Returned their call after they left messages on my phone and my mother in law's phone. I thought it was odd that they asked for me by my maiden name (I've been married for over three years) yet called my mother in law's home. I never lived with her, had mail sent to her home, or used her as a reference or contact under my maiden name. The man that answered my call asked for a reference number, which the caller, a Miss Harris, did not leave in either message. He then asked for the phone number they called, and I provided mine.
He asked if my name was * *, and I told him that yes, that had been my maiden name. He did not ask for my married name, and I did not offer it. He said that he was with a collection company that was now the owner of a credit card debt that I owed to a Bank of Marin. I vaguely recognize that name — if I owe them money, the debt has to be at least 8-10 years old. I stated that I would need to see something in writing before doing anything about it. He said that a letter was sent to me and gave a PO box address that I don't recognize (could have been one of mine, though, I've had a few.)
He said that if I did not respond to that letter, they would report the debt (which he said was a little over $1100, with interest and fees) to the IRS as unreported income, and that I would have to pay fees and penalties on that amount to them. I stated again that I would have to see in writing what he was talking about. He grew audibly angry/frustrated and informed me that this had been on my credit report for a long time, and that I should have seen and cleared it up by now anyway, that he was "trying to help clear this up, " and that the "gentleman in the background" (I assume he meant the background noise from my kids and the TV) were not going to help me clear this up.
He reiterated that I would have to pay the IRS "heavy fees and penalties, " then stated that he could not help me as he could not hear me (he hadn't paused long enough for me to say anything and was speaking in a very angry tone of voice) and that if PO Box # was not my address, he could not help me. He then hung up. He never said his name or the name of the company. I didn't see the phone number they called from, as my cell phone screen is cracked, but the number they left for me to call back was 866-946-1358. After speaking with him, I went online and pulled my credit report from all three agencies. There is no credit card debt listed for Bank of Marin, or listed as being held by them. Nor is there any credit card debt even approaching $1100
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