the tone, play back their message. Repeat until their mailbox is full!
ReplyDeleteFor the record, the previous suggestion is called "phone jamming", and it is illegal.
ReplyDeleteArgh! Pretty much same story as all of the above. Started on the 25th of this month, spoke to some rude SOB who asked for my phone number (not given - wash your own lists buddy). Two on the 28th (one at 8:30 in the morning), but the name given was "Stephanie Jones" on the second one, although the voice sounded identical. Another Sunday (again, around 8:30am), and yet another just now from the "Michelle Thomas" identity. All CID as 720-974-0386. Tried to get someone on the phone again this time and got dumped into the hold queue where one of the ads directed me to truelogicfinancial.com (and thus here). I guess it's off to the FTC and State AG I go...
ReplyDelete"TrueLogic..." must be an oxymoron... or maybe they just employ them
ReplyDeleteSeems this has become the unofficial TruLogic complaint center.
ReplyDeleteI get the same call at the same time every day except Sunday. It seems even Satan's minions take that day off to rest.
I am certainly not going to call them back knowing the kind of treatment I'll receive.
I have a feeling that even if I DO call, credit card in hand, and say, "hey here's all the money you claim I owe" they'll still be assholes.
Lawyers don't help. I had mine write a letter and call them and the calls keep coming.
OH MY F*CKING GOD! are you kidding me?!?!?!! I JUST started getting these calls and NOW I guess i have something to live for (NOT) I thought it was a mistake. I called the number back (by the way, they call me and the the "robot" apparently is broke. they say NOTHING) I thought it was some stalked and I googled it. I am SO HAPPY I found this. Now, I can just ignore the calls and stop looking over my shoulder for the MAD stalker.
ReplyDeleteI've been getting these calls for 2 months!!! I just got one at 8 am this morning and googled it. This was the first post that came up.
ReplyDeleteI KNOW we don't owe any money to anyone. I've even tried waiting on the line, only to be hung up on!
What is up w/some poster DEFENDING this company? Ugh.
Michelle Thomas!!! Got 2 of these calls on my answering machine about a week apart. I think it may be related to a piece of vacant land my Grandmother owned back in the 1920s. Several years ago it was put up for sheriffs sale and the matter was closed. I vaguely remember the collection agency being Genesis something, which until recently was another name used by Truelogic. Im not responding to any of these calls. If they send something by mail, then I will look at it. So far its not showing up on my credit report. Probably because my father owned the house before his death over 10 years ago and the collection is tied to his name and my phone number is the same as his was.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I start getting these annoying calls-I program them into my phone directory as computer caller and set the ringer on silent! This way I'm not bothered by them at all since they don't leave messages anyway. After a while the computer will drop your number if a person never answers the phone
ReplyDeleteBe sure when you call back to choose option 1 or whatever as if to make a payment, to talk to a live person. That at least helps get a live person.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Keeps Calling me!!! Aarrggg... Always at night. They leave the same CID of 720-974-0386 Though tell me to call 877-337-3099. I call it and get dead air.
ReplyDeletebeen going on for months. Get maybe 1 a week...
So how have people got them to stop calling??
I am now getting the call from Stephanie Jones every day.This has gone on for three weeks. I am so sick of this. I don't owe anyone any money at least in a delinquent way. I am going to report it to the FCC and the telephone company.
ReplyDeleteI just got off the phone with these guys. Second time I have called them, first time I got the threatening person, this time I got the "Good Cop" They are trying to collect on a debt for a phone in a place were I never lived. Anyway, here is their fax # and address.
ReplyDelete720-488-4296
PO Box 4437
Englewood, CO 80155
i got the same message from michelle... i just pressed one at the end, talked to a very nice lady and told them that i am not of the robinson residence on some street i don't know. verified that my address was not theirs (didn't give a name or anything) and they said they'd take my number off the list. we'll see what happens.
ReplyDeleteI actually registered awhile ago with the DO not call registry and yet have been plagued by months of their calls...
ReplyDeleteSO glad to see i am not alone in being annoyed with them
I regsitered a complaint with the donotcall.gov people, not that this will have any effect, but for the moment, i feel better...
iM ASLO GETTING THESE HARASSING CALLS CANT WE JUST DO SOMETHING TO STOP THEM FOR GOOD
ReplyDeleteI've been getting these calls for quite a while now....as the ANI (Caller ID) isn't one I recognize I simply ignore it. Good to know I've been ignoring a scumbag. I'll see about filing an FTC complaint, to see where that get's me, as well as contacting my local service provider to see if it can be blocked. Thanks for the great blog and info.
ReplyDeletei guess i'm a lucky one. i was getting the calls every day for a couple months, when i finally just pressed 1 to talk to someone. told them i had no idea who they were trying to reach, nor did i know anything about the bill. they verified the phone number they called me at and the address/name they had didn't match. then said they'd take me off the list. i haven't had a single call from them since then. so, at least one nice person with at least half a brain works there.
ReplyDeleteI have been getting the calls for over two months now ... several times a day ... and tried to call the CID number and it said "sorry but all circuits are busy".
ReplyDeleteShe says it is NOT a sales call but she has a business opportunity for me. Her calls have come as early as 8am and as late as 9:30 pm. Short of paying money to block the number I don't know what to do. It is ANNOYING. I ended up disconnecting my answering machine several years ago because telemarketers and politicians were clogging the machine with messages until the tape ran out. Now I just use the CID, which I love.
M. in N. VA
Same problem here. Those jerks keep calling my home for someone named Heather Scowden (along with a bunch of other debt collectors) and I tell them all this is not that persons phone number. They all promise to quit calling, but usually less than a week later I get the same phone calls all over again. Very annoying!
ReplyDeleteI was getting these calls from Trulogic and I wrote them a letter (giving only my phone number) and said that since my number was on the no-call list, I was making a complaint to the FTC. (which I almost did but didn't want to reveal my name and location to the FTC since they would use it with Trulogic.) I also stated that any more calls would be met with harassing calls from me to their Pres and other corporate officers. And I copied those names and addresses from their web site. The calls stopped about two days after they should have received my letter. I haven't had a call in 3 weeks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this web site for giving me a clue as to who and what was making these calls and what to do about them.
