Allied Interstate
Date: Wed, 08/16/2006 - 17:07
I found this forum yesterday - and I am very upset right now. I hope someone has the patience to wade through all this. I've had perfect credit for over 10 years. Last year, I got the idea to go into business for myself. To make a long story short, I made a lot of mistakes, and around the first of the year, owed American Express 3,000.
I kept in contact with them, and I made the last payment in March of this year for just 20.00, then I couldn't keep up. I owe other credit cards also, and still can't see my way out of this mess. On May 15th, I got a call from someone who said they were "Kevin Lee" calling from allied interstate. The conversation turned ugly very fast, as he was very hostile and abusive tight out of the gate.
Amongst other things, from my notes and memory, he said he ran the place. He gave me the strong impression that he was an attorney, but I think he's just a collector of some sort. Some of the things he said were: He said I lived in a cheap motel, I was
a procrastinator, a liar, I was immature, and a "runner." He claimed he was a "man of action"
And I was a "man or words." He claimed, I remember, that he "knew" I did not have a source of income, which wasn't true. When I told him that, he said I needed to go back to work so I could pay him off, as i was working for him now - that's what I remember at least. I think that is pretty close.
I couldn't believe it. I didn't take the call seriously, as I thought I was dealing with someone who was mentally ill, or someone from the psycho ward. I admit I got very angry, hung up, and told him to "F off" at one point.
The call originated from an unlisted source in Ontario, Canada. The company themselves is located in Columbus, OH. I did received a letter from them on 5/18, and having already found "The Fair Debt Collections Practice Act."
I sent a registered letter disputing the debt, asking for verification, within the 30 day period they gave me. I did get a package from American Express, just recently - after about 60 days. I don't really see where they say that they assigned this to Allied interstate or any mention of them.
I've been working on putting everything together and going to a consumer credit counseling center. Since the first of the year, I did get a good job, but not enough to really get ahead of the game. Man, what do you do when you have to put a roof over your head and food on the table? Somethings got to give, and I admit I just sort of put this whole matter off for awhile.
Anyway, I got a call on 08/11, from the same unlisted or unverifiable number, and the person claimed to be from American Express legal department. When I pressed him, he admitted that he was from Allied Interstate. I told him that he ad been lying to me, and I hung up at that point. I don't remember the rest of the conversation. I do know I never threatened any sort of illegal activity or harm to any person of any sort.
I got another call from "Kevin" again today, claiming to be from American Express Legal Department. I pressed him and he finally admitted that he was from Allied interstate again. He kept pressing me for the name and address of my attorney. Considering that he'd already lied to me, I wasn't going to give him anything. He said that they had filed a claim against me for fraud. I about fell over, fraud for what? it doesn't make any sense. He said they'd filed some sort of charges with some local county office.
I did lose my cool again, and told him to "F off once again before I hung on him. These people are animals, I can't imagine what sewer they find these people from.
I was extremely upset so I called the FTC and filed a complaint - although I doubt if they will do much of anything, but at least I have a paper trail.
Allied interstate seems like they have to be in direct violation of "section 806. Harassment or abuse [15 USC 1692d]" and also "section § 807. False or misleading representations [15 USC 1692e]" as they claimed
I wish I had a telephone recorder, as my fear is they will doctor their tapes somehow, or erase what they said that leave me on it, ranting like a maniac.
I'm planning on setting an appointment with the local consumer credit counseling place and trying to get something going.
Well, I feel a little better for writing this out. I'm still really upset, and I have to run some errands, and I'm going to be very careful driving so I don't get into a wreck. Why can't these people act like human beings?
thanks to anybody who's read this an any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.
Mike
Allied Interstate
Sorry I just saw the allied interstate thread, maybe I should have posted this there. It looks like I'm not alone.
Mike, Take a deep breath and relax for a while. You will feel
Mike,
Take a deep breath and relax for a while. You will feel easier. After reading your post, I find allied interstate violating most of the federal and state laws. If you are allowed to record their phone calls secretly (after checking your state laws whether you need their consent before recording), get some legal proof of their violations. If they can attach a recording device to prove you wrong, you must return the same to them strongly. Don't let them intimidate you for long and misrepresent your account with incorrect information. They are famous for their illegal activities, you need to gather every legal proof against them so that you can make your case stronger.
Under the federal laws, the collection agencies must validate the debt. The company is forcing you to make a payment so that the SOL gets renewed if it has already expired. They should give have given you the information about your debt in writing. As they are not doing that, it's all shady practice.
