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Portfolio Recovery Associates review: How to deal with these scam artists 7

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1:00 am EDT
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OK people here's how to deal with these bottom feeders if they contact you.

1) Never admit that you owe anything or give them any personal details.

2) Always ask for a verification of the alleged debt to be sent to you in writing stating the original lender, date of last payment and when they bought this debt. These are required by Federal law so that you can contact the original lender or dispute the debt.

3) When phoning the number they give you via their automated calling system advise the person who answers that the call will be recorded. This will normally result in a hang up so if you want to have fun and don't have to pay for long distance calls have fun and call them back repeatedly ;)

4) If they do continue and are not as usual abusive ask them to remove your number from their database immediately or you will start legal action for harassment. This will normally work as they know that any debt they are trying to collect is usually way past any legal collection action.

5) Within a week after (maybe) talking to them use a free site such as creditkarma.com to check your credit report. I say this as these people are known for either reporting a false payment in an attempt to reactivate the debt or they make a hard inquiry on your report to try to hurt your credit status. Both of these tactics are illegal (fraud) and if you see them used save/print your report and seek legal advice straight away.

6) Remember at all times to be polite as even if they don't advise you of it. they do routinely record calls, you want them to be in the wrong not you ;)

Finally if you do or did ever actually owe the money they are talking about check your State's statute of limitations on pursuing old debt. I would expect that even if you did owe it it's way past any legal action. BUT if you do agree and actually pay them even $1 then they can legally reactivate the debt and you personally become liable for the entire amount plus any interest they want to add!

I hope this helps someone and to be honest these tactics will work with any collection agency that uses harassment and illegal tactics to try to scare people into paying money they do not legally owe.

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7 comments
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sandy krueger
Albany, US
Feb 22, 2012 11:35 pm EST

I Was To Get All Three Credit Scores For A $ 1.00 Refundable Fee. They Charged My Bank Account $ 29.95! I WANT IT BACK ASAP OR I WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION!

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concernedcitizenofusa
, US
Nov 14, 2013 3:35 pm EST

all ads state FREE. no credit card required. ###!. $1 PROCESSING FEE. $29.95/MTH. I do not consider this FREE!

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KFranz
Edmond, US
Feb 16, 2013 10:57 pm EST

I recieved a letter from Portfolio Recovery Services dated 2/12/2013 with an offer to settle a debt I have paid off in 2005. Says my current balace is 229.08...they bought the debt from "Seller: Arrow Financial Services LLC", who bought the debt from "Merchant: First Premier" They sent a 'TAX SEASON KICKOFF SPECIAL" good for 80% off (or according to their math $183.08) though my math comes out at $183.26...but the full amount of $46.00 must be paid in full by 3/15/2013. It is a 10 year old debt.
Tempting, but still - it's been paid.
If I do pay if off, I am opening a can of worms...if I do not - well, the debt has already fallen off my credit report which, frankly, has been in the tank since I lost my job in 2007. There is an interesting disclaimer on the bill: "Because of the age of this debt, we will not sue you for it, and we will not report it to any credit agency." Then, what is the point?

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MadWriter
Jackson, US
Dec 04, 2012 3:23 pm EST

They say I owe a debt from back in 2001 for some company that is no longer around. In 2008, I was living in California at the time and some lady would call every single day at around 5:30 am, and throughout the day, in clear violation of FDCPA laws, and leave terse messages of non-payments and threats against me. One evening the same lady called and asked me to pay on this debt. I refused and told her about the 36 times she had called at all hours of the day. She denied breaking laws. This is what happened:
"Sir, I am not breaking any laws."
"You've been calling before 8 am."
"No sir, it is within the time frame."
"What address do you have for me?"
She fidgeted around on the phone and said, "Ohio."
I told her I lived in California and asked if she couldn't check the area codes to see where she was calling. She got her manager on the phone who was worse. I explained my position and she interrupted me asking, "So, how do you want to settle this?"
I said, "I'll take a check. From what I see, after thirty-six violations of the FDCPA law, each for $2, 000.00, a check will be fine." That ended the calls, or so I thought.
2012, they contacted me again, every day, and I told them to cease and desist and that I would not be paying this since I don 't owe it. They STILL call.

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RJ33
fox la, US
May 21, 2012 10:58 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

and what about those who they are trying to contact is not the name of the person who owns the phone? They have been calling my cell phone for 4 months. I am not whom they are naming. I have had my cell number for 4-5 yrs now. And they keep asking for a bonnie or a brian, I keep telling them over and over to stop calling . There is no one by that name. I even had them blocked. After doing that they call from another number. This I found out is what they have done to everyone after being blocked.

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rickie beavers
west monroe, US
Mar 24, 2012 2:18 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

plerse reset your system to recognise my high school. west monroe high school

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rickie beavers
west monroe, US
Mar 24, 2012 2:15 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i am rickie beaver @ rickiedbeavers@yahoo.com and i don, t remember my password to your site. i was asked for my security answer that i do remember to reset my password and was told it was wrong. i think i would remember what high school i went to so will you please reset your system to accept west monroe high school. i would appreciate thie courtesy.