I've had the same experience that everyone else has had. However in my experience I did have a debt that I paid off over three years ago to another agency called Palisades. Apparently Palisades sold my "info" to True Logic. They have never left a message on my phone nor did any phone number come up on my caller id, however they now have started calling my parents home in another state. I read a few of the links posted on this site and find it very interesting. How do you get them to leave you alone completely? I'm not going to pay a debt that was already paid!
ReplyDeleteTruLogic displays a logo about being a proud member of ACA. Found this site (see link below about filing a complaint) but they have an awful search engine. I have not been able to get it to return a result for TruLogic being a member. Also have not found a similar image to the one on TruLogic's site (http://www.truelogicfinancial.com/internet/images/ACAlogo.jpg)
ReplyDeleteHow to File an Ethics Complaint
http://www.acainternational.org/consumers.aspx?cid=209
After I called these clowns, told them I checked my credit report and it was perfect with a FICO score of 813 as well and I never had a Verizon cell phone nor a cell phone of any kind, then said I would sue if they continued harrassing me, it appears they finally stopped. I also sent emails to this email address (it is hard to find on their website unless you know a trick or 2). If you get harrassing calls about bills you dont owe (after checking your credit report): info@truelogicfinancial.com
ReplyDeleteFor those wondering if it is against the law to dial a cellular phone with an automated machine, it is illigal. I am sending a notice stating this and threatening a lawsuit if they do not stop calling me immediately.
ReplyDeleteThe law: Title 47 U.S.C. § 227
I have been receiving these calls as well. They left an 800# to call (866-488-4299). I phoned this number, spoke with a representative who told me they were looking for my husband's ex-wife, regarding a debt (she has a habit of referring creditors to us - how psycho is that?). I simply told them she hadn't lived here in over 5 years and gave them her current phone number. The representative said they would remove our number from the system, so we'll see. But I wanted to pass on the 800# for those of you who haven't been able to contact them, thought this might help. Again, their number is 1-866-488-4299.
ReplyDeleteI've been getting calls on my cell phone over the last two weeks from two companies (I think). One I spoke with yesterday, and these are their details:
ReplyDeleteCollection Company of America
700 Longwater Drive 2nd floor
Norwell, MA 02061
The number I have for them (which Cingular actually gave me) is 1-800-455-8026. Gary Ginza is the asshole I spoke with. My new friend Gary claims that I owe Cingular a few hundred dollars, but Cingular says my account is fine, and that CCofA is probably phishing to get my information. CCofA is demanding that I send them proof of non-debt with Cingular, but Cingular warns me not to send them any personal information.
The other number that calls me is 877-473-1223, though they leave a message asking me to return the message by calling 877-518-6509. I haven't called, and have filed complaints with the FTC for both of them. If anyone finds information about this second number, I'd appreciate the posting.
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: 23(b)(3) Class action. Anyone attorneys out there game?
ReplyDelete47 United States Code 227
ReplyDelete(b) Restrictions on use of automated telephone equipment
(1) Prohibitions
It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States, or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States—
(A) to make any call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with the prior express consent of the called party) using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice—
(i) to any emergency telephone line (including any “911” line and any emergency line of a hospital, medical physician or service office, health care facility, poison control center, or fire protection or law enforcement agency);
(ii) to the telephone line of any guest room or patient room of a hospital, health care facility, elderly home, or similar establishment; or
(iii) to any telephone number assigned to a paging service, cellular telephone service, specialized mobile radio service, or other radio common carrier service, or any service for which the called party is charged for the call;
. . . .
(3) Private right of action
A person or entity may, if otherwise permitted by the laws or rules of court of a State, bring in an appropriate court of that State—
(A) an action based on a violation of this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection to enjoin such violation,
(B) an action to recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation, or to receive $500 in damages for each such violation, whichever is greater, or
(C) both such actions.
If the court finds that the defendant willfully or knowingly violated this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection, the court may, in its discretion, increase the amount of the award to an amount equal to not more than 3 times the amount available under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.
Do these jerkwads at Truelogic EVER send letters? I've been getting calls from these morons since May on a pretty much daily basis but I'm not the person they want. I wanted to send them a cease letter cause me calling and telling them they have the wrong person was a waste of time. Is there nothing we can do?
ReplyDeleteI would like to know how you filed the compaint to the FCC as I have received these calls too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI posted on 12/5/06 about the first call received from this company, saying I thought they were fishing for information.
ReplyDeleteIn our case the calls continued for a couple of months - maybe longer -- but so far we have not heard from them for a while now. I'll explain my last conversation later.
Our calls came on our land line, not our cell phone - which, by the way, is Verizon too.
It was interesting that on one of the calls, the caller was talking to someone else when I answered our phone and did not realize I had answered the the phone yet. I heard him telling the other person "The secret is to give them lots of information, and they'll give you information back." I interpret his comment to mean "just give address, a name that might be close, a telphone number, a number that sounds like a social security number, anything that sounds legitimate -- and the person you call will "correct" you and give you information you can run with. Than, whammo! We've got something to work with, correct person or not."
About the same time these calls were coming in, another company called at time or two, using the same tactics, as well as someone who was listed as an attorney who I found on a reverse search. Lions Edge" (or something with "Lions" in the caller ID) was one of the callers, too.
Early on I politely explained they had the wrong person, to which they "politely" asked for verification of my personal information - always asking a question such as:
Did I live at XXX Address - which I did once, and didn't once.
Was my social security number xxx-xxx-xxxx. It wasn't even CLOSE.
Was my name Xxxx Xxxxx. It was close-sounding, but was not my name.
Did I ever live at XXX Address. I had not, even in the mentioned city.
Etc.
So each time they told me they would remove my number, but the calls continued.
I finally got to the place that I refused to answer the phone when caller ID showed these folks, but eventually grew frustrated at their many attempts, at all times of the day and night. So I called them back. Told them that "As I've told you before I'm not whoever you are looking for, have never been who you are looking for, and don't know who you are looking for. And if you call EVER AGAIN I'm contacting the FTC and every authority that even MIGHT have an interest in the way you do business -- and further, I am prepared to file a lawsuit and file harrassment charges." At this, the person grew very irate and told me they had never called me before. I told them they HAD called before, and HAD told me they would remove my phone number from their records, and that I would not take their unwarrented harrassment any longer -- they had they wrong person if, indeed, there ever was such a person."
