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Afni Collections Complaints - These rip-offs must be punished for what they are doing!

Review all Afni Collections complaints

Afni Collections
Posted: 2007-01-10 by Vicki [send email]
These rip-offs must be punished for what they are doing!
Complaint Rating: 93 % with 355 votes
I received a collections notice from Afni, Inc., also Afni Collections stating that I owed Verizon Communications a bill for an outrageous amount of $637.25. I only owe Verizon for my current phone service.

Verizon stated that I only owe for my current bill. I have never at anytime ever owed Verizon this amount. If I ever did, I seriously doubt if I would have any type of phone service available to me today.

When I went to their website, it is a fake too! These ripoff con artists need to be stopped and prevented from pulling this with anyone else. Also from causing Verizon a needless bad reputation.

The phone number they are using on the bill they sent to me is not even my correct phone number. These rip-offs need stopped and punished for what they are doing and trying to do!
Comments United States Collections Agencies
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More Afni Collections complaints
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Afni Collections - recieved settlement offer re money owed to Verizon on account never owned and name not used in 2o years plus name is spelled incorrectly
Afni Collections - Fraudulent Billing
Afni Collections - Fraudrulent Bill Claim
Afni Collections - fraudulent debt collection
Afni Collections - past due verizon phone bill
Afni Collections - Harassment!

Comments

477 days ago by Lisa [send email]
Wow! Thanks, you guys. I was just searching the net for info on how to deal with a claim that didn't make sense and came across this. I too got a notice from the p.o. 4115. I'm in L.A. I just don't get why Verizon hasn't done anything about this. It's nuts. I found a legit site that shows Afni has been in biz for 70 years. I will get in touch with the bbb and the Calif attorney general. I just hope this doesn't become a problem with my credit report.
476 days ago by Livia [send email]
Everyone! contact your state's attorney general office, the BBB, local news stations TV and print get the word out anyway you can! They have messed with the wrong girl! Hell will be raised! C'mon everyone!
L.
476 days ago by Trudy [send email]
I received my notice from Afni today, 4/19/07, of a debt I allegedly owe to Verizon Wireless in the amount of $133.27. The notice return address is P.O. Box 3427, Bloomington, Il. 61702-3427. The zip code from which is was mailed in 94520, which is not in Illinois. Interesting.

This is a notice that I paid off and Verizon dinged my credit for, turned it into a different collection agency and finally, finally wrote me a letter stating that they had reported it in error the first time and expunged it from my credit report. This all began i 200o and was resolved in 2004! What concerns me about all of the posts on this topic is that appears to be minimal outrage at the complete lack of responsibility on Verizon Wireless' part to protect consumer information. Posts above indicate that people have not ever even had service with Verizon, yet when they or others speak with Verizon they say they have recently sold some 'old debt' to Afni. Mine isn't old debt, I don't owe them anything. I never did. Others who have not ever had service with them don't fall into the category of 'old debt'. It seems that Verizon is responsible for this mess for releasing consumer information to a fraudulent collection agency in the first place. Has anyone contacted any attorneys regarding class action suits against both AFNI and Verizon? I plan to register complaints with the BBB, AFNI, VERIZON Wireless and my Attorney General's Office. I also intend to insist that Verizon clear this situation up, as it is they who have caused it. I have already spent the better part of 3 months, 3 years ago,working with them to get the first collection situation resolved, when it should have never happened to begin with.

