I am adding to the numorous complaints on this site for this "aollection company". I got the letter just yesterday with the words "Settlement Offer" up at the top and as I read I realize this "debt" was back when I was married and I have been divorced for 9 years. They claim they are collecting for T-Mobile, and I have read many other complaints that they seem to gravitate around the cell phone bill scam. I am sending them a certified letter Monday morning that states the following:
Afni Collections, Inc.
P.O. Box 3427
Bloomington, IL 61702-3427
To whom it may concern:
This letter is being sent to formally dispute the validity of an alleged debt, in its entirety, of $ from a creditor known as “T-Mobile” for an account (Afni Collections account number #-#). Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, I am formally requesting validation—in full—of the alleged debt on which you are attempting to collect.
Be aware that this letter is not a request for address validation; this letter is to formally dispute the validity of the alleged debt that is listed on the collection notice and demand that the debt validation is provided to me, by you, in its entirety in accordance with both federal and Georgia laws.
All communications and correspondence pertaining to this matter are to be carried out via the United States Postal Service at the mailing address found below and not by way of telephone, e-mail, or any form of electronic communication. Furthermore, all forms of correspondence pertaining to this matter received at and sent from said mailing address have and will be photocopied and retained for any and all future legal proceedings if necessary.
My specific dispute with the Afni Collections, Inc. Alleged debt is based on the fact that the alleged account with T-Mobile was more than seven years ago. As such, I dispute the validity of this debt and formally request evidence of validation in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. I am requesting that the following information be supplied by your agency: a detailed description of the product and/or service for which this alleged debt is owed; an itemized description of how the alleged debt was calculated; and copies of all documents showing that I agreed to purchase any product and/or service in addition to paying for a product and/or service from a creditor known as “T-Mobile.”
Be advised that the hardcopy and photocopies of the Afni Collections, Inc. Collection notice and all future documentation pertaining to this matter have and will be retained and/or photocopied for use by my attorney and each agency that I am contacting regarding this situation.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
I found a helpful blog that gave essentially step-by-step information on how to deal with this scam and copied and pasted the bulk of this letter from that site. Http://afnifraud. Blogspot.com / I'm not trying to endorse anything, but having no clue where to begin, this was very helpful for me. One thing I have found that it is essential that a person respond within 30 days of the initial contact to dispute the fraud. They take something that is SO old you can't remember if you've paid it or even if its valid and anticipate people just settling so it won't be a bad mark against their credit score. This company should be investigated and SHUT DOWN for their illegal practices!
Important to know:
"Here's what it states in the FDCPA - Section 809 - Validation of debts [15 USC 1692g]: (b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. If a collection agency can't verify a debt they are not allowed to collect or contact you about the debt. They are also not allowed to report it to the credit bureaus under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Doing so is a violation of the FCRA, and the FCRA states that you can sue for $1,000 in damages for any violation of the Act."
What I think is amazing is that they are actually on the BBB.org Better Business Buaera website as a company in good standing despite the Thousands of claims they have against them. I found more contact info on them there as well:
Name: Afni, Inc. Phone: (877) 403-0670
Fax: (309) 828-0931
Address: 404 Brock Dr Bloomington, IL 61701-2654
Website: www.afnicollections.com
www.afniupsourcing.com
Original Business Start Date: January 1936
Principal: Mr. Ronald L. Green, President/COO
Customer Contact: Mr. Tim Carmazino, Compliance Associate - [email protected]
Email Address: [email protected]
Employees: 625
Type of Business: Collection Agencies
BBB Accreditation: Afni, Inc. Is a BBB Accredited business.
Additional DBA Names: Afni/BloomAnderson Financial Network, Inc. Anderson Financial NetworkAFNI
Additional Addresses
PO Box 3097
Bloomington, IL 61702-3097
PO Box 3427
Bloomington, IL 61702-3427
Additional Phone Numbers Tel: (866) 425-1601
Tel: (866) 307-9197
Additional Email Addresses [email protected]
I will update on the response from AFNI when I receive it. I just want everyone to know they may be a collection agency but they are not above the law.
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