They didn't quite plainely like my attitude, or my call, but ... I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN -- so far.
However, I'm in agreement with an earlier suggestion. I think it is time for us to come together, get our ducks in a row to and do whatever we need to do to get ready to participate in a class action suit -- and I often think the ability to file a lawsuits is abused, so my suggestion is out of character.
If this many people are being wrongly accused and harrassed, how many others who do not know how to find this blog think they are alone - or, worse, pay money they don't owe? I surmise we are a very small tip of a very, very large iceburg.
I suggest we all start keeping accurate and impeccable records - names, times of day, phone numbers called, exactly what the caller said, exactly what we said -- everything -- so that if a Class Action does happen we have plenty of ammuntion, all of it good, useable.
I also suggest that if we all, starting today, hit the "record" button when these folks call, let them know "this conversation may be recorded for quality assurance" and then keep these recorded calls - for a long time, in case they are needed to put this disreputable bunch out of business. Almost every answering machine will permit recording a conversation with the touch of a button.
Is there an attorney out there than would be willing to advise about what we should be doing to help an attorney take this to court and start "getting our ducks in a row" if a class action suit ever becomes a reality?
Another wrinkle.
ReplyDeleteThe Idaho Statesman had an article in on July 27, 2006 about another potential wrinkle in a scammers arsenal.
They report that Phishing is so "yesterday" and that scammers and people looking for information are now using caller ID to their advantage.
They, for one thing, purchase a phone card - to make the caller ID appear to be someone different. You can find more about them at SpoofCard.com.
They can talk in their regular voice and make the call sound either male or female - and make the call appear to come from anywhere, including an attorney's office.
According to the report the calls are much more efficient than simple phishing and yeild better results for the bad guys.
Another reason to be very, very careful. I'm wondering if the "attorney" mentioned in the previous blog really was. It's obvious the collection tactics of "TrueLogic Financial Corporation" are questionable, at best.
I know our prisons are overcrowded, but these folks in all the categories mentioned in this blog need to be vigorously pursued and prosecuted. They deserve to room with the rapists, molesters, murderers, and meanest of our society. "Mean" is still mean, no matter who is wearing it. Besides, it's probably costing society as much to try to protect ourselves from these guys, in paying for bills not ours, and in recovering stolen identity as it would to catch, imprison, and prosecute them.
We need to treat them like criminals because -- they are.
More information about potential spoofing tactics that might, or could be, used by TLC - and other such "collectors" and "investigators". We need as much information to protect ourselves from questionable methods as they have to use against us.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0607160318jul16,1,3555003.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-03-01-caller-id_x.htm
http://www.spoofcard.com/
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/consumeralert/9535511/detail.html
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.privacy/browse_thread/thread/84299a361f379ce5/d077a9161e2ce0c7?lnk=st&q=&rnum=9&hl=en#d077a9161e2ce0c7
Wow! I'm a victim too. What a relief to know that I'm not alone! I'm filing a complaint with the FTC and my state's attorney general's office. Thanks to all for the suggestions.
ReplyDeleteWe have been recieving calls from these jerks for longer than I can remember. For an account that was stettled along time ago! I am send a cease and desist letter. Don't let up on these jerks! ~~Mr. Moe
ReplyDeletehttp://ihatedebt.com/DealingWithYourCreditors/DealingWithDebtCollectors/Cease_and_Desist_Letter_for_Debt_Collectors.php
They've been harassing my mom for three weeks now. I filed a complaint with the FTC and with the Colorado AG's office (they give you a PDF form to fill out and snail mail in). We have no idea what they're calling about. I included a link to this page in both complaints.
ReplyDeleteIf they are calling me on my cell, but I have free incomming, is that still breaking the law (since I am not paying for the call like the statute states?)
ReplyDeleteThe only money I owe is the car loan and the student loans...those are all paid up. Yet they have been calling me for years.
ReplyDeleteI'm really calm and gentle person...but if I ever meet somebody from that company I swear I'm gonna kick the living shit out of them!
I, just this morning, received my first call from these folks at 8:00AM! An automated system asked me to hold the line. After listening to some terrible hold music I was transferred and someone picked up. No one ever said a word, but I could hear some activity in the background. After a few seconds they hung up.
ReplyDeleteOddly, they called on my cell phone which is owned and registered to the LAW FIRM that I work for.
Hopefully this is a one-time thing, but after reading all the posts that might be wishful thinking.
I called the number back and asked them who they were trying to reach. The name they told me was not one that I recognized. After I told them that it wasn't me, they said they would remove my number. I haven't heard from them since! That was 4 weeks ago. There is hope!
ReplyDeleteBeen happening to me for a good 3 months - finally upgraded my phone service to have Caller ID. Google search landed me here. They called yesterday, fiance answered. Said I owe SBC $300 or $400 (I don't remember) - but she told them they were full of it, we don't owe anyone anything, and to stop calling. They called today. I filed a complaint with the FTC...
ReplyDeleteAnd, now any time they call again, I file another complaint...
I recommend that everyone who's been having this problem call Paul Konkel, the CEO of TrueLogic. His office phone number is 720 974-0715. Read this to him (or to his answering machine):
ReplyDelete47 United States Code 227
(b) Restrictions on use of automated telephone equipment
(1) Prohibitions
It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States, or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States—
(A) to make any call...using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice...
(iii) to any telephone number assigned to a...cellular telephone service...
(3) Private right of action
A person or entity may, if otherwise permitted by the laws or rules of court of a State, bring in an appropriate court of that State—
...
(B) an action to recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation, or to receive $500 in damages for each such violation, whichever is greater.
If the court finds that the defendant willfully or knowingly violated this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection, the court may, in its discretion, increase the amount of the award to an amount equal to not more than 3 times the amount available under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.
Then tell him you've filed a complaint with the FTC, and that you're keeping a record of the calls from TrueLogic (and your cell phone bill will have them), and that you fully intend to sue him. A dozen or so calls at $500 a call adds up to a lot of money...
