I started receiving numerous phone calls (every 30 min to hour apart) and voice mail messages saying that I needed to contact "Jessica Smith" (speaking with a very deep Indian or Asian accent) concerning a time sensitive matter or to have my "attorney of record" contact this Ms. Smith.
I actually answered the phone one time and was told by a Mr. James Watson (also with a deep foreign accent) that my phone call was being recorded by the Capitol building in California and that I was being sued by a court in California for a failure to pay on a payday loan that I had taken out in October - I do have payday loans that are being handled by a legitimate consolidation company - so I thought this one might be one of those, not. Mr. Watson proceded to tell me that the company claims I defaulted on my loan (of which there is no record in my bank account) and that rather than contact me to collect their payment, they were taking me to court on three Federal Charges. 1) Theft by fraudlent means (it was hard to tell what he was saying, so these may not be exact) 2) interstate money fraud and one other one that I cannot remember.
He said in order that I had until 5pm that day (and the first phone calls were the night before) to either have my attorney contact them or to pay the full amount owed, which with principle, interest, fees etc., was $1098.89.
I told him I did not have access to that amount of money and he then told me I could write an "apology" letter and ask for payment arrangements and to make sure that the letter was faxed to "Federal Legislation of Unsecured Loans" attn: Mr. James Watson - give my name and last 4 of my SSN and my payment dates. I was to fax that to him prior to 5pm that day.
I called my consolidation company and they told me that several of their clients have had these same people calling and harrassing them, saying that they were working with the FBI or CIA and that Federal Agents would be coming to the person's house to seize their assets and take them to prison.
I will be filing claims with the BBB, my state Attorney General and the FTC.
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