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If you've received a collections notice from AFNI, do not pay it AND do NOT call their 800 number.
Here's why.
AFNI is attempting to collect on old debt from many companies. The letter I received from them was for a phone number with Verizon California.
AFNI buys old debt that is uncollectible and PAST the statute of limitations for collection.
They then associate anyone and everyone remotely related to the phone number or service address with the debt.
For example, the house you lived in 10 years ago has had 5 occupants since you moved out. One of them didn't pay a bill with Verizon so AFNI trie to collect from everyone who has ever lived at that address. AFNI knows that you are not responsible for the debt but they've got nothing to lose by asking you for the money. I'll bet a lot of people just send them checks.
I'm not sure if what AFNI is doing is legal. I am positive that is in unethical.
Even scarier...AFNI got your personal information from one of the credit bureaus. They are customers of these bureaus so they are allowed to make inquiries. They can even make an inquiry to collect on a debt if you've put a freeze or fraud alert on your account (which would normally stop unsolicited inquiries.)
So what do you do?
FIRST: send them a return receipt letter via US mail (Any correspondence should be in writing sent via US mail return receipt requested. NO Phone calls,) asking them to provide the following information which by LAW they are required to provide to you.
1. the amount of the debt
2. the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed.
3. verification of the debt including proof of the debt, proof that you contracted for and agreed to pay for this service, and/or a copy of any judgment against you involving this debt.
(do not include your phone number or they will call you and harass you)
This letter SHOULD solve the collections threats since AFNI will be unable to provide any of this info to you.
SECOND: file a complaint with your state's attorney general. So many complaints were filed in New York that the AG opened a formal investigation.
THIRD: forward your letter and complaint to your congressman and state representative. Legislators in a few states have opened their own investigations of AFNI.
FOURTH: file a complaint with the FTC at the following link :
https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup
Don't worry if you don't have time to write a full report. Get the company name and a general description of the scam. We're looking for volume of complaints against AFNI. Once the FTC gets thousands of complaints, they'll have to take notice.
Fifth: file a complaint with the Central IL BBB. Let the BBB know that they should be warning the public about these scam artists.
SIXTH: (and this is where it gets fun.) contact the consumer reporter for your local TV station. They love stories like this. Provide them with links to the various complaints and investigations so that they know you aren't just some deadbeet who doesn't pay his debts. I offered my local reporter a copy of my credit report so he could verify my payment histories.
SEVENTH: request a free copy of your Transunion credit report to make sure that AFNI hasn't messed with your credit. Also look to see if they made an inquiry. I'll bet they have.
You can get a free copy of your credit report at the following site:
https://www.annualcreditreport.com
The credit report is FREE. They will also ask you if you want to pay a few dollars to see your credit score but this is NOT required to get your free report.
Good Luck
send me an email and let me know what happens.
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I too, received on of Afni's extortion notices! I am in the process of looking for a home to buy so my first inclination was to just pay it because it is ony $38.40 and the peace of mind of not having to hassle with it. That was until I call Afni and received such horrible treatment, AND saw the volume of complaints about them on the internet! I am now more determined than ever to join the fight to stop these theives! My registered letter will go to them today, as well as a complaint to the California Attorney General, and California Senators Louis Correa and Dick Ackerman. I hope we can get enough complaints about these criminals to file a class action suit in California, just as they did in Illinois! They need to be stopped!
Here's an investigative video about AFNI, the reportors say AFNI is being sued in Illinois (you have to watch a quick commercial first)
http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=203789@video.wixt.com&navCatId=5
text version of the story
http://www.9wsyr.com/content/news/your_stories/story.aspx?content_id=C2FD654E-EF16-49C1-8A0E-87F622D8502A&gsa=true
Please do not follow all of these instructions. I work for verizon and verizon is able to provide you will any inquiry that you have about a phone bill that is in collections. Verizon does not mail this information about you for security resonds depending on your request and how your letter is written. SECOND: Afni is its own collection agency that why you recieve the letter from us. Afni started out as a collection agency for various companys that you use today. Then afni progress to a different approach and started offering phone internet and cable service. Afni collection agency will mess your credit up if you do not handle the situation when it is given. I do recommend that you check with an attorney or lawyer to make sure that the information is accurate. TRUE: AFNI WILL TRY TO COLLECTION DUE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE LIVE IN A CERTAIN RESIDENT. IT IS ONLY A FAMILY AFFAIR. IF THAT PERSON PUT ON YOU THERE BILL AS A RESPONSIBLE PARTY OR PARTIES THEN IF WE CAN NOT COLLECT THE DEBT FROM THEM IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE NEXT RESPONSIBLE PARTY. PLEASE BE AWARE IF YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMEBER THAT PUT YOUR NAME ANYWHERE ON THERE BILLS. THIS IS WHY THEY ASK FOR REFERENCES. I have been "scammed" but verizon and I am only 18 for a bill that was
from 1990. i was only two and they still wanted to hold me responsible. I spoke with an attorney who did tell me not a pay I requested information and they DID SENT ME ALL THE INFORMATION I ASKED FOR!. Got the district to look at it and found it to be a mistake. So please do not think that by not paying or CALLING that the issue will work itself out. IF YOU CALL YOU DONT HAVE TO GIVE CONTACT INFORMATION. WE DONT HAVE A WAY OF FIND OUT YOU PHONE . JUST CALL REQUEST A BILL TO GET THE PHN # AND # DIALED AND THEN TAKE THAT INFORAMTION TO YOUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR HELP.
