My excitement for the day ...017

[kenny]

So, today I got a letter from a collection agency, to collect a bad debt.

Oh really?
Since I've never gotten such a letter (credit score is 860) this really got my attention, and my scrutiny.

Per their letter back in June of 2015 I drove on a toll road in Georgia without paying the toll.
Never mind I did not leave California any time that year, nor did I lend my car to anyone.
So, reportedly, Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority sent the delinquent debt to collection.

But wait, unless you pay for a personalized plate, California issues sequential license plate numbers.
The plate # on their letter starts with 7X.
But the plates issued for the new car I bought Feb 2017 start with 7V.

X comes after V so without a time machine, how exactly can a car with plates issued in 2017 have been ANYWHERE in 2015?
Hmmmm.
Looks like these crooks aren't too bright.

I googled the name of the collection agency and quickly found reports they are a phishing scam.
The amount due is low, like $25, so probably many people just pay it instead of hassling with challenging it.
Maybe lots of people really DO get collection letters, and they strike fear in people who assume all the ones they get are real, or they can't keep track of so many.

The collection agency's address is a PO BOX in WI, the alleged offense was committed in GA, I'm in CA, and the address to mail payments to is a PO BOX in PA.
When something involves the US mail, and extends over state lines isn't it mail fraud, a federal offense, and isn't the FBI the correct org to report this to?
Or would it be the USPS?

So, I'm having fun composing a letter to them.

I'm sure I won't have to pay the $25, but how in the world did they get my correct address and full name?
Instead of trashing, recycling or shredding it, I burn all papers with any personal info.
Perhaps it was that Equifax data breach a few months back.
If you were me what would you do about all this?

Heads up y'all.

 

[monarch64]

It was me, I told them. Sorry!

 

[sonnyjane]

I got a voicemail yesterday saying, “You need call IRS in next 24 hours of business or you go to jail.”

I’m super scared.

 

[kenny]

So, I'm overreacting and these things often happen to everyone?

First time for me ... probably because I'm OCD about my personal info and am on the grid/in the system much less than the usual person.

So, reporting this will just result in the authorities laughing at me?
Nobody cares any more?
So, just give up and have a glass of wine?

Guess I should just turn in my moral compass.
Apparently they're obsolete now.

 

[KaeKae]

If your car HAD been used on a toll road in GA, a photo of the licence plate would have been taken, and you would have been charged through those means. You weren't there, the photo wasn't taken, and the plate numbers are incorrect. I don't know how that incorrect connection was made.

I think you should to contact your local police and see where you need to report this scam. Much like the IRS "case" against some one named Jegena, or thats the best I could make out on the dozens of messages left on my hone phone in CA. But, a scam is what it is. I didn't report it, because we weren't actually named or threatened like poor Jegena.

But, you are not over reacting, you are being careful. That's smart.

 

[kenny]

Thanks KaeKae.

Even if a car with the plate # listed on my that collection letter did get a ticket and they could send me a pic proving it, still it ain't my car.
I've never gotten that plate # for any of the cars I've owned.
How they connected that plate # to me and got my correct full name and address is a mystery.

... and since that CA plate # didn't even exist a few months ago let alone 2.5 years ago, if this whole thing is legit perhaps it was not a CA plate but a GA plate or a plate from some other state.
I guess the pic if high resolution enough would prove that.

Sometimes people have plastic license plate covers that are old, dark, and nearly opaque.
They make it hard to read the big plate numbers, let alone the two little letters for the state abbreviations.

 

[missy]

If only criminals could put half their mental energy and time and effort into actually doing something honest for a living they might be surprised how lucrative that could turn out vs coming up with these imaginative ways to cheat people.

Sounds like a scam to me Kenny but I am with KaeKae. If you aren't sure it is best to be careful and report this to your local authorities. And you aren't overreacting. Yes this stuff happens too much but every time it happens if only everyone would report and remain vigilant perhaps more could be done to deter criminals vs letting it all go unreported.

 

[House Cat]

Why wouldn’t you call the police? This is an illegal scam that has most likely been sent out to hundreds, if not thousands of people. They need to know.

 

[Tekate]

Thank you for the heads up.. some old people (my age ) could and will fall for this scam. I wouldn't since I can still think at this time. If I were you I would alert your local police as others may be getting the same letter and not as aware as you are. Second I'd let your state attorney general know since it could be a huge sting thru the state and the more the word get's out the less people will be scammed. Jeez these people suck! really a terrible scam.

So, today I got a letter from a collection agency, to collect a bad debt.


Heads up y'all.

 

[Tekate]

I got a voicemail yesterday saying, “You need call IRS in next 24 hours of business or you go to jail.”

I’m super scared.

Merry Christmas, block them

 

[missy]

Merry Christmas, block them

Every time you block a telemarketer or scammer they often just call back from a different number at another time. Don’t know how they do it but they do. It’s a part of the annoyance of everyday life. Should have included that in my bah humbug thread but I reached the self imposed limit of 10 annoyances. Oh I could have reached and passed 100 probably.

