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Fake debt-collector calls from India halted by Court |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Wednesday, 22 February 2012 06:56 |
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A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has halted an operation that the Federal Trade Commission alleged collected phantom payday loan “debts” that consumers did not owe.
The FTC charged Villa Park, Calif.-based American Credit Crunchers LLC, an affiliated company known as Ebeeze LLC, and the companies’ owner, Varang K. Thaker, with violating the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
In the last two years, consumers in the United States have received millions of collection calls from India by Thaker and his related companies.
According to the FTC’s complaint, American Credit Crunchers and Thaker obtained information, including Social Security or bank account numbers, about consumers who had inquired about, applied for or obtained online payday loans. Thereafter, Thaker worked with telephone “debt collectors” in India who called consumers using deceptive statements and threats to convince them to pay debts that were not owed or that he was not authorized to collect.
According to the FTC, Thaker and his companies falsely told consumers they were delinquent on a loan, they must pay it and they had the authority to collect it. They also falsely claimed to be law enforcement authorities or attorneys and made false threats against consumers who refused to pay the alleged debts, including threats of arrest or imprisonment. Many consumers often felt so harassed and threatened that they paid the alleged debts out of fear of being arrested or sued.
The FTC alleged that information submitted by consumers who applied online for the fake payday loans found its way into the hands of the American Credit Crunchers and Thaker. Since January 2010, the operation took in more than $5 million from victims across the United States.
Often pretending to be law enforcement officers or other governmental authorities, the telephone “debt collectors” would falsely threaten to immediately arrest and jail consumers if they did not agree to make a payment on a delinquent payday loan, the FTC’s court papers stated.
Claiming to be from a local police department, or simply a “federal investigator” from the “Federal Department of Crime and Prevention,” “Affidavit Consolidation Services,” Criminal Bureau of Identity,” “U.S. National Bank,” “US Justice Department/Payday Loan Division,” “Federal Investigation Bureau,” “United Legal Processing” and other phony names, the telephone callers often demanded more than $300 and sometimes as much as $2,000.
At other times, according to the FTC, the telephone “debt collectors” said they would file a lawsuit against the consumer because of the delinquent payday loan or would have them fired from their job.
But the consumers did not owe money to American Credit Crunchers or Thaker. Either the payday loan debts did not exist or the phony telephone “debt collectors” had no authority to collect them because they were owed to someone else.
The court order halts the illegal conduct and freezes the assets of American Credit Crunchers and Thaker while the FTC continues to prosecute its case.
“This is a brazen operation based on pure fraud, and the FTC is committed to shutting it down,” stated David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Consumers should not be pressured into paying debt they don’t remember owing. Legitimate debt collectors must provide consumers with both written information about the debt, and instructions for protecting themselves if they don’t think they owe the debt.”
If contacted by a debt collector, always remember that:
1. A debt collector may contact you in person, by mail, e-mail, telephone, telegram or fax. A collector may not contact you with such frequency that can be considered harassing. A debt collector may not contact you at work if they know your employer does not disapprove, nor may they contact you at unreasonable times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
2. A debt collector is required to send written notice within five days of first contact advising the amount due. The notice must also specify the name of the creditor and what action to take if you wish to dispute the debt.
3. You may stop a debt collector from contacting you by writing a letter ceasing them from communication. Once the agency receives it, they may not make further contact except to advise there will be no further contact or to notify you of a specific action contemplated by the creditor.
4. A debt collector may not harass or abuse a consumer. A collector may not use threats of violence against a person, property or reputation; use obscene or profane language; advertise the debt; or repeatedly make calls with the intent to harass or abuse the person at the called number.
5. Debt collectors may not use false statements, such as implying they are attorneys; that you have committed a crime; that they operate or work for a credit reporting agency; misrepresent the amount of a debt; or indicate that papers mailed are legal forms when they are not.
6.) Debt collectors may not threaten arrest or that they will seize property or garnish wages unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so; or that a lawsuit will be filed when they have no legal right to file or do not intend to file such a suit.
If you are being harassed by a debt collector — real or fake — file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office or with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.
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President’s Day week on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Monday, 20 February 2012 05:50 |
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Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR and AM 1470 WWNN the week of February 20th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.
After more than seven years on the South Florida airwaves, Bill Lewis - host of The Credit Report with Bill Lewis - has left his 9 o’clock morning drive time show on AM 1470 WWNN.
The Credit Report with Bill Lewis, a daily forum for business and financial news, politics, economic trends, and cutting edge issues, a daily radio talk show hosted by Bill Lewis has moved south on the dial and now airs on AM 740 WSBR weekdays at 7am.
