Smith haynes & Watson - are they harassing customers?

hi missjeanie--

you would probably not get any results by sending them a letter, from the sound of it. If I recall right, they are primarily involved in payday loans, and those companies dont ever follow the law. Contact your state attorney general's office and inform them that these people wont stop calling your work. Chances are very good that if you look into your state's secretary of state office, you will find that they are not licensed to work in your state(if your state requires that). From what I have seen with a simple search, they are apparently in the Kansas City area, though it might not be the only location. Hang on, let me dig a little deeper...

man, no street address....but I can tell you that they are in Mission, KS or Kansas City, KS. Hopefully that will be sufficient information for the AG to get a lock on them and push the issue.

perhaps your should not take a payday loan if you cannot afford it. I do know that if you want to pay the amount off they will take alomost 50 percent of what you supposedly owe. No matter what, you will pay for it somehow..better off to end it before it messes your reputaion anymore.

I have an address of:
Smith Haynes & Watson, LLC
6950 W 56th St.
Mission, KS 66208

Their website is smithhaynes.com

The best way to deal with such jerks is to hang up on them. But they won????????t stop!!! So, next time you pick up the phone ask them to give you everything in writing and to stop calling you. Tell them that they are violating the fdcpa. But do they care about d law?? Huh!! They will still call you and pester you. If your state permits recording calls then do it. Keep a track of each and every call you get from the collectors. Always remember to note the date and time of the calls (they are not allowed to call you after 9pm), the location where they are calling you up (they can not call you at office and discuss your debt). Btw inform them that you are recording their calls and you can sue them with the help of the recorded conversations.

I have been receiving emails periodically from Geneva Roth Ventures who claim I took out a payday loan with their company and so far have failed to prove this.

The last three emails that I received from them, including one from today (09/07/07), now shows an email address that the email is being sent from as: Swiggins(at)smithhaynes.com. Funnily enough, the one's prior to that all said, Swiggins(at)genevakc.com.

In researching Smith Haynes on the Kansas Better Business Bureau website, the toll free phone number listed and address is exactly the same as Geneva Roth Ventures, with the Principal Owner being listed as: Mr. Wiggins. Go figure. As far as I can tell they are one and the same.

The address I have found for them is 6950 W 56th St, Mission KS . Which I am sure others can verify is the same as Geneva Roth (or PO Box 148).

The only thing different on the emails is the 800 number to call. It still comes through as being on Geneva Roth letterhead. Do they really think they are getting over on people that they are a different company?

Dear Ms.Jeanie:

Hi!This Company is a collection Agency that uses Lawyers to force payment from debtors. I understand your predicament cause I've been with this situation. The only thing that get's me out of the mess was filling bankruptcy. But even if my Bankruptcy was discharge they are persistent. By law no credit companies nor collection agencies representing these companies should contact you especially if a decision was already been made. They will try to play innocent even if they knew they are not supposed to call you. My advise to you is that you need to have a complete list of all your creditors especially pay day loans cause they will try to cover up using a different name and place you in a trap. They will scare the hell out of you. I told them that if they persist, I am filling a case against them caused it's Illegal and that was what my attorney told me. The address and contact number is below:
Smith Haynes & Watson, LLC 6950 W. 56th Street Mission,KS 66208 Phone: 913-825-9961

Good Luck!

Ron

I just went to balance my checkbook online and a Smith-Haynes Watson is trying to take 185.00 out of my account. I have no idea who this is. Please get me some information on who this is and how to contact them.

Smith Haynes & Watson, LLC 6950 W. 56th Street Mission,KS 66208 Phone: 913-825-9961

You do realize this is another DBA for Geneva-Roth Ventures?

Guest - I don't think it's a dba. I think they are a totally different company located in the same office building. I have a defaulted loan with ZipCash who I know is not Geneva Roth Ventures and SmithHaynes is colleting on it. The first thing I did was have my attorney look into their license status in my state and found it to be current. They haven't been polite to me but they haven't crossed the line either.

