by Contributor
(Apr. 16, 2021) — Debt collection scam is not that rare among consumers as you may have thought. The Federal Trade Commission receives multiple complaints every day. Scam collectors don’t mind using abusive tactics, including threats, numerous repeated phone calls, and involving family members. The best way to end these scam calls is to ask Debt Stoppers law firm to act on their behalf. You may also consider the following actions.
The so-called phantom debt collection happens all the time. You receive a call from a person who calls themselves a debt collector, attorney, or law enforcement officer. Even if you don’t know about any existing debt, they still claim you have the load, balance of the credit card, or any other sort of debt to pay and demand immediate payment. You will be surprised how many people in this stressed situation choose to pay just to avoid lawsuits.
While on rare occasions, this can be a mistake of the real debt collectors who confused the consumer with the debtor because of the name or address, more often, consumers receive calls from scammers. Frauds gather information about you by hacking your accounts and searching you on social networks. Providing you with several proofs of your identity, they act quickly, confusing and threatening you.
Signs of Fake Collectors
There are several signs of scammers who ask for your money. While they sound like real collectors, you still may discover their true nature. Pay attention to:
- The way a fake collector threatens you with arrest. Legitimate collectors must not do this according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau;
- The timeline. Usually, fake collectors demand immediate payments. They don’t give you any time to think about your actions. The more relaxed you are and the more time you have to think about this situation, the more chances they will lose you;
- The methods of payment. Frauds ask to receive payments via wire transfer, prepaid debit cards, or gift cards. They are harder to trace, which makes them a favorite for scammers.
What Can You Do?
Here are the steps to take when you suspect you are being targeted by frauds:
- Always insist on their identification. They must provide you the name, name of the company, address, phone number, and even license number. If you have debts to pay, you need to make sure that these collectors are not fake;
- Demand detailed information about your debt. Federal law allows you to ask for the validation notice written on official paper from collectors’ companies. They must specify the creditor’s original name, the claim, and put official signatures there;
- Check your personal credit report after the call. Don’t pay anything before you do this. The debt must be listed. You may also receive a free report from TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax in 2021;
- Search the phone number of the caller on the Internet. If you see any complaints of the consumers who were fooled before, you can report the scam immediately.
Things You Mustn’t Do
If you receive a suspicious call from the so-called “debt collectors,” never rush with anything they demand from you. Here is the list of “don’ts” you have to memorize and always use in such situations:
- Don’t provide any more data about yourself to anyone who calls and names themselves a debt collector. Real debt collectors already have the information they need about you from the creditor;
- Never discuss your debt with a caller you don’t know without any legal documents;
- Never make any payments without being totally sure of the realness of the situation.
Avoiding Frauds
No matter whether you have debt or not, you have to be aware of the possibility of being targeted by scammers. In such situations, you have to stay calm. Check the information several times and don’t rush with paying anything.