SW Specialty Pre-Litigation

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i couldn't find a thing.i wouldn't speak to this bottomfeeder again.i would file AG and FTC complaints against them.also look into your state laws in regards to recording calls.this is a bottomfeeding collector.do not speak to them unless you can record it.file the complaints.you can use their co name and ph# to do this.

Well, I got to work and found out that they called and left a message for me there so I called them to get to the bottom of what they wanted.

Apparently the company in question is SNW (S&W?) Specialty Pre-Litigation. I requested an address and a fax number for them. They gave me the address but said they currently have no way to receive faxes but they're working on it. (They also have no answering machine or voice mail box.) That's a well run litigation firm if I say so myself.

The address they gave was: 511-70 San Jose Blvd.
179 Jacksonville, FL 32223

When I asked what they were accusing me of...apparently I had a PDL load (possibly CSO) with CashNet. They didn't say if it was CashNet or CashNetUSA...just said CashNet.) They were accusing me of theft of services and fraud and wanted to hear my side of the story. I told them the truth, my account with the bank I had at the time was closed out due to my bank suggesting I do so. I had made some payments that ended up going through payment processors in unsavory countries and I had PDL's withdrawing more money than I had in my account. I closed it as we agreed I should do since they said they couldn't put a hard block on the account.

They told me I had a 24 hour stay of claim to get back to them before they went through with legal action. (They threatened me in three voicemails that if I didn't respond in 24 hours, I was possibly going to face fines and a guilty plea would be put in in my name.) Funny how they'd threaten that without a lawsuit even being started yet.

They said I owed $906.44 on a $450.00 loan. They said $564.78 was for the loan, $116.66 in refinancing fees and the rest was for NSF charges. They said they'd accept a one time settlement of around $700 dollars or would work out a payment plan with me for the full amount.

They also asked me for a statement at the end in which I said I'd look into the account and that if I truly owned the debt, I would get it taken care of.

My question is what should I do now. I have to talk to them sometime in the next day to avoid legal action. Should I call back and find out if it's for CashNet or CashNetUSA? I know CashNet is illegal while USA is a CSO. If it's the CSO I fully plan on getting payments worked out because I know they're legal to loan in Florida. It just doesn't set well with me that they'd leave a message on my house phone that if I didn't respond, I'd get fined or have to plead guilty. That angers me.

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

send a dv letter to them at the address given to you. Nothing is going to be done if you don't respond. Nobody can enter a "guilty plea" for you. This matter is civil and it is not a criminal matter (the only place a guilty plea applies). Copy the voicemails they sent you to a secure media and contact your state Attorney General's office, your county DA or Attorney (most have a consumer division) and the FTC and file a complaint and mention that you have the recordings.

The important thing to remember is that criminal matters are not handled by private attorneys. And you would be talking to a police or DA investigator if this were an actual criminal matter.

Thanks, I actually filed a police report the first time I got the message. The officer that ended up doing the report for me was my landlord's husband and I played the message for him. He couldn't even keep a straight face the entire time. He was sure it was an overseas matter since it was an 877 number, but now that I know it's in Jacksonville, I'll be paying him another visit.

I'm going to drop my State AG's office an e-mail tonight.

You're on the right track. I think you have a case in hand and can get $1000 from this collector for violating FDCPA guidelines.

Well, cleaning up my emails last night I came across one I received last month from "Western New York Capital, Inc". It seems they are trying to collect on the "CashNet" account. (They only say CashNet and not CashNetUSA as well, but from other threads on this forum, it seems they collect for USA.) The amount they say I owe is about $100 more than what S&W says I owe but has the same settlement amount. I plan on firing off DV letters to both of these clowns today and asking them both for their license numbers to do business in Florida. I already dropped emails to the Florida Attorney Generals office and to a site that gives you a free case evaluation on FDPCA violations and can't wait to hear back from them. FTC is next. They're not hearing back from me today and if they call me at work, I'll tell them I'm waiting for their move.

Sorry, I was trying to update earlier and tried to post but the forums went down for me for some reason.

Misty (Ms. Tan?) left me two messages today between 8 am and 9 am...one on my cell and one on my house phone. In one she said she hadn't heard from me and that I had until 9pm to contact her with payment information or it was going to the Monroe County Courthouse. In the second, it was basically the same threat, but she said it was no longer in her office and that Attorney Astor would be in charge but I could still contact her until 9pm to set up payments and if not, it would go to the courthouse. Naturally, I did not respond. I did get the 904 number they were calling from finally and still have all messages saved.

I did fire out my DV letters today to S&W and Western New York Capital. It's funny how they expect that I just take their word and should just give them my credit card info for payments just because they threatened me. I'll be waiting here quietly for my so called summons. They better pray they follow through or I'll have some real fun when I have two saved messages threatening me with court.

Quick question on where I should go from here. I received a call back from Collection Stopper this morning and gave them some information on what's going on. They called up the company and they said they were a litigation firm and they investigate fraud, blah blah blah. They said they couldn't help me since they weren't a collection agency even though they tried to collect the debt from me. They claimed they were sending it to the courthouse today, so I'm waiting to see what happens. Any steps I should take in the meantime?