I had a loan with zipcash 2 years back. I have my bank information showing all withdrawals and my balance being paid in full. So I am not sure what is going on. I called there and the customer service lady was RUDE she informed me that they will continue to try to withdraw this money even if I change my account. I have a good friend at my bank and she said they will have to send my bank a levy to try to withdraw any more funds and it will be denied. If this so called collection company is going to do these things shouldn't they get all the FACTS first. Besides I have never authorized them to take any money from my account. I also found out that zipcash is NOT licensed to do business in my state after the fact. So in essence they a were operating fraudulently. But in any event I have the proof they were indeed paid back. People need to fight them on these things and stay on top of your account transactions every day.

Also remember just because the collection company trying to collect for a PDL company is licensed in your state does not mean the actual PDL company was or is. Just keep that in mind.

So they tried to take 90.00 on 3/21. My bank is so good I live in a small town and have friends at my bank. We have a thing called "upcoming alerts" on my account every day so I can authorize all transactions. They never charge me a stop payment fee either so theses fools can keep tryin whatever they want it just isn't going to work. I sent them a letter requesting debt validation as well and have heard nothing. I see this company in all kinds of magazines and they seem to be on the up and up but I think they have purposely given that impression to the public because they are acting illegally at least in my case. They claim I owe 185.00 well I hope they try to sue me because the court fees alone will be more than what they say I owe. How can they think they are so smart? That seems really dumb to me. I dare them to do it because the county judge is my uncle, and I have made him aware of the situation. He told me not to worry about it. Plus my boss is my sister's brother-in-law so he is aware as well. They mess with the wrong people sometimes.

East Side Lenders, a pay day loan company took three payments out of my account within three days and bounced me so much that I had over $300 in fees. I made them pay all my fees back, well they turned it into a payday loan and kept trying to collect. I put a stop payment on anything and everything from East Side Lenders so they must have sent me to Smith, Haynes, and Watson. I've never received a phone call or piece of mail from them, but the other day, $152,23, a really odd amount of money was withdrawn by them. I had no idea who they were so I told my bank and my bank got the money back the next day. I'm concerned about other posters saying they will try again. How can they legally come into my account if I never gave them permission? Is is legal now to go into someone's account for collection purposes? I don't see how. Is there any court action against these people? I'm going to close out my account now and that really bugs me, but my money's not safe in the bank now now because of these thieves.

Unless you had signed a contract with them to give them access to your account or they have a court judgment awarded to them then no, even if you had a contract with them you can revoke their access to your account at any time. An unauthorized transaction presented to your account is still theft, any way you color it. I would say you have excellent grounds for civil action here. Now when you said that they turned it into a payday loan, do you mean that they turned the refund for your overdraft fees into a payday loan? If so you have Smith, Haynes, and Watson on some good fdcpa violations and the lender on some great Truth in lending, deceptive trade practices and I'm sure some other violations as well.

I would suggest at this point you seriously consider seeking legal council.

is this the same company that toll free number is 866-489-0979

It does indeed belong to Smith Haynes & Watson. I found their website:
http://www.smithhaynes.com/
It is a shell website with only a link to an email address (info@smithhaynes.com) and after looking at the domain hosting it appears to be under Geneva Roth Ventures Inc.

Very interesting food for thought there, wouldn't you say?

These guys are trying to get an unpaid debt for a payday loan from over a year ago from my husband. I have also gotten a missed call from them. We have no unpaid payday loans (and haven't had any in over a year) which makes these guys sound phony to me. A year ago we had a lot of money stolen from us from a fake loan company that has so many of this companies traits. They had all of our information and our old bank account number. I'll be honest...I have had many debts in collections in my time and not a single one of them has never sent me a bill or something in writing. These guys refuse to send anything. And for a place that has collectors and lawyers, they sure aren't very professional.

I've filed a complaint with my consumer credit bureau. A company that I had a payday loan out with, which is paid in full first tried to get Legal mediation practice to collect on it. LMP tried to bully me by threatening legal action. I filed complaint w/ maine consumer credit bureau. LMP is not an authorized collection company in Maine.