If there is a suit filed or anyone is planning one please contact me. Consumers have a hard enough time surviving under the power of the credit scoring scheme without this kind of nonsense going on.
475 days ago by Livia [send email]
Okay I called Afni today and actually talked to someone. His name is Tim. He pretty much said that I was a victim of identity theft and to file a complaint at the Afni website, which I did. I've filed complaints with the FTC, the BBB and my state attorney general and put a fraud alert on my credit. I haven't been able to see my credit from two of the bureaus so I'm freaking out. I then also sent an email to a local TV station to see if the fraud investigator there may be interested, hey thought I'd give it a shot. I also signed up for a myspace account to see if there were more victims out there, but then I canceled it. This is really freaking me out! Verizon has been no help at all either.
474 days ago by Beverly [send email]
I got a letter today stating I owe a bill from 1997. I'm glad I did some research on it and don't plan on paying them one red cent. This type of stuff should be illegal. I'm going to request a copy of the bill but still won't pay it. I have no idea what my phone number was 10 years ago much less if I paid the bill. I've already talked to the FTC and plan on talking to the Texas AG's office to file a complaint. I hope more people do their research and this company is put out of business.
474 days ago by Katygirl [send email]
I received a letter today from AFNI regarding a 1997 landline that I have no recollection of ever having. I called CS and the nice woman pulled up the record to tell me when the account was opened (6/1997) and the last bill (11/1997). This last date has to be an error as I lived in the apartment until 12/1997 and had the phone on until 12/31/1997.

I told the rep that yes I did live at the address and other addresses from 5 years previous (1992) but that that still didn't make it my debt. She then went on to name people who also lived at that address around the same time...one being someone who sublet the apartment when I moved out. (I hope they don't try to go after her!)

I informed her that the date is outside the statute of limitations and she confirmed that it could not be reported to the credit bureaus. She then went on to state that they can still collect on it and that she would be willing to settle the account... I told her I refused to pay for an account that I did not believe was mine....

She tried to tell me that refusal to pay would hinder my ability to get a car (just bought a new one!), buy a house (own one!) and also have to put a deposit on a home phone (never!) and cell phone (never! I've had verizon wireless for 3 years!!!)

I'll be sending out a validation letter that spells out completely what I would like to receive as validation including copies of bills. As I know for a fact I had no outstanding balance on this account (had 2 gte accounts and 3 bellsouth phone lines immediately after moving from documented address).

By law, AFNI can come after me in TX or IL. As they are completely time-barred in TX, they can only come after me in IL. Unfortunately, they can't make the argument that a landline account is a "written contract" so they are time-barred there also.
473 days ago by Will Simon [send email]
I just checked my credit report and found that i owe AFNI $ 116 from what debt I don't know I decided to google the name and I stumbled here, also there's another claim from a company called CACH LLC so anybody with number for both these companies or know where I can complain about these guys?
471 days ago by Jerry Lopez [send email]
What cracks me up is that all of you are harping against afni for this when they are doing what they are paid to do... by... verizon see verizon says "here these people havent paid in 1,5,10 years make them pay" they hand over all information to afni then afni collects... or trys to. and the people here who are only beefing because the debt is from 1997... guess what there is no statute of limitations on how long you owe the money... there is a statute of limitations on how long they can report it to the credit bureaus or sue you but they can try to collect it again in another 20 years if they want to because if you received the services and verizon can back it up then you owe the money... as for the people who call verizon and say "hey this collection agency is coming after me" and verizon says we dont have that on file its because you spoke to a 20 yr old idiot with his first job that doesnt know how to read or want to explain to you that they have no records on file because they were all sent to the collection agency... the account itself is expunged from the system... as for the "i never had that phone #" did ya ever think that in the last 10 yrs they wanted to reuse the phone #? because thats what they do and instead of having two accounts with the same phone # as accnt #s they give the delinquent accnt an actual accnt # and thats also how you get "the phone # sounds familiar but that area code is in kansas and i never lived in kansas".

I did a report in college about how the entire process works and i learned from all angles it is usually the perswon getting the letter who is being deceitful and fraudulent because they feel wronged that how dare they bring this up now!!!

Hate me for the truth if youd like. Your welcome to those who see how it makes more sense.
471 days ago by Keri Huffman [send email]
Hey i just have received the same thing mine was for an account over 10 years ago for 500.05 we all need to get these spammers and put them away... any suggestions... feel free to email me thx
470 days ago by Rayshell Berry [send email]
My daughter just received a call from AFNI... Say that she owes almost $400.00 for a cell phone that was never used!!! In looking for this company online, I came across this complaint board. I would like to hear more advice on how to handle these folks.

