[stanley]

People having some problems come here to get some solutions. Nobody is there to lie. Very often moderators and members of this board offer visitors to go through the loan agreement carefully, so you were unable to add some new shade on it.

Lenders often do unlawful activities and agreement papers cannot help them in this connection. Payday lenders often make an agreement of voluntary wage assignment and get it signed by the borrower. Now when the borrower defaults they start wage garnishment threats. I think you know very well that wage garnishment and voluntary wage assignment are different by law.

Moreover, the papers they produce for wage assignment is not lawful. Voluntary wage assignment should always be signed by person, digital signature is not enough. So in case of online loans, wage assignment sounds to be vague.

Hope you understand now, why people come here. Please feel free to post your queries in this forum also.

[Not so Lucky]

Okay I think it is time for all of us to band together and shed some light to the people who keep coming in here are telling us to pay our bills, calling us liars. Seems to me the people who come in here and critize us have never had any financial problems, their world is perfect. Well guess what, this world is not perfect by no means and in no way is everyone perfect.

[TMD]

I have worked in collections, and believe me..I never treated people the way some of these collectors do. I was never having any financial trouble while I was working in collections, but since I have been having trouble I have been called names, threatened, called lazy, harrassed, etc. I was a supervisor at one time and would have fired someone immediately if I heard them say things that were said to me. Maybe it is because I worked in medical billing/collections so I guess you have to have a little more compassion...since these people have bigger issues than financial problems. But, I just wonder what it says for the companies these people work for.

I just got that same call. The date that they gave me for my supposed loan and I never received that amount in my account. Did you ever get any answers with regards to this matter?

[4u.bryan]

crbmw32,

Send them DV through CMRRR. Once they receive this letter, they are obliged to send you debt validation. This will help you in proving their demand to be illegal.

On Jan. 31, 2006 a man called me at work stating he was calling on behalf of FSM group, he had all of my info (my ssn, home address, work address, etc) he said my file was going to be downloaded and my checks were going to be garnished if I did not pay them $640 by 12pm. I made an arrangement to pay half the amount by 7pm that night. I did pay the amount by moneygram and I still have my receipt. On yesterday I recieved the letter from ART when I called to explain that paid another company they told me about this Ellis and Crobsey companies fraudulent accounts. Is there any way I can get my money back? The company that called me name is Pre Litigation Services. Maybe the changed there name from Ellis and Crobsey or Anthony Galloway

[stanley]

Maxcelle,

Hope you had done some research before sending your money to them! Most of the people get scammed because they are not aware of what is right and what is wrong. You should have asked for validation before sending your payment. Never send a dime to a third party collection agency without confirming their authenticity.

Also you should have made an agreement before sending payments. All those are legit, will honor your request and cooperate with you.

Anyway, I would suggest contacting your original creditor at this point. Show them the receipt of MO that you sent. Try to convince them that while paying you thought it was going to your creditors. See if they can deduct this amount from your balance.

What if I don't want or cannot close my account payments are taken from

[stanley]

Guest,

Could you please explain more about your situation, so that members here can put their comment after considering your problem?

Closing an existing account is not very convenient, but consumers have to do this just to avoid unwanted debits by some other companies. If you are not willing to close your account, ask your bank to block a particular creditor/individual who might hit your account fraudulently. Or make sure no withdrawals are done without your knowledge.

I got a loan from FSM for $200.00 back last fall and had to close my checking account about 2 months because someone had gotten my checking account info and was taking money out of my account without authorization. I contacted FSM Processing and let them know this and asked for their mailing address so I could send payments and never heard back. Yesterday I get a phone call from a Robin Woods at United Federal Bank who told me that if they didn't get the money by 12:00 yesterday that they would I would "go downtown" I assume meaning jail. I told him that I had been working at the prosecutor's office for 6 years and that I had never heard of anything like this before. He stuttered around and began getting very nervous. When he called me the first time, he give me a phone number located in Statten Island, NY; told me that they were located in Jacksonville, FL; and give me a FAX number located in New Mexico. I faxed them a request in writing for a statement of my debt, any and all info in regards to United Federal Bank and the phone number and address for FSM Processing. I never heard back, then today he called and I asked him if he received the fax and he put me on hold and got back on the phone and said that he had received it but that they weren't aloud to fax any info out until the amount was paid. I am currently speaking with an investigator about this situation.

[stanley]

they weren't aloud to fax any info out until the amount was paid

What a lame excuse! A collection agency is not allowed to send paper works to debtors – am I to believe this? This company definitely needs an investigation.

You have faxed your request; however, I would suggest sending mails through CMRRR. Once you receive the return receipt, your position will be legally strong and you can produce this as evidence too. You are experienced enough…hence no more clarification is needed

Keep us updated on what is going on.

I too have been a victim of the malicious and harrassing phone calls on behalf of United Federal Bank AND ART. What these people don't understand is that post-dated checks aka payday loans aka check advances aka whatever do not fall under the same guidelines as "bad checks". The lender knows the check is bad when they take a check for a future date. Legally speaking if a payday loan goes unpaid it is considered a "bad debt" and does not typically adhere to "bad check" stipulations. If these companies were going to take legal action, they would warn you when someone showed up on your doorstep asking for your signature for a court summons. My best advice and the advice I received from my attorney is to close the checking account, keep the dates when the check was written and when you closed the account, send a certified letter specifying you cannot pay, and then set up arrangements. If they refuse arrangements, send them money orders. Keep the stubs to the money orders and photo copies of the envelopes you send them in and send everything certified and keep ALL of your receipts. If they want to take you to court because they can hardly speak English and don't know the laws of our country, educate yourself. Know your rights. Any company that refuses to provide proof of debt is purposely breaking the laws of this country that state if you submit a request in writing they must honor that and provide proof of debt.

I have been reading this forum and have thought that this so called agency has similarities to other collection agencies in other forums. Upon reading another Forum named Paul Kuperstein - the same situation applies there. Could there be some sort of a connection that possibly this Paul Kuperstein is using another name. From reading the comments, that is the way the company in question is operating (i.e. verbal harrassment on the phone) - they sound like the same scare tactics. Has anyone received addresses, phone numbers, names, etc.?

I have saved voicemails and have phone numbers but no address. They refuse it every time. People have entered into class action lawsuits for similar things in other states. I know in Texas a similar lawsuit was just approved by a judge. This is awful. I am so glad to know I am not alone. What should we do? :cry:

I too was contacted today from a lawyer, supposedly in Florida, threatening a lawsuit and even gave me a case number if I did not pay $1600.00 today. My original loan was $300, I paid one $90 fee, and they will not let me pay in full. They said they represented United Federal Bank and were also suing for a Platimum B Credit card I did not want. Now what should I do?

[stanley]

Marie,

Contact your lender and explain your situation. Also offer them a payment. Insist them to deal with you and not to send your accounts to collection.

United Federal Bank is a collection agency, hence they should provide you with debt validation. Ask for it. Send letters through certified mail with return receipt requested.