Quick question on where I should go from here. I received a call back from Collection Stopper this morning and gave them some information on what's going on. They called up the company and they said they were a litigation firm and they investigate fraud, blah blah blah. They said they couldn't help me since they weren't a collection agency even though they tried to collect the debt from me. They claimed they were sending it to the courthouse today, so I'm waiting to see what happens. Any steps I should take in the meantime?

hey so what happened? i got a call from them today too, wondering what i should do.

Was it the same lady...Ms. Tan? I got my Return Receipt from the Debt Validation letter I sent them and guess what. She calls and leaves me a message again today asking to call in regards to something dealing with my case.

Nothing in the mail yet regarding it...and it's funny considering that she said it was leaving her office and she is no longer dealing with it. Then she calls me a week later. Riiiiiight. My question is...since it's a litigation office (supposedly...and that's a big supposedly), are they bound by collection laws? Do they have to follow the law if I send them a debt validation letter? Where should I check into if I want to find out if they're on the up and up on their business...name and everything and not just some scumbag collectors lying?

I guess I should fire out a cease and desist letter...but would that do any good considering they're (supposedly) not a collection agency?

I'm sure Doug would like any ideas as well, I can find NOTHING on these people.

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Thanks paul...I did file the FTC and AG complaints before I sent the letter. I'll check into NACA.net and see what I can do. I'm so agitated with these people. I just got married six months ago and I'm taking these first two years to knock out all of our debt before we move. I'm trying to deal with all of the collectors that are working legally doing things like...you know, sending letters and not harassing me on the phone. It's just a pain waking up to messages from these brainiacs.

I'm still waiting to get someone to take my case. I got another message from these clowns again this morning. Now it's a "Miss Kay" calling me. Funning thing is, she sounds exactly like "Ms. Tan". Still threatening me with the same old, same old. I thought this left their office already...

the lies and tales these places tell.hope you can find a lawyer because this bunch of crumbs deserves to be sued.

You don't need an attorney for this. It's a lot of work and hassle, but you can file suit on your own.

In your position, I'd hit them with a strongly worded ITS letter. Enumerate their violations, and offer to sue their asses if they don't stop messing with you.

Before I fire off another letter, I'm going to try and see if I can go through Western New York Capital to see where they shipped the debt off to. They owned it within the past two months so it couldn't hurt. If I find out S&W has been using a fake company name, so help me...

Wulf, I also forgot to ask...what exactly is an ITS letter? I tried looking it up but good old Google isn't much help.

ITS = Intent To Sue.

Basically, a letter advising them of the following:

- You have commited these violations.

- I have proof that you did it.

- I want you to (___fill_in_the_blank___).

- Do what I tell you, or I'll sue you for your violations describe above.

Well this gets more fun by the minute.

I filled out some paperwork for an attorney and they read over all of the information. The only issue? We still can't find any company located at these numbers or address. Apparently I find out that others have been contacted with the same threats at 800notes.com. Nice to see they're getting around these days. I called up the Florida Attorney General's office and they had no info on them so they referred me elsewhere. The other office I talked to had no info but that the address they gave went to an UPS store in Jacksonville, so they've got a PO Box there.

The numbers they're calling from are unlisted in Jacksonville. Anyone know a reliable and cheap way to find out who they belong to? I'm not sure how much I trust all the reverse phone look up websites.

Well, still no luck on the S&W front. More complaints seem to be coming out of the woodworks online on all of the number lookup sites. (Same thing, accusing ALL of them for "check fraud".) No new information but a few of us have complained to the BBB and they're investigating now. I haven't heard from them in weeks but I started getting calls from my old "buddies" in India again. Oh joy.

Can't get legal action done until I get a real business address. I've got all year S&W...all year. Please slip up sooner than later.

has anyone being contacted ever tried changing your number?

I've tried logging in recently to the site but it seems I'm banned for some reason. (Probably IP related). Oh well.

S&W is back at it again using the name Stage III Group LLC. I found out that both companies are registered under Sunbiz.org. Both have the same owners and management unsurprisingly. Maybe now that I have real addresses I can get a lawyer to go after these scum.

Stage III has begun contacting me again with the same song and dance...have questions about an old credit union account I had, possible identity theft, have questions for me, if they don't hear from me a guilty plea will be entered for me. Funny, they said the same thing last year and I'm still waiting for my supposed court date. Best part is, they even sent me an e-mail this time with the same old.

"If you do not contact us in a immediately, as this is a time sensitive matter, you may be subject to further penalties and/or charges, and a guilty plea can be submitted on your behalf."

Funny, because earlier in the letter they say that they're just trying to verify whether or not identity theft was committed against me. Yeah right. So glad to have their physical addresses now. Don't trust these people!

The Stage III Group, LLC
1-877-816-1377
FAX 1-904-252-6864

Just an update on S&W and Stage III Group for anyone that gets contacted by these scam artists. I contacted a lawyer about them and it seems they're just a scam company as figured. They did a little research up on them after I found out they were registered on Sunbiz.org. It seems they're just a bunch of sleaze trying to collect on old payday loans by posing as attorneys. They just registered company names to seem authentic. I was told to file a police report, contact the FTC with any any all new info, and also contact the BBB and AG office...all of which I have done. I hope that helps anyone that gets contacted by this scum.