collection "County Courthouse" call

Hello,

I did a search on the BBB website for them, they also go by the following names

Benning & Smith Acquistions
Graham, Beagle and Associates

They are probably illegal, so they keep changing there name. I would file a complaint with the BBB and your states Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. They have no right to hassle you or your mother, or anyone else for that matter.

opera - they are skirting the fdcpa law and they know it. They are stopping just short of informing your mother of a debt they are trying to collect from you.

However, it may be very close on the issue of making threats they don't intend to carry out, since they said they are from a courthouse (they aren't) and that they are an "inspector" (they're not) and that they will involve your mother in this matter (they can't).

I would contact an attorney and save that phone message.

This is a blatant violation of the fdcpa for claiming to be a court official!! File suit and contact the New York Attorney general.I imagine he will be pleased collectors are impersonating a court officer.

Either A he's a attorney, probably not licensed to practice in your state (there's a violation of a law that as far to my knowledge is applicable in all states) or he's pretending to be an attorney which is also pretty serrious offense. If he is though, you might also want to file complaint with their state bar if you can manage to figure out what law firm they are with.

He sounds totally bogus to me. Is there some law against leaving a person's social security number on an answering machine? It seems like that would violate someone's privacy.

He left your social on the answering service? ::smacks head:: that is just stupid. What if the poster had a roommate? That must violate some law somewhere...

If they indeed did leave a social security # on a machine that is also a privacy law violation.As I said before this is the kind of situation a consumer attorney needs to step in and smack them.

I think a economy/family size can of legal (explitive deleted) needs to be opened up for that.

it is a violation at least three ways--

1--disclosing your SSN in a message to someone else

2--threatening to take action against the third party that they cannot even take

3--implying that he is an officer of the court, or somehow otherwise connected with the court.

All three of these are major fdcpa violations, save that message at all costs. At this point, you should simply sue, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Any time spent waiting at this point will not get you anywhere, as they have just shown you their willingness to completely ignore federal law.

File a suit on this bozo as soon as possible, this one recording is by itself more than sufficient to prove beyond doubt all three violations.

It would be a violation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to disclose any "non-public" personal information about you to another party. Considering that your SSN is "non-public", there's your violation, even if it was your mother and she knows your SSN anyway.

If it were me, I would have my mom call back with a tape recorder and play along with it. Then you could probably get him on several more violations too.

Today my husband received a call from graham and nobel and assocites - from an "inspector stewart" saying my husband has something from marin bank - we have never even heard of this before! I just want to warn everyone that this is a scam. My husband had this guy on speaker phone so I could hear everything, it was quite funny. We have a long way home from work about an hour - this "inspector" rambled on about nothing for an hour. He put him on hold 3 different times and one time another lady came on and said that he was in a meeting - he would be back in 30 seconds........who does that?

Piehead, if it's legal in your state to record phone conversations with only your consent start recording their calls, if it requires both parties consent inform them that the call is being recorded and by staying on the line they are consenting to the recording.

Also you should send them a debt validation letter, send it certified mail, return receipt requested. (You can find a good template for a debt validation letter via the first link in my signature)

jcemt thank you for your links
action will be taken

happy holidays!!!!

Could be some sort of scam. Especially seeing that two men, Graham and Nobel, are a couple of scientists who published a work in 1996 on plant life. I wouldn't think that a collector would stay on the phone for an hour, time is money to them.

I completely forgot about the real Graham and Nobel. I should have noticed that.

Should have asked him how his thesis was going?

lol @ guest
Good one.

I understand things could get hard for people, what i dont understand is how if you open an account you shouldnt pay it, then you are looking for a way to file a lawsuit against the people collecting on an account you opened,, this is the reason the repo man carries guns to shoot people like you when and if they get out of line

People should pay what they legally owe. Companies collecting on those debts should follow the law. If the company is breaking the law and gets sued the law state that the consumer is entitled to collect a fine.

No one here is saying not to pay what you legitimatly owe. But sometimes things happen, and when it comes down to feeding your child or paying a collector, then obviously the child needs to be fed first. Yes, there are too many people out there that don't pay their bills because they don't want to. That is not us.

And really, if a repo man shot someone, they would be arrested. That is no excuse for shooting someone.

the morons are out in full swing the past few days I see.....nice cut and paste from your other thread idiot.

I've got a few toys too. A mossberg 835 ultimag, a sears .22 long rifle, a 91/30 Mosin Nagant, and a Glock model 36 (.45 ACP) you want to start a party I've got the party favors.

P.S.
Self defense laws in my state favor the gun owners/defenders.