If anybody knows how to get ahold of this clown Konkel's home phone, that'd be great.
My god how glad I am that I decided to google that number that's been calling me!!! This company is such a pain in the ass!! I've had my number at home for about a year now and when I first got it, I got a few collection calls for some guy that had it prior to me. I kind of expected that as any time you get a new number there are bound to be wrong number calls. The collection agent I spoke to then was very nice (not truelogic) and said she would removed me, takes 48-72 hours, yada yada yada. So, 3 days later, I get another call from a different person. Advise them of pervious conversation. They tell me they see my removal order, apologize and end the call. Not another word until 2 weeks ago. Apparently TrueLogic bought out this company's stuff and I am getting calls 6 TIMES A DAY!! I am not exaggerating. Ok, want to talk spooky?? The phone is ringing RIGHT NOW for call number 4 today. I am at my wits end. I use this number for my home based AVON business and I"ll be damned if I will change it because of this company!! I have found out that they are harrassing my father in law too with a person with his last name and middle name. My FIL has never gone by his middle name... EVER. I just signed up for the national DNC list. Next time it rings (which will be in about 2 hours) I plan to answer and in the mood I'm in, the person on the other end is going to get an earful! I am NOT intimidated by phone drones. I was a floor supervisor at a call center and am used to dealing with morons on the phone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing a place to vent and I wish luck to all of us caught in this horrible mess!!
April
After calling Konkel a few times at his office, and once at his home, filing a complaint with the FTC, and exchanging emails with Trulogic's lawyer, they have removed me from their list. Or so they say. I recommend being as aggressive as possible. It's not worth it to them to deal with someone who as disrectful of boundaries as they are themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnother solution is to download a set of SIT tones (at the bottom of the page, here: http://privatecitizen.com/sit.html). When the caller ID shows Truelogic, pick up the phone and play the SIT tones. This will tell the automatic dialer that they've reached a phone number that's out of order, and the computer on their end will (probably) automatically take you off their call list.
ReplyDeleteHi, Folks:
ReplyDeleteA few months ago I starting getting these calls. Did a quick Google search and came up with a dude named Paul Konkel who is the CEO of Truelogic. Did another quick Google search and came up with this: Paul Konkel, (303) 932-8718, 15 Honey Locust, Littleton, CO 80127. That's his home address and phone #. If u want to play hardball, u should use it freely. If they can call u at home, u can call him at home. I bet the calls would stop coming real quick if u did, and there's no way it's illegal to make a simple phone call (say at 2 in the morning) if u don't say anything like a threat or call 2 many times.
-- Darby.
OMG! OMG! This is Michelle Thomas' Myspace page. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=86410519
ReplyDeleteCheck it out! Bad poetry! Dirty pictures! Little remarks about how she likes making money! (By harassing old people for debts they never incurred.) She's kind of ugly, too!
And here's another one, who admits to being mentally unstable! http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=45795485
And here's another! http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=33655717
Maybe we shd leave them messages about how glad we are to be their friends!
If you think this is unfair, consider how much misery they cause for other people, how much time they waste, how much money they steal by threatening legal action against people who don't owe any money. They are crooks who prey on weak people and harass everyone! They deserve whatever they get.
My contribution: Michelle Thomas phone # is (303) 699-8926.next time she calls u at home call her at home
ReplyDeleteI've been called by these idiots for months! I've returned the call telling them I am not who they are looking for and to call US Cellular to confirm I am not whoever they are looking for. I got the 72 hour thing to remove my number (that was 3 calls ago) - I've filed a complaint with the FCC and sent a complaint to the Attorney General's office in Colorado. The message I got back from the AG's office is to send a request in writing (and sent certified mail - need the documentation that they received it)to TruLogic telling to stop calling. If they call after they have been notified then you can turn them into the AG's office since it is against the law for them to call after receivng a stop notice. -- Still waiting on the return card from the post office. New thing they have started the last 3 days (yes, daily calls) - the calls now come in as "unknown" and not with the 720 number.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting them to stop calling - and thanks for the idea and the phone number so i can start calling their folks at home...
I've been getting these calls for about a week now, and I simply will not answer them anymore. My cellphone, my minutes. If I don't know you and you don't leave a message, then puck off you son-of-a-biscuit! :) I DO owe money, and I KNOW WHO I owe money to. It's not these guys, whoever the fork they really are. I performed a reverse look-up of their number, and got an address: 10000 E. Geddes Ave. in Englewood, CO. Evidently it's fraudulent, however, because I Googled the address and got nothing. A satellite image of E. Geddes Ave. shows it to be a fully RESIDENTIAL neighborhood. So most likely some SCAMMER is working from his parent's basement.
ReplyDeleteInto the lion's den...
ReplyDeleteI am a TFC employee. I have just read through the entire blog to date and am sorry to see the volume of folks whose #s don't belong on our lists but have had a hard time getting the calls to stop. We honestly don't want to call you if you don't owe a debt. As for how you could ask to be removed and still get called it could only be one of 2 things:
a) systems issues (we are an MS shop as someone astutely guessed)
b) collectors who didn't remove the number
As for the systems, we're continuously improving systems and looking for more reliable sources of information.
And as for the collectors; we try not to hire rude people, we train people to be respectful and operate in compliance with all laws, we monitor calls constantly to catch anyone who isn't and have a strict infraction policy. But still, day in and day out they deal with angry (and sometimes outright deceitful) people and that will lead some to reciprocate that attitude. Nonetheless, the best way to deal with getting a call from us would be to accept it and get to a person at your first opportunity (because we will indeed keep trying if we can't confirm the number is wrong), then deal courteously with the collector. They will remove your phone number if your identity doesn't match our file, and our system should see to it that the number never gets placed back on the account in the future.
P.S. notes on a few random things I noticed in people's posts:
"not a member of the ACA" - we are indeed, try searching for TrueLogic there (with an "e")
"not really at 10000 E Geddes" - we are indeed, try that google map again. I'd say you could see my car if you zoom in all the way, but I see that the parking lot is empty on the current satellite picture
"do not call list" - does not apply to collections since the company already has a business relation with the party they're trying to reach
"automated calling cell phones" - we try not to, known cell phones won't be loaded into our dialer. We request landline information from the original creditors and locator services we use, but obviously that's not always what they give us.
