How do I stop harassment by Collectcorp and save my hard-earned money?
Date: Thu, 06/28/2007 - 22:14
First let me say I hope this is the right place to ask. I have never used a site like this for information.
My Problem:I have a mobile pizzeria that I started with previous partners in May 05. By Feb 06 I demanded truck back because I wasn't getting paid my min due for my Chase credit card of 26,000. (Trust me I know I'm stupid by now). I tried to sell on ebay and met a business man in the pizzeria business. Of course he didn't have money to buy, but convinced me that he would get all my money back by a lease agreement, which I did.I was making payments to Chase from Feb 06 to Dec 06 with my Equity on my house(lost 6,000). Before end of 2006 he added me to his company for tax benefits. I was worried about the current 16.9% interest on 23,000 left to pay. We talked about trying to get a business card to transfer the amount to save money on interest. He applied for American Express first, and Advanta. In Jan 07 I told him by email to stop using my personal information.He lives in Ky and I'm in Oh, which Advanta wanted to know more about and contacted me and I declined the application. In dec 06 I received a Amx card, which I told him about for 4,000 limit. I told him I wasn't going to activate and he said don't. WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW! He got 3 cards from them. My name on one, one for him, and one for wife. By March 30, 2007 I found out I had a Capital one Business card and they thought it was fishy because of addresses. I called Amx that night to see about the card that was still sitting there with the activation sticker on it. Thats when I found out I had 3 more cards and they had been using up to 10,000 in one month. By Jan 07 Amx said they closed accounts due to to much activaty and felt it was fraudulet. I told them I had no idea. Of course they were past due. By April 2nd my partner and I were of course fighting and what was he doing. By April 4th I had a fraud alert because I found out they had 4 cards from US bank up to 10,000 and more smaller ones. Remember I have 20,000 to go on the truck, so I told me to make it right and get things transfered or pay everything on time. I have done almost everything with all card companies since March 30th in the fraud depts. By Jun 14th 2007 I finally answered the phone and have been talking to Collectcorp since. I get a call every morning at 8:30 or 8:35 from them. They have tried to give me another credit card through Amx to pay in full, they are adding interest like it grew on trees. I have paid a lawyer that won't listen to my story for 2 weeks and keeps asking me what is it you want me to do? :shock: I have started police reports in Oh and Ky, but to get reports is taking to long. I plan to call the FTC tomorrow if able. They know I am claiming IDENTITY THEFT. Amx was told identity theft. I have even had help through Capital One to flag everything in credit report through ITACK, but not everyone works with this program. I told Collectcorp June 22 I started filing charges against business partner and I would fax them reports when I get them, yet by Jun 25 I get calls everyday at 8:30 am,which I don't answer. The problems go on and on. If anyone has a letter to send them to state I do not owe this debt due to identity theft,etc I would love it. I told them from the beginning 6/14/2007 that I was trying to work this out with the business partner so everyone gets there money, yet by 6/15/2007 I was told by my partner he was working on things and he would be making some big payments and transfers. I informed Collectcorp that day and was told that they will not speak to them or collect money from them. They even keep saying I charged 35% of the account and I keep telling them I never had the card. My partners did, which is a no brainier of identity theft. They have forced me to file charges against my partner, which I should be at this point but there could have been a chance it didn't need to go there. All I do everyday is dealing with this and work and don't make much. I even have an ex to deal with a house in my name on it for 294,000. Whats really sad is I net maybe 1600.00 and if you look at me on paper I owe over 450,000. I let my guard down for two things in life. Get married and build a house and start a business to make money and here I am fighting for everything I made in 14 years of good credit. Please help anyone I'm losing everything thats left important to me. Todd
Fightback Collectcorp
Todd, it sounds to me that you really need a good lawyer that specializes in situations like yours to hit back on Collectcorp. Not the one you have. If he says what do you want me to do means he is clueless and not worth a dime to you. I don't want to start about lazy lawyers. But at least half of the will milk you dry and do as little sas possible. I am by far not an expert in these cases but you might try naca.com for a place to start. You can put in your State and the members will show up with there legal specialties listed. Hopefully someone with experience will show up here to help you more on dealing with Collectcorp.