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GOP Operative Roger Stone Defects to Libertarian Party |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Saturday, 18 February 2012 05:29 |
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Roger J. Stone Jr, the celebrated political consultant, lobbyist, strategist, and youngest staffer on Richard Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign, announced Wednesday that he quit the Republican Party. Stone - who is widely noted for his use of opposition research on behalf of Republican candidates - is now registered in his home state of Florida as a Libertarian.
As a lifelong Republican – having registered to vote the day he turned 18 – Stone has worked on the campaign staff of Republican candidates in twelve national Republican Presidential campaigns.
In his earliest and most famous role, Stone was the youngest campaign staffer on President Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election committee, famously known as the Committee to Re-elect the President, or “CREEP,” as it has became known.
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Morning Drive on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: 2/13 – 2/18 |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Monday, 13 February 2012 06:06 |
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Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR and AM 1470 WWNN the week of February 13th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.
After more than seven years on the South Florida airwaves, Bill Lewis - host of The Credit Report with Bill Lewis - has left his 9 o’clock morning drive time show on AM 1470 WWNN.
The Credit Report with Bill Lewis, a daily forum for business and financial news, politics, economic trends, and cutting edge issues, a daily radio talk show hosted by Bill Lewis has moved south on the dial and now airs on AM 740 WSBR weekdays at 7am.
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This Weekend on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: 2/10 – 2/12 |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Friday, 10 February 2012 06:15 |
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Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR and AM 1470 WWNN this weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.
Provocative entrepreneur Bob Davids will appear and speak his mind on America, leadership and what the future holds. Bob has launched six highly successful companies over the course of his career including Radica Games, the third most profitable toy maker in the world; launching Sea Smoke, his world-class vineyard located in Central California (featured in the Academy Award-winning movie "Sideways"); and his latest venture, "Villa Keliki", a luxurious 8,000 square meter resort located on the breathtaking island of Bali.
Former presidential appointee and elections attorney Gineen Bresso will appear and discuss her candidacy to represent Florida’s 20th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bresso is challenging Democratic National Committee Chair and incumbent Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.
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Gineen Bresso announces Congressional bid against DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Monday, 06 February 2012 06:29 |
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Following a week of musical chairs where Congressman Allen West announced his intent to move north into a proposed 18th Congressional District while former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner departed the Republican primary race to unseat Democratic incumbent Senator Bill Nelson and run for West’s vacant Congressional seat, yet another race faces a challenge.
Former presidential appointee and elections attorney, Gineen Bresso, is set to announce Monday her candidacy to represent Florida’s 20th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Bresso, 39, is challenging Democratic National Committee Chair and incumbent Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.
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The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: Week of February 6th |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Monday, 06 February 2012 06:00 |
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Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR the week of February 6th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.
After seven plus years on AM talk radio in South Florida, Bill Lewis will discuss his long anticipated move from morning drive time on AM 1470 WWNN to AM 740 WSBR.
Former prosecutor and Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Jim Lewis will appear and discuss his candidacy for Broward State Attorney as the only Republican for this countywide office in 2012.
Chairman Richard DeNapoli of the Broward Republican Party will appear and discuss initiatives to expand candidate awareness through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Former presidential appointee and elections attorney Gineen Bresso will appear and discuss her future political plans and aspirations. As a former Commissioner and Chair of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an important announcement will be made by Bresso on Monday.
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Morning Drive on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis |
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Written by william e. lewis jr.
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Monday, 06 February 2012 03:24 |
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After more than seven years on the South Florida airwaves, Bill Lewis - host of The Credit Report with Bill Lewis - has left his 9 o’clock morning drive time show on AM 1470 WWNN.
"The Credit Report with Bill Lewis," a daily forum for business and financial news, politics, economic trends, and cutting edge issues, a daily radio talk show hosted by Bill Lewis has moved south on the dial and now airs on AM 740 WSBR weekdays at 7am.
Originally launched on AM 1400 WFTL in 2004, as the “Credit Restoration Consultants Hour,” Bill Lewis provided self-help tips and advice regarding credit repair, finances, and related topics. Throughout the years, Bill's show strayed from the original concept of providing financial awareness to his listeners.
In an effort to strengthen his listener base and to broaden the topics hosted, Bill launched The Credit Report with Bill Lewis upon moving to AM 1470 WWNN within the Beasley Broadcasting group. Listeners were searching for help regarding a myriad of topics from credit repair, extreme coupon shopping, and foreclosure matters, but welcomed the political format that Bill introduced locally to a south Florida audience.
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