Bullshit! The above post is a pack of lies. If your 'system' or your 'collectors' are responsible for repeat calls, then get a new system and new collectors.
ReplyDeleteHere's how Truelogic and their like work: the buy huge amounts of claimed debt from third party sellers. Very often the info they buy is vague, so they look for anyone in the same area code with a similar name. They don't care if they have the right number, if the debt is old or paid off, or passed the statute of limitations. Their purpose is just to get money out of whoever answers the phone. They will lie, threaten, and call over and over and over again, because they think that it they hassle anyone enough, the person will pay them money just to get them to go away. They will say anything to get you to pay. Fortunately, now that we have the internet, we can band togather and trade stories, and they can't intmidate us.
They are frauds, they are extortionists, and there are so many complainst against them that they will soon be out of business (in which case the money they've collected will most likely not tomarked against your credit report anyway).
Fight fire with fire!
DO NOT PAY THEM!
CALL KONKOL OR MICHELLE AT HOME!
(Shaun, get a life) Everything said by the Truelogic employee is true. Get a person on the phone and they will help. The only way to change an unplesant situation into an amiable one is to find a way that will have a deseriable outcome. Throwing out all of this negativity may be a good way to vent but it is not a good way to make your life nor the lives around you and our world better. PEACE
ReplyDeleteAh, yeah, cause Truelogic are such amiable, positive people. And, really, they make the world such a better place. Especially when they repeatedly call 70 year old men, who have no debt, for a year. Yeah, come on, Truelogic, they're like Habitat for Humanity. I mean, who could possibly object to such positive people who just happen to like to call strangers and extort money?
ReplyDeleteWhat an ass-hat you are.
Let's destroy these vermin, and then we can back to our own positive lives. And you can get back to your unhappy love affair with Shaun, whoever that is.
What I will do is find out their fax number and fax them a 50 page reverse print cease and desist letter.
ReplyDeleteThey will either quit calling an dharrasing us or they will will be investing in a lot of toner and reams of paper. Further I will plaster the CEO personal information all over message boards. What a bunch of loser, companies that can not even earn their revenue, they scalp it.
Not sure it's legal to send unsolicited faxes. Best to stick with calling the CEO.
ReplyDeleteI started getting these calls maybe a week or more ago. Sometimes it's "press 1 to talk with someone" or just a call back number. One time I did press one and got a person nearly immediatly, who asked if I was someone with a name I'd never heard of. I felt like jerking them around, and answered that I was that person, then, incredibly, I accidentally pressed the hang up button on my cordless. That was a few days ago. I'm gettting about one of these calls a day. I'm so not happy to have joined this apparently not elite group being victimized by "True Logic".
ReplyDeleteWhy can't you use the fax method? They have previously stated: "does not apply to collections since the company already has a business relation with the party they're trying to reach" It's not a one-way street at that point.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone who is interested: http://www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/
ReplyDeletestatuteLimitations.shtml
It look like the average time is 4-5 years when an alleged delinquent Open-ended Account (i.e. credit card) is covered under the statute of limitations. After that they're just using illegal tactics to collect an alleged debt that the law says is no longer a debt. They are now breaking the law in order to collect on that alleged debt.
What exactly is illegal about asking someone to pay a debt that is out of statute? The article you post only appears to say that if sued you have a defense.
ReplyDeleteIt's not illegal,but if someone is asking for an alleged debt to be paid that is for example, 10 years old, more than double the statute, they don't have much common sense. Don't you think there is a loooong list of unsuccessful collectors who have tried in all of that time? How much money has been wasted selling an alleged debt back & forth? It probably is very sketchy at that point as to exactly how much information they actually have, & wouldn't surprise me at all if they would liberally add any info you give up & claim it was there all along. What about debts that have been paid off, or charged off long ago? What's to keep some scumbag from selling a non-existent debt to another collection agency? More than likely that happens an awful lot.
ReplyDeleteJust as a FYI: the statute of limitations varies depending upon state. I don't have a table handy, but you can Google one up pretty easily. 5 years is true only for some states (such as California, I believe).
ReplyDeleteSending a fax to a company that has contacted you does not constitute harassment. Sending a thousand faxes, on the other hand, does, and there's laws about that. A single call to the president of the company at a reasonable time of day to let him know that you don't appreciate his stupid robot calling you trying to collect a 20 year old debt belonging to an out-of-business cell phone company, a debt that wasn't even yours, does not constitute harassment -- you are merely returning his company's phone call as part of a consensual business relationship (of sorts). If you call him at 2AM, however, that constitutes harassment. If you call him a hundred times more than he has called you, that also constitutes harassment.
Please, people, use some common sense. If more people used common sense, we wouldn't need all these laws and rulings about what constitutes harassment or not. Calling up someone and cursing at him at 2AM in the morning is not a reasonable response to anything, and will not get a reasonable response in return. That's just common sense -- but common sense, I guess, ain't too common.
-BT
Somehow True Logic got my office fax machine on their robot dialer after tons of calls that my dsl firewall tried to block and countless messages on my office voicemail I finally had enough and confronted them. Turns out they were looking for another person. Shouldn't there be laws about them calling business numbers that are unlisted? True Logic what an ironic name for a bunch of lazy imbeciles who rely on auto dialing software rather than trying to research facts.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I thought I was going mad! Those calls! That voice! Seriously, after 8 calls since Aug. 23 (one a day except for last Fri.; I am posting late on Sept. 1) and not getting anywhere near a human, I might be forgiven. No name (a reverse lookup was no help, but Google was), no name of the party desired, just that same godawful recording followed by a reference no. in a computer voice. AARGH! I am willing (and have had in recent months) to deal w/collection outfits who use humans, identify themselves (with some prodding), and tell me who they want (my ex-husband, in all likelihood, as my credit is clean), but not w/people who refuse to identify either one. After reading this blog, an entry on ripoffreport.com, the entry in whocalled.us for the 866 #, and the forum in debtconsolidationcare.com, these guys smell like a phone-phishing operation. (I know penguins like fish, bit I'd wager these are rotten.)