TV STATION DO NOT WORK...Afni will not even care that you told the tv station that you owe money to verizon. I had a lady call me say said that the she visited this site and tried the information place in this complaint and try the tv station that they laughed in her face and told her to call back when she has a real story and hung up. Please do not embarssed your self and tell the tv station you business.
OLD INFORMATION >>>>>>THIS IS NOT THE CHAIRMAN Bruce F. Griffin, Afni Chairman and CEO
please visit www.afniupsourcing.com for the correct contact information this will give you location, contact phone number from which your letter was recieved and will give you the corporation location and phone. THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO CALL TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVE.
ADDITONAL INFORMATION FOR AFNI WEBSITE AND A WEBSITE THAT ONLY EMPLOYEES AND VISIT. I COPY AND PASTE FOR CUSTOMER LIKE YOU WHO ARE BEING PUSHED AROUND AND GIVE INCORRECT INFORMATION. ANNUAL CREDIT REPORT IS NOT USER FRIENDLY YOU PROBABLY WONT UNDERSTAND I ENCLOSED SOME GO PLACE TO GET A CREDIT REPORT AND HOW TO GET VERIZON DELETED OUT YOU CREDIT REPORT. HERE YOU GO::
Corporate Headquarters
404 Brock Drive
Bloomington, IL [protected]
800.767-2364
To handle your collections account on the internet, visit the collections website at www.AfniCollections.com
For collection-related inquiries, contact our Recovery Team at 1.800.371.3645, by mail at Afni, Inc. PO Box 3427, Bloomington, IL [protected].
Important Note Regarding Collection-Related Inquiries:
If you choose to communicate via email, please remember that no matter how many measures Afni takes to ensure the confidentiality of your email, the Internet may be a non-secure medium for communication. If you choose to communicate your collection-related inquiry via email, Afni cannot be responsible for any possible disclosure of an account to a third party.
Contact Us
AFNI, Inc.
Phone Number
[protected]
Monday through Friday 7 AM - 9 PM CST
Equifax - www.equifax.com
To order a credit report, call: [protected] or write: PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA [protected]
For Fraud Alerts, call: [protected].
Hearing impaired call [protected] and ask the operator to call the Auto Disclosure Line at [protected] to request a copy of your report.
Experian - www.experian.com
To order a credit report, call: 888-EXPERIAN [protected]) or write: PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013
For Fraud Alerts, call: 888-EXPERIAN [protected]) and write: PO Box 9530, Allen TX 75013 TDD: [protected]
TransUnion - www.transunion.com
To order a credit report, call: [protected] or write: PO Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
For Fraud Alerts, call: [protected] and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, PO Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634 TDD: [protected]
Copyright: © 2008 Afni, Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy
YOU MAY ALSO VISIT. WWW.AAACREDITGUIDE.COM TO GET AFNI REMOVE YOU YOUR CREDIT REPORT.
FILE A SUIT AT WWW.FCRALAWFIRM.COM ABOUT AFNI COLLECTION THAT ARE NOT YOUR DEBT. PLEASE HAVE PROOF THAT NOT YOUR DEBT FROM OTHER PHONE COMPANIES WE OWN VARIOUS COMPANIES.
Boy, was I surprised to get this bill from Afni. Of course, I tried to contact them and there is a nice recording saying that the lines are too busy and I should contact the internet site - SURPRISE! It tells me to call the number! This is an old debt from my loser sister who lived at my house for 3 months in 2005. She has also had the repo-man here, I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see this debt come back to us! I will not pay this bill and I will follow the other responder's advice to contact the Marketing Manager and CEO. As well as writing to them. Thanks to everyone who wrote about this!
Hi i just got two letters from afni for service the total is for like 9grand for nynex for a new york area code i have lived whwre i am for 50yrs never beeb to new york or lived outside of the county whwre i live one bill is for 4grand the other is for4900 they might see that money because i know the phone co would never lrt the phone stay on for that amount.
Here is the CEO's name:
Bruce F. Griffin, Afni Chairman and CEO
He might enjoy getting some calls as well
[protected]
I just received my bogus collection letter today. My was from a "so called" NYNEX debt that I have never owed.
We should all try contacting their marketing manager and complain loudly and often. Below is all his contact information. Let's return the favor and harrass him!
Contact Afni, Inc.:
Alan Angelo, Marketing Manager
[protected], ext. 3040 office, [protected] cell or alanangelo@afninet.com