I was contacted today at my place of work by a "legal department" who claimed to represent Cash Advance USA. First off I was embarrassed to have to take such a call in front of coworkers. Having nothing to hide I took the call since it MUST be a misunderstanding. The man quite bluntly stated a judgment had been made under my social security # and that I must be willing to settle a debt that was in my name or else legal proceedings will be taken against me. He rattled off my complete social, address, place of work, ect. He had the goods on me. What he didn't have was any solid evidence to back up his claim. He said regardless of my own bank statements he had proof I took out a cash advance loan back in Dec 2011 for $300 that was instantly transferred to my account. "No way". I said. I need more than just a strangers word on that!
Well after refusing to divulge any information I told him they will have to mail me in writing all the details and transaction #'s, who authorized said transfer, ect. He hung up, but not before I got his number. 5 minutes later it dawned on me what was happening so I called him back. This time I tried getting as much info out of him as possible. I said in order to make payment I need the company's address, licence #, ect. All he would tell me was they are in Georgia. "Georgia as in the USA?" No response. Then he hung up. Called right back and got no response, I mean no machine or anything, just dead air.
So I gave it another 10 minutes and finally someone answered. It was a different person and I called from a cell phone this time just to throw them off. I acted like a potential customer and simply wanted a street address for my records. "What is your name sir?" Mind you every person I talked to had a heavy Indian accent. For giggles I told him my name was John Smith. I heard a few giggles in the background and yet again got hung up on. That's where it ends.
Just like everyone else who goes through this scam attempt I failed to see the obvious signs during the original call, like quickly threatening legal action, not having detailed info or even an exact date of any transaction. The biggest thing was the fact that I KNOW I never failed to pay a loan back or even took one out in the first place. They move fast and prey off your fear. They have just enough personal info on you to appear legit but when you lead on that you suspect anything isn't right they cut ties right there. There are other fish in the sea for them to catch.
I suspect I won't receive anything in the mail regarding the subject. After all, if I truly owed $300 to ANYONE since December of 2011 you can expect at least two things to happen. 1. They would've contacted me about it by now, both by phone and by mail. 2. What company is going to take legal action or threaten you at your place of work over $300?. I mean seriously.
Sadly these pond scum scammers succeed because of all the people who rattle easy and have never been in trouble before. Always paid their bills and would never have anything like this on their record. So when the scammer gets a bite and smells fear he dives in. Mostly it goes unreported because nobody wants to admit they got taken. They also keep the amounts low enough for most to just say "screw it, if this will get me out of trouble then so be it".
There are so many hits on the net when you search cash advance scam it's not funny. Like I said during the first 2 minutes of the call you immediately get defensive as they will throw all kinds of legal jargon at you to test your walls. They do it at your work to throw shame into the mix and hope you'll crumble. When you stand your ground and demand details they run.
Cowardly little scammers.
What's scary is the fact that apparently anyone can get your personal info off the net. Your social used to be considered one of your most private entities. Today with all the online commerce and business being done it's all out there. Banks are being hacked into all the time and data bases compromised almost daily. What's stopping these azzhats from taking my info and opening accounts and taking out loans online in my name? After all you only need your social and an address correct?
Not to beat a dead horse but I checked my messages on my land line phone which I never use. Same guy with the same threatening tone about legal matters. He even admitted he would continue calling my work and get me fired if I didn't pay. Saying my credit score was in jeopardy, it was in my best interest to settle this today, ect. What a bunch of douchbags scammers are! While they sit on their wooden crates overseas they use scare tactics like these to get Americans to pay them??? Why didn't the tsunami hit THEM instead of the hard working/honest Japanese?
I swear I want to play with this guy some more but I doubt he'd play along anymore.
Similar thing happened to me and I immediately knew it was a scam. It was also an indian guy so I knew he understood my language. Cursed him out BAD.
Those scum bags need a life and a real job. Must say they are definitely slicker than the Nigerian scam artists.
Have you googled the number you got the call from? I would expose the sh!t out of that number. Make dumb listings and post that number every where. Go to public bathroom stalls and write that number offering free BJs. Whatever you can do to give these basturds he!!.
I did google it and posting their # is almost futile since they now have the capabilities to bounce phone calls off different sats. His number is 770-249-8051. Turns out it is a GA area code but this number probably traces over seas. Anyone reading go ahead and call and ask for a Rick Wattson or Kevin Jones. They even use American names to further appear a legit, established company. When was the last Kevin or Rick anyone knew who had a heavy Indian accent?
Go ahead and ask for their company's information and licence #. Or tell them you've received a call about a faulty loan and would like to settle up. You're sure to be given instructions involving western Union or the use of a prepaid debit card. There's even a Youtube vid where someone posted their pitch. It was almost dead on to the approach I was given. Some freak out and are forced into immediately solving this problem and THAT'S what they do. They don't give you time to discover any facts or investigate into your own records. They require payment NOW. When I was giving him the 3rd degree about details like the date of transfer, account # it went in to, who authorized it, ect, he became short and rude. Almost like I was insulting HIM. But that's the game, push or be pushed. Fagolas they are.
Ahhh, good ol' Kivilighan Law Firm. Those sneaky b*stards. They set up forwarding phone accounts in the US, so they won't be exposed as actually calling from India. They are untouchable because their government shields it's citizens from prosecution (unless they break Indian law, in which case they become camel food).
I had a clown call me from a similar scam, but this office was in LA, and after talking this guy a few times, baiting him, I got his full name and return number and it was on. I called one of my buddies in the info business and had all of his personal info within a day. I then called him back anonymously from a pay phone, greeting him by his first, middle and last name... (something Meza) and told him all about his lovely wife, her job address and hours, what she looked like, and how it would be really horrible if anything were to happen to her. I informed him that all of this was due to him "harassing, insulting and threatening people over the phone about bogus debts." Then I said if he really still wanted to talk to me, I would be waiting outside his house (mentioned address again) that night when he got off work. I could clearly hear in his voice that he was horrified, and defeated. I ran another check on him about a month later and he was in a completely different, and legit, business
These clowns operate behind a curtain and have no shame or dignity. Online stealing is a way of life for many people in countries like India, Nigeria, ect. It's a shame their own government and society can't sustain a decent life for them that they resort to such tactics. It really says a lot about the quality of life they must be living that they become so numb to what they do for a $.
I again have to mention the movie Slumdog Millionare. Skullz recommended it to me and I'm glad he did. It shows a side of a country I never saw. How people can be so mentally capable in today's technology and advanced industry live in a such poor and ancient environment is beyond me. People living in the streets and bathing in the same water they urinate in, to go to work solving our computer problems? Seems like a very unbalanced system.