The same payday loan company seemed to change to SMH. They called me at work last week. A coworker took the message. I have not had a chance to call them. I checked my bank balance and found they took $97.50 from my account without any authorization from me. I've filed a complaint w/ the consumer credit company. Maybe those who've had similar problems might try the same. :)

Welcome to the community mainemom, you can also file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission as well as your state Attorney General's office.

These people are total crooks. They did the same bank withdrawl thing to me. At the time I had never heard of them. I got all my money back from the bank, filed complaints, sent a debt validation letter(with no response, of course) and now have a suit filed against them. They are very sloppy, breaking FTC and Fair Debt Collection codes left and right. I really didn't care TOO much about going after them but after talking to a lawyer, he was all over it on contingency...so why not? Talk to a lawyer in your state who knows about the collection laws. Hit 'em where it hurts.

have you researched wheter payday loans are even legal in your state? i am having problems with geneva roth and smiths has been calling me, too.. but i ignore them 100%. they are not at all legal in my state, I sent complaints to my state's attorney general, their state's attorney general, the BBB and the FTC. I also am going to call their ACH processor.

I have never been on this board before, but I have to find out who Smith, Haynes, and Watson are, they tried to take 318.00 out of my account, but it bounced and caused other things to bounce before they returned it to where ever it came from. I have had payday loan in the past but all are paid off. I have also been getting phone calls at work, saying something about leagal litagaion, the person who calls has been at least three different people first, he was a police officer, then he was a detective and last he was a lawyer. He hangs up if I ask management to take the phone call. Anyone have suggestions to help my situation.

NP

i would check the payday loan board - they are collectors for payday loans. they don't bother me too bad after my filing complaints about them to everyone under the sun. you have to research your state laws cocnerning payday loans and hold your ground. the tatcis they use are not legal.

chk this out

po box 148
mission , ks 66202

they just debit my chking acccount this past wk of over $300.00. they work with eastside lenders.....advance payday loans

I have news for all of you. These companies will collect. What they will do is seek a judgement against you. They will levy your bank account and will garnish wages. It does not matter if you are friends of the bank or the judge. They will file motions, sanctions, injunctions whatever it takes. The only way out is bankruptcy or to pay them what you owe them. You took out the loan so yes it is your debt. Pay them off and keep your receipts.

Thank You Come Again!

You all look like you have a class action lawsuit in the makings. I sued them for a considerable sum for breaking the Fair Debt Collection Practices and harassment. I can't give out too much detail because of the confidentiality agreement. Basically they gave me some "hush money". Get together and find a lawyer who deals with these cases on contingency. AND KEEP DOCUMENTATION!!!

I also got a call from Smith Haynes and Watson and when I talked to this Darren Gates person he told me that he was going to take Legal action against me. All because I wouldn't pay him the $435.00 that I owed him. Tonight I even called him back and so rude to me also. Yes I took out a Payday Loan with this company . This also overdrew two of my bank accounts. What can do to stop this Guy ?

Acey

What is Legal Council?

ALL THE FAKE ATTY ON HERE GIVING WRNG INFO ABOUT LAWS MAKE IT HARD FOR COLLETORS RECORDING A CONVERSATION DOES NOTHING WE RECORD ALL CONVERSATION JUST TALK TO THEM THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TALKED TO GETTING MAD AT THE COLLECTOR DOES NOTHING BUT UPSET THE COLLECTOR AND GIVES THEM SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT LATER

trisha...people here know and understand the law whereas the collector may know the law, but blatently like to break them. Yeah, they might laugh about it...did you watch 20/20?? Those collectors laughed themselves right out of a job.

Fake attorneys? Who is calling themselves an attorney on this board that isn't one?

I'm glad *something* makes it hard for collectors, and even more glad that we are helping to make it more difficult for collectors to ignore the law.

Thank you for the testimonial! :D

This company keeps calling my work phone number about a grivence placed against my ss#- the ss# they left on my voice mail is not even mine!