ReplyDeleteI have complained to the BBB, my tel.co., and the Do-Not-Call, well as put in entries in a couple of the abovementioned forums (as demonstrated here, knowledge is power!). At what point do these calls become harassment? If these calls continue much longer, my state AG will be hearing from me as well. To the posters who brought up the idea of a class-action suit, how about getting the media (perhaps 20/20 or another of the national TV newsmagazines?) involved as well? Bozos like these (unlike Bozo the Clown) will probably shy away from the spotlight...
BT, have you gotten any respite from these yo-yos? Thanx for your most recent posting about using common sense. I couldn't agree more.
Yes, they quit calling me a little over a month after I followed the directions on their phone voice mail, although it took close to a month before these IT geniuses got their phone system working to the point where you could actually do so (meaning they were calling me for over two months before they quit). It was more an irritance than anything else, I'd be halfway across the house, the phone would ring, and I'd have to drop what I was doing and track down wherever my phone got to and see "Oh, it's just THEM again" on the caller ID and go back to what I was doing.
ReplyDeleteLesson: Follow their directions -- and do NOT give them any information other than perhaps your name and the last four digits of your social security number (at *MOST*) -- and they will *EVENTUALLY* take you off their list. Just ignore them until they do it.
Whatever you do, do NOT give them sufficient information to actually track you down and try to dun you for someone's debt (doesn't matter who the original debt belonged to, you CAN find it on your credit report if you give them enough info), do *NOT* in any way agree to pay them anything on an out-of-statute debt (hell, don't even admit that the out-of-statute debt was your debt, they lie to you because there's no law against lying, you can lie to them the same way as long as you're not trying to defraud them out of money that you legally owe them), and do NOT ever get into an argument with one of their "debt collectors" where you might say something actionable or usable against you in a court of law. Remember, like the phone message says, this call IS being recorded. Say as little as possible, give as little information as possible, do not say anything that could be taken out of context as in any way being an admission that you owe anybody money, do not give them your social security number (last four digits MAX), do not give them your date of birth, do not give them your address (well, you can give them your street address, but not your city or zip) or anything else they can use to pull your credit report and tag it with a bogus report...
Note that I'm not saying Trulogic does stuff like this. I'm saying that debt collectors *IN GENERAL* do stuff like this. Debt collectors are debt collectors, no matter how high concept they try to be. Their job is to make money off of other people's financial problems, and it takes a special kind of person to do that. And by "special" I don't mean "honest, truthful, fair, and courteous".
-BT
How about this...I won't give them a shred of personal information because I don't owe them anything, nor ever will.
ReplyDeleteAll I want to know is how to make this stop for myself, and what to do to make their "company" stop doing this to other people. On what grounds can you file an FTC complaint if you're NOT on the Do-Not-Call list? I sure as hell don't want to wait for 31 days before I'm able to even attempt to put an end to this. (I refuse to call these SS bullies and deal with their mind games when it seems to have done nothing for the majority on this site).
Has anyone actually called Paul Konkel's home phone number? (303) 932-8718.
Anyone want a job with the Gestapo?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.truelogicfinancial.com/internet/careers/overview.aspx
Couldn't resist....
ReplyDeleteWell, BT, glad you eventually got rid of them. Pray tell, however, why should you (or anyone else) have to wait a month before they are "gracious" enough to take you off their list? Maybe I'm not as patient as you are, but after the conversation, I'd have been inclined to give them 7 days, MAX, before reporting them to anyone who might have a regulatory interest in these jokers. I say "would have been," because (although I was about to break down and press "1" to at least find out who they wanted), after getting the RoboCaller at 08:15 AM this morning (that's right, SUNDAY MORNING), I've had enough.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I was not planning on giving these folks squat worth of info., only tell them that (1) the person you probably want is not at this # and (2) you all have no business with me, you have 7 days to get me out of your database. B/c of my ex's financial problems, I had to educate myself quickly about collection agencies, fair debt coll. practices, & the like. I became acutely aware that many of these outfits skirt (if not outright ignore) the rules, some more shamelessly than others.
Just find a lawyer that sues collection agencies. He or she will tell you what to do. I think they're liable for a thousand bucks and attorneys fees if they ignore a proper letter. Our next door neighbor exclusively sues collection agencies and I understand she makes a good living at it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been called by them, but I am being sued for debt that isn't mine. To those who blast off at the mouth about "people should pay their debts", just realize that there are those of us who hit hard times that weren't our fault, and haven't been able to recover in a long time. Consequently we can also become victims of scams, thus making it even worse for us. Here's some real scumbags that need to be taken out... Erin Capital management in NYC and Gregory M. Maurer who works for a scam outfit called Wallet Recovery, also located in NYC. Hell, here's their phone numbers: Gregs is, 516-616-5502.
ReplyDeleteErin Capital managements is, 212.660.3124.
Call `em up and tell them what scum they are. They lied and manipulated people to get a summons through the court system without my knowledge, and now I am stuck trying to stop a garnishment that shouldn't even be taking place. Collection agencies and the people that work for them should be shot and the places blown up. Fuck `em all!
I filed a complained with the state. They sent a letter appologizing, and they haven't bothered me since. I suggest everyone else do the same. Maybe if the complaints add up they'll cut it out (or someone could get a class action against them).
ReplyDeleteWell, hopefully, my odyssey is about over. I bit, pressed "1", and actually got a live human who immediately asked to speak to someone with the same last name as mine, but an unfamiliar first name. Not here, never been here, not even related to one, as far as I know. Got a name of the rep I spoke to, at least.
ReplyDeleteNow the waiting begins. If the RoboCalls continue more than a week beyond today, the appropriate authorities will definitely be hearing from me...a lot of what they are doing (shotgun calls to anyone w/a similar-sounding name, not identifying themselves up front, e.g.,) is NOT right, period.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletewhat is this thing? ive been getting called at school and its really annoying...they dont leave messages they just call....what is this?
ReplyDeletewhen they call you at school, get a name and address. then go to where they are and kill them. eat their family and hump their pets.
