We have started getting harassing voicemails, with the following message: "Please return my call on 1-800-860-0644. Again, the number is 1-800-860-0644. This communication will be with a debt collector in an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose."
We don't owe any debt, and the credit reports we obtained today do not show any fraudulent activity or signs of ID theft (yet.)
We have searched the number on the web, and found several websites including this one, which seem to indicate that they are scammers using various techniques to "redesign" debt and extort people for money they don't owe. The number also returned the names NCO Financial and NCO Portfolio Management, based in Horsham, PA. NCO Group is reported to have paid $1.5M to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by reporting inaccurate information about consumer accounts to credit bureaus.
Given what we're dealing with, we have decided to take the following steps:
1. We have placed fraud alerts with the 3 credit agencies (Equifax, Experian & Transunion), followed by letters detailing the situation. We have also subscribed to a 3-in-1 monitoring service which allows us to check our credit report online at any time, and will send us alerts of any changes to our credit.
2. We filter our calls and will never speak to them directly. We expect them to eventually send us a collection letter, which we will forward to our attorney for appropriate action.
3. We keep a log of all their calls (date and time,) which we will foward with a complaint to the FTC, the Consumer Division of our state's Attorney General, our local sheriff's department, and our phone company's unlawful call center.
4. Once we get a letter from them with a name and address, we will check if they have an agent of representation in our state, and if so we will file a small claims suit to recoup the costs of time and money spent (we keep logs.)
5. If their actions still harm us or our credit in any time, we will consider a civil lawsuit.
If anyone has other suggestions, we will be happy to know about them. We are also ready to participate in any collective complaint or lawsuit against them. Scumbags like that belong in jail.
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