I recently received a collection letter from the JBC Legal Group in an attempt to collect on a stolen check written to Ames Department Stores in october. When I called to request infomation from JBC on which store the check was written at and to get contact information for the Ames Department stores corporate offices the person I was speaking with became very rude and refused to provide me with any information.
They then told me I should just call 411 information to get the contact for Ames so I could call them myself. What a surprise when I found information on the web that Ames Department Stores had ceased business operations and closed all stores in the United States in 2002.
Fortunately I have an affidavit from my old bank that this was stolen check.
This is not the first bogus collection attempt I have received regarding old or bogus debts. This company appears to be searching credit buruea reports for individuals who have less than stellar credit ratings and are trying to bully them into paying for something they have no legal claim to.
If you get a collection notice from JBC or any other collection agency trying to collect on a debt you have settled or you know is not valid, challenge the claim, insist they provide proof the debt is valid, and if it involves any contract you MAY have signed insist the collection agency send you a copy of the signed contract.
Always remember, the burden of proof is on the collection agency to prove a debt is valid, if they cannot produce the proof they cannot collect. Challenging a bogus claim like this may take a little leg work, but if you stick to your guns and keep good records on the collection agency's contact with you and all your responses you can stop them in their tracks.
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