Contact Amex as they will be quite easier to deal with. If your file is still with them, you can send payments to them directly without dealing with any CA. Once you are sure that Amex is accepting payments from you, send a cease and desist letter to Allied immediately. If they contact you further after receiving your C&D letter, they will add to another fdcpa violation. The letter should be sent CMRRR so that you have proof of its delivery to the company's mailing address.
At present, try with these approaches after knowing your legal rights. You have the legal protection against such companies violating the federal and state laws. Don't fall into their scary tactics. Stay alert. :)
Allied Interstate
Thanks for replying, BuildingWeath.
I'm not sure they've actually vefified the debt properly at this point. I've been thinking about getting a phone recorder, so maybe it's time to do so. I can't imagine what kind of fraud charges they could file against me - as I haven't done anything illegal - unlike them.
They're not the sharpest pencils in the pencil box, that's for sure. They seem too inept to collect pop and beer cans in the street for recycling money, much less something as complex as debt collection. I wonder if they recruit these guys from jail. Maybe they assume everyone is like them as so operate from that point of view.
Contacting Amex seems like sound advice, and at least a starting point. Thanks for responding.
Mike, welcome to the forums. You should also alert Amex to the
Mike, welcome to the forums. You should also alert Amex to the situation- if they actually use Allied as a colelction agency, they need to be aware of this. Also, collectors are required not only to validate your debt, but disclose their real name and the name of their company. On a different subject, there's nho way this has anything to do with fraud. Fraud implies that you intentionally took out the credit card with no intent to pay it back, which is obviously not true. These guys just pick words out of a first year criminal justice student's textbook and throw them around to try and scare you. You've come to the right place for help and support!
Considering I took the credit card out in Feb of 2001, I only ju
Considering I took the credit card out in Feb of 2001, I only just used it in 2005, and did intend to pay, and in fact made some payments, I'd say the fraud charges are some sort of terrorist-wannabe tactic. Time will tell soon enough, as he said filed some sort of charges with some county office. What a piece of work. Anyway, tnanks for the replies, this forum is helping, and I feel a little more in control since reading some of the posts
sorry, that was me in the last post, I forgot to put my name in
sorry, that was me in the last post, I forgot to put my name in the box.
Mike, join the forum, there's a ton of good information here. W
Mike, join the forum, there's a ton of good information here. We'll be glad to have you.
I don't know where you live but a lot of states now have court information online so if your state does you could check to see if he's lying or not.
ok, I'll join. Give me a little time, I have to go to work, but
ok, I'll join. Give me a little time, I have to go to work, but will check in later
I'm at my wits end. I just got a very upsetting and harrassing
I'm at my wits end. I just got a very upsetting and harrassing call myself from Allied. In a nutshell, after a business that went under, etc., I have been in a bad financial place. I was keeping up, but now I can't. I am trying to re-fi to pay my bills, and the re-fi company set me up with a settlement company. He has sent everyone the power of attorney to act on my behalf, etc. Well, of course Allied claims they never received the Power of Attorney, and the guy from Allied started arguing with me. I told him he needed to speak with the finance company and I hung up. He called back and left a message that I had 24 hours or he would be calling my payroll dept. I assume this is a scare tactic as I understand I first would have to be served with papers, then if it gets to court (sometime down the road) and found in default only then can they try to collect in this way. My whole day is not shot as this call has totally put me in a bad place. Any help?
Allied and Amex
Mike,
I can probably "top" your story, if you'll forgive me for such a statement...
I owe Amex approximately $15,000, and due to extenuating circumstances, have been unable to pay. I should note that I am a business person with a high income, but for various reasons got behind and had my debt referred to Interstate.
I think I've been contacted by the same individual (Kevin Dee in my case - maybe he's working his way through the alphabet). He represented himself as being with "Legal," etc. His language, bearing, and mannerisms sound similar. I was told that I was being investigated for fraud, that he was prepared to contact my employer immediately to obtain a "pre-judgment" garnishment of my wages, etc. When I stated that I would be contacting an attorney, he went non-linear, demanding an immediate fax with the attorney's name and evidence of retainer paid. A few follow-on calls (recorded on voice mail since I refused to answer) were of a similar nature - I noticed that he uses words incorrectly and seems to be reading from a script...
I did contact a lawyer, and for a few hundred dollars am now represented, and in fact have a likely case against Allied for violating the fdcpa.
...Back in the mid-80's, when I was twenty-something, my ex-wife nearly bankrupted us, and I learned about debt collection through the school of hard knocks. I remember the threats and the taunts of "deadbeat." I survived, and will do so again. Don't associate your self-worth with your FICO score. Keep the faith...