Guest I sure hope you never try and repo in Louisiana. Our state considers a car a personal extension of our residence and no permit is required to be locked and loaded. Lethal force is permitted also. :shock:

JUST WATCHING..
my comment is..
you probably always are just watching...
and waiting for people to fall asleep..
so you have a less likelihood of getting shot at..
I had a family member who fell upon hard times years ago..had a 5th wheel trailer he used in work before he got sick and could no longer make payments..the repo man in this case actually called in advance and showed up in broad daylight and announced themselves... before taking possession of the trailer...I don't think this repo man carried a gun..just an ounce or two of integrity knowing that someone fell upon hard times and he had a job to do as respectfully as possible..bring in the police or sheriff dept. if weapons are needed...if not take the risk that you may be shot.. because... you yourself stepped over the line!

[quote=JUST WATCHING]I understand things could get hard for people, what i dont understand is how if you open an account you shouldnt pay it, then you are looking for a way to file a lawsuit against the people collecting on an account you opened,, this is the reason the repo man carries guns to shoot people like you when and if they get out of line[/quote]


That's absolutely the funniest thing I've seen this morning. Thanks, I needed a laugh.

OK, pinhead, let me make this real simple for ya, OK? Nobody here is trying to get outta payimg what they legitimately owe. But we aren't gonna just roll over for some collector-type, just because they spout off a lot of lies and bullsh*t, either.

Second point: Follow the law and treat people with respect, and you'll get respect. Bluster and threaten, and you'll get your ass handed to ya real quick-like. It's really just that simple.

Third point: Most times, bad dogs recognize badder ones. Be careful who you threaten, OK? I rode with a 1% MC for two decades, and I've got the scars and bullet holes to prove it. There's other folks out there that make me look like a boy scout, BTW. If you still have questions, refer back to my second point.

[quote=cajunbulldog]Guest I sure hope you never try and repo in Louisiana. Our state considers a car a personal extension of our residence and no permit is required to be locked and loaded. Lethal force is permitted also.[/quote]


Around here, we don't even need a permit to carry concealed away from our residence/car. Only state in the country with that much freedom of choice.

And like JCEMT said, I've got plenty of favors for the party.

Woo Hoo!

Party at Jcemt and Uncs house

B.Y.O.!!!!(favors)

(I'm sending out invitations!!!! hope you don't mind guys!)

p.s.....everyone here invited

come as you are....( no black tie required)..

chitty **** chitty **** dang!

:lol:

piehead, am I correct in assuming that the phone call you just told us about was received on your cellular phone? If so, that is also something you should mention--they cannot cause you to incur a cost just to talk to them about a debt. Charging you minutes on a cell phone is something to be careful of.

Oh, and dont worry, that is no inspector, at least not a competent one.

Obviously they're doing zaba or reverse searches and came up with my name because I live in the same complex as the person they're looking for. I have NO idea who this woman is or how her last name is spelled.

I still have it on my answering machine. The guy claimed to be an investigator, gave her full name, said that I was a contact in the case in Caddo County...there's no Caddo friggin' county in Texas...only Caddo Parish over in Lousiana.... (even cited the docket number) and that I needed to call him back at 877-836-3131
I got hold of a gal at that number and told her I didn't know the person, definitely did not know where her apt buildng was located in this complex and "how did they come up with my name and number"?
She, supposedly acting as the guy's secretary I'd guess, told me in a very hurried manner that she'd remove my number (confirmed my phone number...stupid me).

Feel free to call that damn number and get everyone you know calling it, it a free call anyway....let's tie up these people's lines up if there's nothing that can be done about them legally (lying about being involved in a court case should be illegal, I would think).
I found them under graham-nobledotcom
Their address (found them on mapquest)
60 Weston Ave
Buffalo, NY 14215-3333, US

I'd hate to think that someone might deliver some rotten smelly fish to the wrong address. Gads, if they spill it on their carpet, that smell will never come out! :D

How about rotten smelly fish, out of a blender. Use liquefy! Will it blend?! :lol:

I just got a call from Graham Nobels & Associates. He mentioned that I was being sued by Bank First, well I have never had any business with them, and I told him I didn't know what he was talking about. He told me the Sherrif would serve me with papers from he gave me the name of a Judge, and when I asked him to spell the name he stumbled through it, he said my court date is April 24th, after I asked him the date. He had called my mother also, and she told him she didn't know me. How do I stop him from calling. I told him I had received nothing in the mail, and he said I should know I was being sued, well he gave me my SS #, and I don't like that he has that information, and he is giving it over the phone. I am sure it is a scam, but how do I stop it?