I recieved a letter from Check Processing Bureau a few months ago who claimed I owed $179.66 for a check I wrote back in 1999. I've rarely frequented the Deb Shop and asked them a few questions about their "claim".
They could not tell me which store recieved the check, they could not tell me when I wrote it, what bank it was drawn from, or even what check number it was! All they could tell me was that I owed them $179.66 and if I didn't send cash through Western Union, Criminal and/or Civil action would be taken against me and a warrent for my arrest would be taken out.
Of course I was suspicious since the ONLY way they would accept payment was cash through Western Union, so I began to do some research. I found nothing on the internet that told me their company was legit. I even tried to map out the directions to their physical address, and found there was no suite number in existance for that address.
I pulled my credit reports to check on it, and found nothing being owed to Deb Shop Inc, so I contacted the Deb Shop who told me I did indeed have a bad check but only in the amount of $29 and some change and they said Telecheck was handling it. I then contacted Check Processing Bureau and spoke with the famous Mr Sanford Hutton who told me if I wanted to pay Telecheck, I could but he would need me to fax him a copy of the receipt. When I asked for a Tax ID number in order to verify the legitemacy of his company, he failed to supply it.
I looked up Telecheck on Google and immediately found it and contacted them. They had my $29 claim, however since it was more than 7 years old, it was pretty much deleted out of their system and that I shouldn't have to worry about it since it's not even on my credit reports. When I asked about the possibility of Check Processing Bureau taking the claim over, they told me there was nothing in their notes about anyone else taking it over and neither the representitive, nor her supervisor have ever even heard of Check Processing Bureau.
I'm still recieving threatening letters from this company claiming I owe them this money and it's been turned over to their "Fraud Division". They claim, a warrent is being taken out for my arrest. When I spoke with the rep from Telecheck, she told me if I don't have any problems with my checks being processed by now, I shouldn't worry about it and that this Check Processing Bureau is most likely a scam. When I tried to look up information again, I found this website and a letter another had written about this company. I felt like I was reading my own story!
Be warned, if they can't provide you with the simplest of information and cannot provide a Tax ID number, chances are it's a scam. I'm just glad I didn't send them any money and until they can prove to me they are legit, I won't.
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