 

[TooPatient]

Kenny -- I would (at minimum) report it to my local police. Depending on how much time I had when it showed up, I would also report it to the DOT in the state the supposed toll came from and possibly even the attorneys general for my state, the sending state, and the "tolling" state.

Sonnyjane -- I would be very unhappy to get that one. That would be an immediate call to the guy who does our taxes (he worked for the IRS for over 20 years) to find out exactly who to contact to make sure the scammer got some well deserved attention.

I am that person who tracked down where my card had been used and filed a detailed police report including date/time/location/$$$ for every transaction to ensure there was an official record and give them as much as possible to use to track down the thieving scum who took my card.

 

[sonnyjane]

Every time you block a telemarketer or scammer they often just call back from a different number at another time. Don’t know how they do it but they do. It’s a part of the annoyance of everyday life. Should have included that in my bah humbug thread but I reached the self imposed limit of 10 annoyances. Oh I could have reached and passed 100 probably.

Yup. I get about 10 of these scam calls a day. It's honestly infuriating. I block the number each time I get them, but they just keep calling from different numbers from around the country. I'm on the Do Not Call list and I've "opted out" any time it offers the option, but then I read something saying that "opting out" just lets them know that the phone number is associated with a live human so they keep trying from others. A lot of the robocalls lately are very realistic. They are records, but sound like a real person and even pause in a way that's convincing enough that I've actually "talked" to them for several exchanges before I knew it was fake!

For example one was from a local number so I answered it. A man on the other line said "Is Brian there?" My brother's name is Brian so I said "No, I think you have the wrong number." but I thought maybe they were trying to reach him. He then said "Maybe you can help me then." and that's when I realized it was a recording, but once they hear a voice talk on the other end, they will check you off as being a valid number. You often can't call them back because it's a mask number (the number that shows up on your phone isn't where they're really calling from) so it's really hard to report them.

I do feel bad for people that don't know it's a scam, especially the elderly.

 

[sonnyjane]

I also just checked my email and had an "URGENT" email from PayPal that my address had been changed. If this wasn't me, please click here to report it. Thing is, while they have a fairly convincing logo of PayPal in the email, the "reply-to" address is clearly a scam.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I just read an article that said that this is the new scam out there and apparently it can get quite ugly for some people. Hopefully, it will just take a phone call or letter to clear it up.

 

[kenny]

I just read an article that said that this is the new scam out there and apparently it can get quite ugly for some people. Hopefully, it will just take a phone call or letter to clear it up.

Oh, thank you.
Link please.

 

[tyty333]

Thanks for the heads up...

I get the "I'm the IRS and you need to call right away (or you''ll be in big trouble)" call about once a month. I reported it the first time but
now we just ignore it.

 

[Elizabeth35]

I am also on the DNC list and constantly get calls saying I need to call back regarding IRS.
It is irritating. Also had a letter regarding collections on a hospital bill from 7 years ago from a hospital I have never visited. After calling them I sent a letter (based on consumer protection laws) asking for all the documentation regarding the charged. They never responded. It was a low dollar amount. I agree that there are lots of scams for low dollar amounts. People are scared and pay.
But---I never answer a call from a number I don't recognize. Rarely do they leave a VM. Blocking them is pretty useless in my experience.
I do still get collection calls regarding ex-husband. Divorced 11 years now. I give them his GF's work number as I don't know his phone number or place of residence. He is her baby now.

 

[kenny]

... I do still get collection calls regarding ex-husband. Divorced 11 years now. I give them his GF's work number as I don't know his phone number or place of residence. He is her baby now.

Love it!

 

[Calliecake]

My parents get these type of scam often. I think they target the elderly. I've told them not to answer if they don't recognize the number. The scammers never leave messages.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh yes, to the telemarketers! We have caller ID and I do not answer ANY call if the person's name (known to me) comes up. I block them all the time. We get far more spam calls than calls from people we know.

I hope I never lose my mind to the point of believing scammers, but there are a lot of gullible people. Proof is on FB.

 

[KaeKae]

It's interesting that some of you have said that scammers don't leave messages. The IRS scam to my phone in CA was always left as a message. Not once did I hear it "live." The message, by the way, was identical every single time. I must have deleted it 50 times.

 

[sonnyjane]

It's interesting that some of you have said that scammers don't leave messages. The IRS scam to my phone in CA was always left as a message. Not once did I hear it "live." The message, by the way, was identical every single time. I must have deleted it 50 times.

IRS messages, health insurance messages, and “lower your credit card rates” messages are the three I get constantly.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Oh, thank you.
Link please.

I am so lame at doing the link thing but here is what I could look up. It was on Bloomberg.com on 12/6
and the article was entitled "Millions are hounded for a debt they don't owe.

I was just killing time reading on my iPad when I found it. The guy in the article really went to great lengths to track down the guys at the bottom of the scam. It was interesting and scary at the same time.