ReplyDeleteI do not owe a thing and i get these harrasing calls too.i work 7 days a week and i use it as my wakeup call.it's free as well..When i change work hours i will have to take steps,but if thier is money in it i would sue..is thier??
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteErin Capital Management, Eltman, Eltman and Cooper, Wallet Recovery LTD, Gregory M. Maurer, Michael Shadders. All of these people and places are scam artosts of the highest order. They pay off courts to bypass the legal system and sue people that don't even owe the money.
ReplyDeleteGo to www.ripoffreport.com and read all about them. Sign up and write shit about these scumbag lowlifes. Let's put these assholes out of business!
Folks, no incitements to violence. These scumbags aren't worth jail time.
ReplyDelete-BT
so, you can't tell a joke when you see one?
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let everyone know... I took the advice a few weeks ago of faxing a form letter to these jokers, and within _one_ day the phone calls ceased! Just dig up a good legal sounding letter letting them know you know your rights, and aren't afraid to enforce them, fax it to the number posted above, and you should be free and clear!
ReplyDeleteSo I wonder.... can you fax a validation of debt letter?
ReplyDeleteHere is what you do about those crzy calls, especially from the illocigal TruLogic:
ReplyDeleteWrite a letter to your state's office of the Attorney General, explaining the problem with that company.
FAX a copy to the AG, and also to the company. Tru Logic's fax is 720-488-4296.
I just did that, and will let you know what happens next. I had to call the AG on another company, and it helped a lot!
I think Konkel is dead.
ReplyDeleteI saw an obit about a Paul Konkel, who passed away January 2005, who was a long time resident of Colordao Springs. Don't know if it is the same guy.
Oh yeah, and I just sent them a faxed copy of the complaint I filed with FTC.
I moved and got new phone # for about 2.5 month ago. Since last week, I started to receive call from the TrueLogic. The calls always came at week day and always rang at 8:05 to 8:10 am. Luckily for me it was the very time that I have my breakfast. After filling complaint to Donotcall.gov for EVERY single call, I decide to give them a ring today.
ReplyDeleteCalled the 1-866-488-4299 around 12:30pm EST, I just gave the lady who answered the phone the “reference #” that I was given. She asked if my name was “blah blah”. I said no and explained to her that I just got this phone # not long ago. To my surprise she immediately says that she will “remove the number from their list”. Let’s see if it would really happen!
One other though, I am wondering if this string of calls just caused by someone’s “mistake”. Then who should be held responsible for my trouble to deal with these calls and eventually forced to call back to “explain” myself to them?
ok, for two days, haven't heard from them. I faxed compaints to TruLogic, FTC, and the Attorneys General in my state and in Colorado. Alsi made sure our number was on "do not call" list.
ReplyDeleteSo far, so good!
Just FYI out there -
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these posts I sent TrueLogic a letter, actually using the words "cease and desist" - and told them I was sending an email (which I did) to the Colo. State Attorney General's office Collection Agency Board - cab@state.co.us. Interestingly enough they have said they have gotten many complaints. Their advice - specfically say don't call, say the phone number you are complaining about, and mail the letter "certified with return receipt requested."
Haven't gotten a call in three days.
Good luck,
Here's a phone# to call. 212-660-3146. After they answer, say this, in these exact words:
ReplyDeleteRemove me from your phone sex list.
I assure you, they will never bother you again.
another myspacer who is a skip tracer at TrueLogic.
ReplyDeletehttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=11083495
and others:
ReplyDeletehttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=48576360
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=54680054
WTF ? Now I'm getting called by this company, on my cell phone. I have no overdue debts. I've had my cell # for 8 months, only given it to friends and family, never use it for credit cards, online orders, or any other such purpose. I didn't answer the call, just silenced the ring til it left a message.
ReplyDeleteGot another call this morning. I just called the company at 866-488-4299 and after being on hold for approx 4 mins I spoke to a representative. I told her I'm getting daily calls to my cell phone, I have had my cell for 8 months, and I have no past-due debt. She immediately said "It's probably for the last person who had your number". She asked for my number, pulled up the record, and told me the first name of the person they are seeking. It's a guy, I'm female. She said she would remove my number. Hopefully it will truly be removed.
ReplyDeleteI recently received a call from the same company but didn't know it at first. The wife insist that I call it back and when I did was told that I owed $231.00 to a company I don't know of. They also mentioned that the debt was from 1996 (over 10 years ago). How the heck am I suppose to remember anything from that far back. My credit report doesn't show that I owe any company any money and I told the person that till they show me proof that I owe the money I refuse to pay it. How the heck do I know if this debt is legit?
ReplyDeleteI just find it amazing that these collection agencies are buying old debt at pennies on the dollar hoping to collect on them. The debt is 10 years old and as far as I'm concerned it won't show up on my credit report cause they only go back to about 10 years and it's not there now.
Good luck!!!
I have been receiving calls from TrueLogic at least 3 times a day for the last few weeks and I never answer them. I also received a letter in the mail explaining the debt owed. Here's the beauty of the situation, yes it was a valid debt from my college days, however it is only listed on one of my credit reports and it shows as paid as agreed. The statute of limitations ran out on it last year!
ReplyDeleteMore than likely they paid pennies for this VERY OLD account... now if only I can get them to stop harrassing me. Should I send a cease and desist letter or would that "wake the sleeping dog" so to speak? Any ideas?
I can't believe I read this whole thread - 8-(
ReplyDelete1st off peeps - the "No not call list" registery is for TeleMarketing calls only - Has nothing to do with "collections" - And even if you've done biz before with XYZ company, they still can "sales" call you.
2nd - If you do NOT owe these morons money (really) then send them a "Cease and desist" letter (registered mail - their address is posted through out this thread numerous times) - and then hope they actaully do call you again - Document and record each call (esp. if they're being as ugly as some of you claim - Man, go after them) How you ask? Will get to that in a minute. Take photos of the caller ID time / date / Number -
Now, for those that do owe these guys - that still does not give them the right to be assholes about it - and I would STRONGLY encourage all of you that are on either side of the fence here with this company to visit www.creditwrench.com on how to defend yourself - 50% of you all above are walking right into their "traps" and getting your BP pumped up for no good reason (now, don't get me wrong, if you don't owe them and they keep harrassing you - I am 1000% with you and you should be upset - But don't get mad, get even!! $$$$$$$ - FTC/FCC Consumer Rights VIOLATIONS can add up to big dollars - esp. if you are in the right (best be sure)!
