I got a letter the other day from a company claming that I owed them money for a bad check. They said that check fraud is a crime in the state of Michigan and that I could be subject to civil or criminal actions if I do not pay. Well, I looked at this letter and noticed a few alarming things about it.
To begin, I'll point out that there was no bank name, check number, or contact from previous debt collector. The only thing that was on there was a case number and an amount for $160. I called this company twice and got an answering machine both times. I noticed that there are only 2 voices on all of the extentions that I dialed.
Next I called my bank that I have had for 8 years now and asked them about this company and this amount. They told that they haven't seen anything come through the bank for that amount and that if there was a bad check there would be a different process. They had never heard of this company. I then called the FBI in New York, NY and told them the whole scenario. They told me that they don't think that there is an office for this company at that address and that it is right down the street from the Federal Building in NY. I have since then been contacted by the FBI who told me that this company is a scam and they have passed on the investigation to their fraud division.
After my research I got a phone call from this company because I had called them. The man sounded foney and transferred me to a rather rude indivisual. Well I know debt collectors and I knew how to catch this guy. Like many of you have figured out, he could not tell me what bank the check was written from, what the account number was or anything. He told me a check number and said that there was a check written in May for the amount of $37 to Formal Wear and that it has accumulated to $160 over the years. Well, I told him if that were true then it would be on my credit and why would care about something almost 8 years old? I asked him what bank it was and he told me that the actual check was in archives (complete BS!). I asked him where the check was written and he said in Michigan.
That is when I unloaded on him. I told him that he was lieing and he is just trying to scam me out of money which he will never get. I said that it's odd that a check could be written here in Michigan when in May I was living in New Mexico at the time graduating from and about to join the military. He told me to check my bank and I said I did and then this is when I scared him. I told him that I had contacted the FBI and if they in deed were a scam then they would be going down for a federal crime because it crossed the state line when he decided to mail me in Michigan. He said something about a lawyer and quickly hung.
Don't be scammed, be smart. We can take these down and put them in a federal prison where they belong. Contact the New York, NY FBI and the NY Attorney Generals Office. Scum like this will have no where to hide!
Chris
Clinton Twp, Michigan
U.S.A.
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