I just got my mail today and much to my surprise was a letter addressed to my in a blank window envelope with a hand written return address. I was intrigued because I don't get mail in business envelopes with a 'hand written' return address. I open the letter and it is from NCRS-Collection Recovery. The letter has an invoice number consisting of 11 digits and 4 letters. I have no idea what the heck this is. The letter states the follows:
With regards to your account with us, we have been unsuccessful in having any response from you either by phone or by mail. Because of this situation, your fees are multiplying.
This account will be going into court at the end of MARCH with our legal team!!!
This is very serious!
If this goes to the attorney's, it will become very costly to you. Please contact me ASAP to stop court proceedings and let us both work together to get this account paid off. ASAP!!!
Sincerely, 704-464-6550 (hand written)
Judith Nye/Collection Manager
Pay cancellation fee of $189.99 (hand written) asap or additional fee of $300.00 will apply along with court costs! This must be paid by 03/01/09
Pay or Call (hand written) ASAP (hand written thick black marker)
I had no idea what this could be from and instead of throwing the letter away I decided to call this lady. I called the number and a woman answers the phone by saying, 'Hello'. I thought I would at least have some sort of official greeting saying the name of the company. I said, "Uh, I got a letter." She said, "Oh, hold on." After a several minutes she finally came back to the phone. I could hear her talking to someone and rustling around. I thought maybe she was getting someone else to speak with me. She said, 'ok, thanks for holding.' I said that I had gotten a letter from her today and I have no idea what it is about. She asks for the Invoice number. I gave her the first few numbers of the invoice number and she said that was all she needed and to hold on while she brought up my account information. I could hear her walking off and rustling around. She then addressed me by name and address and told me that I had signed up to receive some magazines. I started to say that I had not and she interrupted me and said it was on April 4 at night. She said that I signed a 5 year contract to receive several magazines and she named off several magazines that I don't ever remember signing up for. I had fallen for the magazine scams back that many years ago, but I know that I never received the magazines that she is referring to. She stated that I did cancel the magazine deal but there was fine print that states that I have to pay a cancellation fee.
I kind of chuckled at her and said, "Um, this was from 2002?" She then stated that they are working with the attorney general's office trying to close down this company because what they are doing is wrong. She said that she has spoken to several people and she needs to get someone from each state so that she is taken seriously. She stated that they will take me to court and it will cost over $3000 in fees. She said that $3000 is not a lot of money to some people and I interrupted her and said that it is to me! She responded by stating that it is a lot of money to her too. She said not to worry that this letter was a good letter and she is trying to help me out of the situation. She said that the attorney general is allowing her to send one letter to individuals before they are taken to court to try and resolve the issue. She said that some people call her and don't do anything about it and then they end up calling her back when they find out there is a lien on their house. She was acting very nice but I was still very skeptical. She said she has fallen for these types of scams before and said she recently gave out her credit card number to the Magic Jack people and she never received the Magic Jack. She just kept going on and on calling me sweetie and acting very nice.
Finally she said that once I paid this off I just need to keep a copy of the letter and keep her phone number because if this company comes after me again I will have proof that it is paid in full. I then asked her if I was sending the money to her? She said no the money wasn't going to her it was going to the collection agency to in turn be paid to SEF. I finally just said okay. I asked her again for the company name of the place I supposedly got magazines from and she gave it to me - South Eastern Family Publishers. I knew I had to do some research and there is no way in the world that I am going to send this lady my money, but I certainly don't want to be taken to court.
I know there are other rip off reports out there regarding this scam - what ever happened with yours? I am very curious.
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