As to "validating the debt" - It is on THEM to validate it to you - Again, go to creditwrench.com to see how to work this in YOUR favor. You can actually beat these idiots at their own game legally - There are 30 day rules - and you do have to do some "work" - but in the end, you can collect big.
For the person that asked and posted about a 20+ year old farm debt or something like that - The SOL (Statute of Limitations) has run out on that long ago - and 200 to 1 it is not on your credit report - They are barking up a dead tree (UNLESS, you have done something recently that made that 20 year old account "active" again) If so, that resets the clocks and you're now screwed.
As to blocking and jamming and all the other "tricks" suggested - I would just ignore them - Unless you can record their beligerant attitude - that is gold in court.
Again, go to creditwrench.com and listen and read about some of those collection stories and how to combat the calls - I've done it, and it works 100% of the time -
Cheers -
(PS: I have NO vested interest in www.creditwrench.cm - I'm just telling you it works...
I started getting calls from Truelogic about 2 months ago.After hitting the required buttons and getting hung up on I finally connected to a person about a month ago...seems they are looking for my ex-wife for debts she skayed on over 2 yrs. after I divorced her.I have NEVER owed money to anyone and do not now, but 'Truelogic told me if I wanted to keep MY credit report clean I should pay her debt...she has been remarried twice since me and I don't know how they got my number{same number I've had for over 10 yrs.}but they show her listed like 4 yrs. ago.aAnyways tell them it's not my debt remove my number from there list and so on...only to get called 3 times a day from then on!Got in touch with another live person explained that the debt was not mine or had anything to do with me,they said they'd remove from the list.That lasted 2 days, now getting called mutiple times a day{some with unknown caller on the ID}and they will NOT leave me alone!!This debt was NEVER mine(she ran up utilties and ran on them) and cannot get them to stop calling.Please if anyone wants to get a class action suit let me know...I want in,and I'm not like that normally.These 'bloodsuckers' need to get booted off the planet.They should allow only the original company to collect debt anyways.
ReplyDeleteI searched on an 800 my parents gave me-- guess what, same one.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happened:
I hooked up my spr*nt cell phone to my laptop a couple years ago. I checked THREE times-- they said there would be no extra charge.
Got the bill $$1800 !!!!
So I called them three more times; each time the rep said they would clear it.
But they keep calling !!
I happen to be a pengy too, btw
Blog: http://linux-society.blogspot.com
and
Linux Society Newbie Club http://care2.com/c2c/group/lnxsoc
ha! that's funny. ive just been gettn' the same thing for the past 2 months and they've just now started leaving messages for me to call the 1 866 #. and ive had my number for 3 years. i feel yuh.
ReplyDeleteYup, i've had my number 2 years and just got my first call - i figured i'd google it and found this page :P great fun.. lucky for me i got a HUMAN in under 5 minutes, so i was able to clear this out (i hope) this -is- a joke.. think i'll have alooksee at truelogic's numbers and skype-em right back! :P
ReplyDeleteGreat resource here, folks. I hope you can keep this comment thread up for a long time, as there is some very good info in it.
ReplyDeleteWe just started getting these calls to our office line, which (apparently) used to be the home number for someone who had ran up a lot of debts. We are used to fielding calls from debt collectors for this person, explaining that dopey Verizon just gave us the next available number, and it happens to have been the number of a deadbeat who we don't know and, no, we don't have any forwarding info on her. No big deal, until the True Logic calls started.
Our workaround will be more simple: I think we are going to change the number for our landline business phone. It will be a hassle for our customers at first, but we don't do a lot of phone business -- everything is internet these days -- so won't be crippling.
If anyone gets a class action suit going against these clods, let me know! I'm in.
I've also been receiving automated messages from this company on my answering machine. I ignored them until yesterday, when I returned the call. A gentleman (& I used that term loosely) named "Mark" came on the line. I asked Mark what type of business his company is involed in, but all he would tell me is the name of the company, "True Logic Financial Corporation" and demand the reference number they gave me. He became abusively rude when I asked him to be more specific regarding the nature of his business.
ReplyDeleteWell, since turnabout is fair play, I refused to give him the information he wanted, told him where he could stick his attitude and hung up.
I called them again today, and was met by a very nice gentleman. I gave the reference number only to find they were looking for someone named "Dian* Adam*". I am male and informed him I don't know this person and I have had my phone number for over 6 years. He assured me my number would be removed from her contact information. We'll see how long that takes.
However, some of you might benefit from this little bit of information. Pursuant to 15 US Code 1692c(c), debt collectors are required to cease and desist contact or communication with you upon receipt of a letter demanding this from you. - Google "cease and desist collections" to find sample letters you can use. Send that letter 'certified', 'return receipt required' in order to have evidence of the date they received the letter.
Additionally, inform them in your letter that 15 US Code 1692k may entitle you to actual damages, court costs, attorney fees and up to $1,000.00 in statutory damages if they fail to cease communication.
You will definitely want to file formal complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (who enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act), as well as the Attorney Generals' offices in both Colorado and your state if they fail to discontinue contact with you. Your complaints strengthen their actions against collection agencies.
Wish you all the best of luck.
They have sunk to a new low with me... calling out through my answer machine to me and my husband by our first names... ex: "oh suzy, and bob, where are you guys? I guess you're not home so I'll call back!" They even faked a southern accent - I guess because I live in Virginia! I ran to look at the caller ID and thought "who the heck is that?" so I decided to look up the phone number and now I've found this blog. What a racket... beware!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all this info, am glad to see that I'm not alone and have a place to vent! I got a new phone number about 4 months ago and have gotten a long spate of phone calls for a Maria Lang, Maria Lane, or Mary Lang or some combination thereof. The phone company assures me that this number hasn't been in use for over a year, but I get calls from True Logic, a car financing company, an insurance company, as well as the Chicago School district about her truant child!
ReplyDelete