Thanks~
470 days ago by Jerry Lopez [send email]
Just because it was never used doesn't mean you didn't "sign" a contract for it. Unless your daughter was under 18 at the time of course. One of my friends got on the sprint website just to look at what they had to offer and a couple weeks later got a phone in the mail. Apparently she clicked all the right buttons to sign a legal contract and didn't even know it!!!! A lawyer couldn't even help her.
467 days ago by Rayshell Berry [send email]
SOoooo here is where WE ARE on this nightmare...
follow-up to earlier post:

P.S. my daughter is a disabled individual and did not go to some website and click here and there.
(noting from an earlier post)

I have sent a copy of this certified letter to my lawyer SISTER for her advice!!!... meanwhile, I am doing what I know best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YOU MUST SEND A LETTER to VALIDATE THE DEBT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keep a copy for your files and send the letter registered mail

Your Name
123 Your Street Address
Your City, ST 01234

Anfi Collections
123 NotOnYourLife Ave
Chicago, IL

Date:_______

Re: Acct # XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is being sent to you in response to a notice sent to me on April 20, 2007. Be advised that THIS IS NOT A REFUSAL TO PAY, but a notice sent pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC 1692g Sec. 809 (b) that your claim is disputed and validation is requested.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST for “verification” or proof of my mailing address, but a request for VALIDATION made pursuant to the above named Title and Section. I respectfully request that your offices provide me with COMPETENT EVIDENCE that I have any legal obligation to pay you.

Please provide me with the following:

What the money you say I owe is for;
Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe;
Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe;
Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable;
Identify the original creditor;
Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account
Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state
Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent

At this time I will also inform you that if your offices have reported invalidated information to any of the 3 major Credit Bureau’s (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) this action might constitute fraud under both Federal and State Laws. Due to this fact, if any negative mark is found on any of my credit reports by your company or the company that you represent I will not hesitate in bringing legal action against you for the following:

Violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act
Violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Defamation of Character
If your offices are able to provide the proper documentation as requested in the following Declaration, I will require at least 30 days to investigate this information and during such time all collection activity must cease and desist.

Also during this validation period, if any action is taken which could be considered detrimental to any of my credit reports, I will consult with my legal counsel for suit. This includes any listing any information to a credit reporting repository that could be inaccurate or invalidated or verifying an account as accurate when in fact there is no provided proof that it is.

If your offices fail to respond to this validation request within 30 days from the date of your receipt, all references to this account must be deleted and completely removed from my credit file and a copy of such deletion request shall be sent to me immediately.

I would also like to request, in writing, that no telephone contact be made by your offices to my home or to my place of employment. If your offices attempt telephone communication with me, including but not limited to computer generated calls and calls or correspondence sent to or with any third parties, it will be considered harassment and I will have no choice but to file suit. All future communications with me MUST be done in writing and sent to the address noted in this letter by USPS.

It would be advisable that you assure that your records are in order before I am forced to take legal action. This is an attempt to correct your records, any information obtained shall be used for that purpose.

Best Regards,

Your Signature
Your Name

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In conclusion:

I have worked for "collections" in the past and know first hand that they train us to ENCOURAGE the person on the other end of the phone, to borrow money from friends, family or even have a garage sale TO PROTECT YOUR GOOD CREDIT STANDING!


So I know the game and the rules... I also appreciate that ANFI has devoted employees, that scan the internet clicking here and there!

~please get back to work and off the boards~


With one look back at the other replies, I see one repetitive thing... The total amounts due are astronomical!

Not the "hey you missed a payment" ... or even the "your first installment is due"

BUT YOU OWE US HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. PAY IT NOW OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF RUINING YOUR GOOD CREDIT RATING!!

THAT is what is of concern to me~
463 days ago by L B [send email]
I received a letter from these idiots yesterday. It had a legitimate old phone number from OVER TEN YEARS AGO!