Collectcorp dealing explained
Quit calling this guy your business partner. The bottom line is you sold some guy you did not know a truck over eBay He then scammed you out of your personal information under the assumption that he was going to use you as a creditor on his taxes and boy did he use you as a creditor. Quit trying to smooth things over between this joker, you and the banks. He is using you and he stole from you. You need to get fired up over this and start busting some balls.
What you need to do is go to your local police station and file a report against this guy for stealing your information and using it to steal money from banks in your name. List out all the credit cards and loans you know of that he has opened in your name and while you are at it you need to tag his ass for stealing your vehicle too. Also it should not take long to get a report from the police. It takes a couple hours to go down there and get interviewed to file and in a few days you should be able to get a copy of the finished police report. I????????ve filed a couple of them now for various things and it did not take weeks to get a copy. You need to file with all 3 major credit beaureau immediately a fraud alert that you have had your identity stolen so new creditors will quit giving this scumbag credit. You need to file with the fraud department of each creditor that you know of that your identity has been stolen and inform them that you will send them a copy of the police report once it is available to you. When collectors call ask them immediately to speak to their fraud department. There is no reason to deal with a collector that thinks you are lying and has no authority to change the status of the debt anyway. Explain nothing to them and demand to be transferred to the fraud department or demand the fraud departments contact info.
This is a criminal offense mainly and not a civil offense. A lawyer can not do much for you. You typically do not sue someone if they steal from you. Instead you file a report with the police and then the public DA brings a criminal suit against that person. You will be asked to testify either in person or via your testimony to the officers. The only portion that might be civil is the transfer of the vehicle from you to him without being paid assuming you signed title to him. If he does not have title I would drive from OH to KY and pick the thing up myself. Take a police officer with you after you prove you have title to the vehicle.
Go after Collectcorp
Most definitely go after this guy - you tried to be nice, and the only person getting hurt is you. Document everything, and file charges. There could be even more that he has gotten in your name than you even know about. You must do this to prove that none of this is yours. By telling creditors that you are trying to "work things out" it is hurting your credibility - by having reports of these thefts (yes it is theft or identity and property) it proves your story. I have my own business too, and believe me no one will look out for you but YOU - protect yourself!!
Collectcorp Ohio
I think that you stated that you lived in Ohio where Collectcorp is harassing you. If this is the case, IMMEDIATELY go the the attoney generals' site for Ohio. I know that he has started a new program dealing with identity theft and this is the place to start. I know that you can file on line. Also find out what criminal charges can be filed and how to go about doing this.
Collectcorp and community property
keep in mind there are community property states
if he lives in a community property state, then go after him and his wife
Collectcorp responses - Thank you
I would like to thank the responses I have been getting regarding. I would like to add that I keep reading about what a debt collector must state to you in their first letter. Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe; the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money; and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money. The last part is what I'm wondering about. They have NOT stated anything about what to do if I don't believe I owe this debt. Any comments on that anyone. For the record I do have title to truck. Hell my plates are on it. What we did was had a lease agreement done through a lawyer which was done in my favor mostly I believe. It even listed everything I was leasing to him. That should help me alot. I haven't even got a copy from the sheriff's dept yet. It's been a week I only have the report number so far. I have had a fraud alert on my credit since April 4, 2007. I will be filing with the FTC if I could just stay awake long enough tonight. If anyone has a good letter form to use to send the Collector I would appreciate it.
Collectcorp scum
Most debts are disputed through the creditor not the collection agency like Collectcorp. You would have to contact the agency that wrote you the letter to find out who the debt was for and then contact that company to file fraud charges through their fraud department. Make it clear to each one of them when you call that this is not your debt and you are filing fraud charges and have a police report pending.
If the only piece of equipment he has of yours is the truck and whatever is in the truck I would physically show up and drive off in the truck but be sneaky about it. Do not let him know you are doing this until after you are gone. The other option is to notify him legally through is local police department that you are reposessing the vehicle but this gives him plenty of time to do what he wants to the vehicle. This may be breaking your lease agreement you had with him though so it is possible for him to take legal action but if all the fraud charges stick I doubt you would have too many problems. It sounds like this deal is going sour very quickly so make sure you have insurance on your equipment in case it is not returned in one peice. I could see him destroying the truck as revenge. You will need more than just regular auto insurance on it since it is a leased peice of equipment.