Ever hear of "Collection Bureau of America"?

[CatWoman]

I got a call from them last week, trying to collect (according to them) a past due Comcast bill in the amount of $20.74. According to them, the debt dates back to 2007.

I called Comcast and they had the national office reply to me.

Not only do I not owe them anything, but my bill has NEVER been past due. They knew nothing about this collection agency.

I then did some goggling and found out that this "company" does this routinely - also to people who have never even used Comcast. Not only that, they have been posting negative reports on consumer's credit reports.

I called the collection agency and left a message asking that they send me some sort of documentation. I'm going to use this to file a complaint against them.

I'm posting this as a warning to any and all who these scumbags may have contacted.

check out customer/victim reviews: http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/forums/cba-collection-bureau-1.html

[virgogal]

1. Thanks for that info. Most helpful.

[farmout rightarm]

2. Even more frightening is that any of the 3 credit bureaus would accept reports from

what seems to be a bogus 'company'...what the hell is up with THAT??

[HillbillyBob]

3. There are several 'agencies' that do this.

nyt

[Hepburn]

5. And there are some that buy uncollectible debts for cents on the dollar...

...and harras people until they pay up on these uncollectible accounts.

Real assholes.

[pipi_k]

9. That happened to me back in 2005

I almost allowed myself to be intimidated by them until I did some research.

Then I reported them to the Attorneys General of the appropriate states (it was actually two separate agencies in two different states).

Result...

They backed off and left me alone.

Moral of the story...people have to do their research before doing anything at all.

But the OP did the appropriate thing to start...demand that they provide PROOF that the debt is owed. NEVER make arrangements to pay just a portion or whatever. If the debt is beyond the statute of limitations (each state has its own rules on this), agreeing to make payments on a debt they can't legally collect on will reopen it and it WILL appear on credit reports.

These people are bottom feeders of the lowest order.

[dana_b]

12. good for you

did it effect your credit? I hope not.

[pipi_k]

19. Didn't affect my credit one bit

Although if I had allowed myself to be intimidated and agreed to make payments, that would have started the whole thing up again and would have dropped my credit score.

And here is where they show themselves for the total shitty scumbags they really are...

The debt had been written off in 1986. I was having lots of problems, and never paid it, although I did pay off some other debts. So nearly 20 years later, these shitheads are harassing me to pay...get this...$5,000 on a debt that, in 1986, was not even $1500. And which probably cost them $50.00 to buy from the "old debts" vaults of the bank.


First thing they could not prove was that I owed THEM the money. It wasn't even legally theirs to have.

Bastards!

[dana_b]

27. damn!

and think of the poor folks who don't know enough or who are intimidated by them. They probably pay it.

[pipi_k]

31. I know...

that's why it always pays to be a little skeptical about just about everything. It helps if people have access to information, as well. I learned all I found out right on the Internet.

I think in general, if people have any doubts at all about something, they should either search for company names online, or if they don't have access, have a friend or relative with a computer do it.

Don't be afraid to tell these guys to back off a bit while one gets information.

[Hepburn]

30. The "biggie" that does this is...

...a collection agency that has "Alliance" in its name ~~ drawing a blank on the complete name right now. They are particularly found of AT&T accounts that are uncollectible because they are barred by the statute of limitations.

[pipi_k]

33. Just checked my files...

The two companies in collaboration in my case were "Merchants' Credit Guide Co" out of Chicago, and NCO Portfolio Management, Inc., out of New York.


If you do a Google search using the company names with:

+ zombie

after it, you'll get lots of information on what they've done



I did the same thing using "Alliance"...is the company "Alliance One", maybe?

[Hepburn]

36. Yes, I believe it is Alliance One...

...thanks!

And also and thank you for the search tip. I will be using that! :hi:

[dana_b]

4. wow - what a bunch of scumbags

glad you had the sense to check into it. Who can you file a complaint with?

[CatWoman]

8. I'm thinking the Better Business Bureau

for starters.

[pipi_k]

10. In case you don't see my reply above...

also report it to the Attorney General of whatever state the company is in.

They'll probably send you some forms to fill out and stuff, and it will probably take a few months, but they can get these people out of your hair.

:)

[CatWoman]

14. LOL

Thanks :)

BTW - They are headquartered in California.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. My son has been getting letters from a collection agency

claiming he owes money on a credit card he never had. He called the bank that supposedly issued this card and they had no record of it. They said there are agencies that do this all the time and he should just ignore it.

[Hawkeye-X]

7. I quit Comcast years ago.

No bills from them, but I still get collection notice for a $300+ bill from Tmobile which is under a false SSN.

I tell them to check their SSN against mine, and find out it's not mine, and they just pass the buck.

I've had like, 5 different collection agencies trying to get a dime out of me from that bill. No dice. They finally gave up and wrote it off
AND put it on my credit report. I'm still trying to fight it off, but fuck it.

Hawkeye-X

[Forkboy]

11. Sorry, I needed the dosh.

If I had known it was you though I would have jibber jabbered for a lot longer....

:yoiks:

[CatWoman]

15. now try to guess which one of those hearts came from me

:)

[Forkboy]

18. Well, I'm hoping it was one of the "Be Mine" ones.

:hug:

[CatWoman]

21. ding!! ding!!! ding!!!

:)

[Forkboy]

26. Awesome!!! I'll be there this weekend.

:D

[DCBob]

13. Lowest form of life..

Tell they to prove it and then ignore them.

[Crabby Appleton]

16. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

http://www.ftc.gov/

Your state Attorney General office can usually help also.

[jtrockville]

17. Better off deadbeat.

This story was posted on DU a few weeks ago. It's about a man who sues debt collectors who violate the state's laws:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2010-01-21/news/better-off-deadbeat-craig-cunningham-has-a-simple-solution-for-getting-bill-collectors-off-his-back-he-sues-them

I'd think trying to collect a debt not owed is a violation in any state. There are lots of good resources in the article.

[pipi_k]

20. You know what sucks?

From all the reading I did back in 2005, there was nothing...in my state, anyway...which said that trying to collect on one of these debts was a violation of any law.

In fact, they can even take a person to court, although few of them actually do.

The only laws they have to follow are the ones set down by the FTC on when and how they can contact people, and what they can and cannot say.

Scary, isn't it?

[CatWoman]

22. thanks, JT

:hi:

[bemildred]

23. I had some guy call me up to confirm I was on the "Do Not Call" list, does that count? nt

[CatWoman]

24. I hope you hung up on him

:grr:

[bemildred]

25. Yeah, he asked me to confirm my phone number.

That's when I hung up. Sales 101, get them to agree to something obvious ...

[supernova]

28. Also file a complaint w/ the GA attorney general

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a classic scam artist.

[H2O Man]

29. Good advice.

[TexasObserver]

32. Please call your state Attorney General and talk to Consumer Fraud.

File your complaint with them. They'll send you a form, I imagine.

The AG can stop them from doing business in your state, and maybe prosecute them for fraud.

[Pithlet]

34. I wonder if that's the outfit that tried to scam me with a past due AT&T bill.

A couple of years ago I started getting harassed about an "old AT&T bill". I told them it was interesting that this would come up since I'm in such good standing with them now. Why would they have given me a contract with such good terms now if I'd had something outstanding like that? That didn't satisfy them. Finally I just told them to send me something in the mail. They asked for my address. I told them they should already have that and hung up. The calls stopped.

[spanone]

35. don't we have any consumer protection agencies anymore?