I have since owned houses, cars, phones, have a mortgage, CLEAN CREDIT, etc. The alleged bill was in excess of $400. I called immediately, as my home is for sale and I certainly don't want to ruin my credit over this old bill...

So... in the middle of the phone call, the guy says "oh, it just popped up on my screen that I'm authorized to settle this debt you owe if you pay a mere $300 instead of the full amount."

That's when I told him I needed his ID number and name. I'll be calling back later...

Then I got online. Not only are they violating the SOL for the state of MI, but so many other things are wrong here! This guy could not even send me the original phone bill... he told me he "didn't have it in front of him at the moment."

I then asked him how many times GTE/Verizon tried to contact me in the past-had they tried to collect on this so called debt prior to now? He didn't have an answer for me... told me he simply did not know.
And I found way too many websites of complaint for this 'company'. Nice for Verizon, huh? Too bad my cell phone is a verizon phone... funny... if I owed them over four hundred bucks, how in the heck did they let me sign on for service two years ago??? I'm so tempted to CANCEL my verizon service and switch companies after they OBVIOUSLY sold my information to this crappy low life collection agency... it sucks because the AFNI company probably has the power to send my name to a credit bureau! I will have to get an attorney and take care of this - what else can I do to make sure this company is STOPPED??? Where is the government on this issue??? What they are doing IS illegal, right?
462 days ago by Contesting It Also [send email]
I was tripping out when I received my notice that was supposedly for a location that I lived in from 98 to 99. First thing I noticed was the total lack of evidence that I owed anything. I mean anyone can send out a notice demanding money. I called the number and after a long wait finally got through to a totally asshole that basically said that they will mess up my immaculate credit if I don't pay them 500 bucks. After some research on the internet I'm confident that I have an ironclad case against them and will be disputing it tooth and nail. Additionally I'm putting a lock on my social security number now that I realize first hand how easy it is to get that information and trump up a lame duck case like this.

Whatever you do don't pay them a cent and make sure you send a registered return receipt snail mail letter disputing the debt's validity as soon as you can. These guys are horrible.
462 days ago by Bobbi Tillia [send email]
Jerry Lopez did a report once. Let's all bow to his expertise!

Please. We received the SAME collection notice addressed to my husband and he's NEVER had phone service of any kind from any company under his name. This company knows exactly what they're doing. These debts are fabricated for the purpose of tricking people into sending money. Even if 99% of the people who receive these notices don't pay, the money they make from the other 1% makes it profitable for them.

Take steps to protect yourself and put a stop to this.
461 days ago by John Doe [send email]
Afni, Inc is continuing to report an account on my report and they have failed to respond to my Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested letter that they signed for over 40 days ago. Afni, Inc has verified this account on three separate disputes that I filed with TransUnion, a credit reporting agency, over a six month period. Afni, Inc has not provided me with any information regarding this account.
455 days ago by Ellis [send email]
I just received this Afni letter in the mail, under my husband's name. At first, I thought it was a scam, but called Afni while making sure of their webpage. I found this webpage as well.

I was not on hold, and was immediately connected to Mike at Afni, who was quite cordial. I asked him a lot of things, and my "scam sense" was not going off. With the information he gave me, and a bit of digging in old records and poking my husband, I found out that the bill was from a place he lived while in college and had stupidly co-signed for and kept no receipts. A call to Verizon corroborated the story unfortunately. :(

This is indeed a debt that is real from a place he lived with his roommates, and they were stupid. Even more stupid, Verizon waited all this time, never tried to collect, didn't even report it to the agencies (otherwise I would have seen the debt on his record yearly) and then just sold it to some agency.