This company keeps calling my work phone number about a grivence placed against my ss#- the ss# they left on my voice mail is not even mine!

I HAVE RECEIVED 8 CALLS SOME CALLED 10 TIMES IN ONE DAY. I DID HAVE A PAYDAY LOAN AND LET IT GO WHEN WE WERE LAID OFF. SO THEY ARE ONLY OPEN 8-5 CENTRAL TIME. I NOW HAVE A NEW JOB AND WORK THE SAME. I HAVE LEFT MSG AND NO CALL BACK EXCEPT TO SAY THAT I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING EASY AND CALL THEM BACK. JAMAAR IS RUDE AND VERY IRATE. NOT SURE ON SPELLING. BUT I FINALLY TALKED TO HIM AND MY PHONE DIED WHEN I WAS GIVING HIM MY EMAIL SO HE CALLS BACK YELLING AND ASKING WHY I HUNG UP ON HIM AND HE IS DONE WITH ME. I STILL HAVE THE VOICE MAIL. I LEFT A MSG 2 DAYS AGO AND NOW THEY WONT RETURN MY CALL. I ASKED THAT THEY SEND ME A BILL AND HE ARGUED WITH ME TELLING ME THEY DONT SEND BILLS. FINALLY HE SAID HE CAN SEND ME A LETTER BUT THEN MY PHONE DIED AND HE DID NOT GET THE FULL ADDRESS.

Make a copy of that voicemail (or record it to your computer, if you have a webcam even better, record yourself playing the voicemail) and file a complaint with the FTC, the FCC, and your State Attorney General. What they did is *extremely* against the law.

Debthater,
On the internet, writing in all caps is considered rude and equivalent to shouting in someone's face. You are probably upset, but since computers haven't used all caps since the 70s, it is hard to read and gives me eyestrain.

Although Smith haynes and watson may be a licensed collection company, the payday lenders are usually not licensed in your state. Most states require licensing ang regulate fees. These online payday advance companies charge way more than what is allowed in most states. They try to collect through intimidation and embarrassment. DON'T LET THEM SUCCEED!!!

i am an empoyer and this company keeps harassing one of my employees here at work. they called looking for her today and i talked to them and the lady was extremely rude and only after i was rude back did she tell me that the conversation was being recorded...SHADY!! i informed her that if it was a personal matter she couldnt be contacting my employee here at work. she said i was rude and was going to report me to my corporate office. BRING IT ON! She then hung up om me and then called back to ask for the corporate number. She's the one abusing the law and she's going to report me? classic!

Does anybody have the direct number for a Ms. Pinkerton that is at either Smith, Haynes & Watson, or at Geneva Roth? I have been dealing with her, but cannot locate her number again. They debited my acct the payoff of $125 plus a $5 fee, then turned around a few days later and debited it again! She assured me the credit would only take a couple of days and it has been over 2 weeks. I've called the number everybody lists - 913-825-9961 and leave a voicemail on that guy's phone for her or anybody to call me back, but nobody does. HELP! I need this money reimbursed back in my acct. Any suggestions??

I have 866-489-0979 for collections in KS and
fax number 913-548-4850

Hope this helps.

I have dealt with this collection agency and they are scammers. Please be careful

I am in the middle of dealing with them now. Eastside stopped communicating with me after a few weeks. I've been stalling them as I've made them an offer and they are ignoring.

Do NOT give any collection agency your bank account information/debit/credit card. Insist that they accept a money order/cashiers check or no payment!

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Dude ??? do you work for them or what?

I applied for 1 payday loan and about 4 companies put money in my account. Of course I want to pay them back, but I cannot all at once. Anyway, someone from SmithHaynes and Watson called my house and told my 13 year old son he better tell his mother to call them or she would suffer the consequences in a court of law or jail. Nice right, they threatened my son.

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I just want to let everyone know, that is SHW is harassing you just contact them and threaten them with the BBB or the Attorney General and you will get much better results. They say they can not take mail in payments but that is a lie. There were checks and money orders sent to the company everyday and processed.