There might be some scams and some errors, but unfortunately ours is real.
454 days ago by Dondie Gorski [send email]
Well, Im back again... My husband got his notice from Afni in January and now I got mine. Guess what phone company??? Oh YES, Verizon!! My bill is for $468.93 . My husbands back in January was for $529.79. I just love how these lame thieves give these crazy odd numbers. PEOPLE, IM WARNING YOU, DO NOT PAY THEM OR GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND GIVE ALL YOUR PRIVATE INFO. IT'S A SCAM AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH!!! I cant believe I read one of the complaints that this company has been going on for 70 years... ARE U SERIOUS??? LOL. Was my Great Grandmother involved with this scam also?? Just gotta love America!!! If a company has been going on for that many years scamming people and not getting caught, believe me, there is a lawyer/shark out there that would love this case. MAJOR CLASS ACTION SUIT. I feel so sorry for these people that have actually paid this. I contacted the show DATELINE NBC to think about investigating this sort of practice. This company AFNI got real sloppy, by going after me 4 months later ...after they were after my husband. These people are getting real DUMB. Yes, they told me to go to their website and file a dispute letter. It wants all your private information, how crazy is that???

Whats sad about this... is, you know older people who dont understand about all this, will just pay it, because they are scared of their credit being ruined. I contacted so many agencies and done my research. Make sure you send a letter of dispute and stating Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Section 809(b) Validating Debts. You will be protecting yourself. Make sure you send the letter Certified. Do not provide any social security number. I am a bit nervous, because, I did sign my name after the dispute letter. Can they do something with my signature?? I made sure I have made all copies of everything... complaints I have posted, emails I have sent to agencies.

We watch on the news a person going in and robbing liquor stores, gas stations and banks with a gun... and we watch in horror and hoping that person is caught and sent to prison and jail. Afni is a robber. They are holding our credit report our credibility for homes, cars, credit cards . They are no different than that robber holding a gun to someones head and demanding money. Everyone needs to report to Trade Commissions, BBB, State Attorney General. I believe what has happened with this company, Afni is... people who have paid off a collections notice in the past, Afni knows about and knows you are doing everything to protect your credit. They believe their scam will work on us.
454 days ago by Dondie Gorski [send email]
Oh, and forgot... all the employees that are logged into this website and reading all the complaints about the company you work for... Get off the internet and continue on with your robbery. I WILL MAKE THIS CLEAR!!!! OVER ACCOUNTS THAT ARE NOT LEGIT!!! FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS. Why would people be so upset and waste so much time over a TRUE DEBT? NOT. Ask yourself that "Employees of Afni" Im sure you all are paid such BIG MONEY... hahaha... to be thieves. I feel so sorry for you , that you have to work at such a pathetic job. Do what you are supposed to do under Fair Debt Collection Practices Act 809(b) Provide all these people with original documents from the original creditor. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. PLEASE SEND THEM, PROVE US ALL WRONG. We all know what the outcome will be. NOTHING... Afni cant do it. I would love for Afni to take me to court. I know, it would be a FOR SURE THING that they would lose. I cant wait for your ignorant reply. For one of the comments about teaching our children about not paying debts... THAT IS A PATHETIC POINT. I bet you teach your children to go after people for money, that is not rightfully theres. Accusing people for owning money that they dont owe is WRONG. Just remember people wouldn't be wasting this much time in mailing out certified letters and contacting the State Attorney General, Federal Trade Commission and BBB, if Afni was sending a TRUE DEBT to them. Why is there this many complaints about fraudulent addresses and phone numbers? Good luck trying to put anything on anyones credit... stating its a 10 yr old debt. Do you really think were all that stupid??? Im sure you do, thats just your way of thinking. Im sure you would love for someone to pay a partial amount... HAHAHA sorry, but when Afni sends out original creditor notices... LEGIT ONES. People will pay, otherwise forget about getting any money.
453 days ago by Blc9 [send email]
I got a notice from AFNI about a month ago, so I called and spoke with them. I've been in collections before and I did live at that address during the specified dates in 1999. I thought I'd paid it, but I was really irresponsible with paying bills back then so I wasn't sure. I went to their website, signed up, and paid them $50 per our agreement. I admit this was a dumb thing to do, and I should have researched this company before calling them. So what can I do now to avoid any identity theft or having this "debt" going on my credit report?

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