Northstar Location Services: Are there customer complaints against them?

I forgot to login when i stated this thread. The guest is me.

Yeh! You have the right to know from a collection agency if they are authorized to collect the money on behalf of your creditor. A letter noting down the total payment due doesn't prove the debt to be with them. You should have more information from a collection agency according to the federal laws.

Call the debt collector to send you the complete info in writing. If you don't get anything in your mail, send a debt validation letter from your side. You need to send the letter through certified mail with return receipt requested and ensure confirmation of the delivery.

After you get this sorted out, review the northstar location services settlement offers and get in writing from them that they will be reporting your account with Household Credit.

You can also call Household Credit and inquire the collection agency collecting on the debt. You will have the option to pay directly to Household Credit if northstar location services, llc haven't sold the account.

A collection agency also has to be licensed in your state. Check to make sure they are allowed to do business in your state

Ok, so when i call or write to NorthStar Location Services, LLC i should ask for debt validation to prove they are collecting on behalf of Household credit?

Should i mention if they can provide me with Debt Validation that i can payoff the debt in full? Will that speed up the process at all?

Quote:

You don't want to make any promises you can't keep when it comes to paying a debt off. If you know this debt is valid and can pay it off, why not just go ahead and pay it off

Is northstar location services legitimate company that collects as a third party agency? Because just got a notice in the mail and attemping to collect a debt and they are really helping me out like 20% of my debt is all they are willing to collect.But I am afraid if I get haunted months done the road since it is not the acital credit card company??? Help

This is the same company that claims to be a third something location service that is used to facilitate communications between their client and the consumer. They adamantly refuse to identify themselves as a collection agency on the phone, even though they are one. I wouldn't trust them even as far as I could throw them.

this company just called me today trying to tell me i owed next visa card which i never even heard of $1000 . i got my credit report right away and it wasnt on there but what was on there was that northstar had checked my credit just last week. im callin experian tomorrow. do not deal with this company they are schemers!

This Northstar Company called me 24 times in one day. I told the nasty man calling that I would have a professional business conversation with him when he provided me proof that I owe the debt including my signature on any or all documents to prove I owe a debt. They sent nothing. I think they are definately less than professional. Texas

I have attempted to get northstar location services address, location, info, I have been threatened to be put in jail, illigal, I have been harrassed and refused to be passed to supervisor, illegal, I have been contacted at work and my employer told them to stop and they actually told " Well yippee for you big frickin deal, you tell your employee (name) to call us and on on !) She requested a supervisor and the women refused continuing to yell and banter my boss, who is furious, and would not pass to a supervisor. She called again for supervisor and the women hung up on her, refused to give address so my boss can file charges with DA for infringment of Fair Credit Law.
Look up law, document calls or record if possible, often with cells, you can bring suite for amount owed plus some no problem, I would suggest all do this, this will bring these companies back to reality and cost them hundreds of thousands in fines and compensations, legal fees and etc. This is the worst of most.

(...beating my head against the wall...)
FIRST RULE IN DEALING WITH collection agencies...DON'T TALK WITH THEM...get everything in WRITING!

When they FIRST contact you, either thru phone or mail, YOU send THEM a DV letter requesting that Northstar Location Services validate the debt as yours! If they don't validate, they can't collect from you and if they try, then you can sue them for FDCA violations.

In the case of the OP, even tho he admits owing Household, how does he know that Northstar Location Services is authorized to collect on behalf of Household?! The purpose of the DV letter is to prove this as well as provide the OP with account information so that it can be determined how the amount due was calculated. If the amount due is heavily laden with fees and interest, keep that in mind when negotiating a payoff amount.

When settling, DO EVERYTHING IN WRITING, and make sure that the CA will agree to remove the account and will not sell off the difference (the amount not paid) to another CA. GET IT MARKED AS PAID IN FULL AND THAT THE CA WILL NOT SELL OFF THE DIFFERENCE!

Hope this helps!

...any one have some aspirin? (head hurts!) :)

If you don't get in writing that the account is PIF and the CA will not sell off the difference, then they will sell it to another CA and you will be in the same boat all over again. Protect yourself.

Aspirin...I need aspirin!

Do not deal with these unprofessional idiots! They called my cell phone asking for my dad. I don't know how they got my number but they didn't identify themselves, they were extremely rude and very unprofessional. I didn't want to waste my time arguing w/these idiots and getting no where with it so I hung up on them and reported them to the Better Business Bureau. :evil:

I have also been dealing with this company and am currently trying to get this debt paid off. They have sent me a debt validation letter showing the amount owed to Lowes credit card and my account number. I did have trouble with the first rep who I spoke with and they had been harassing me for a long time. I told them I couldn't make payments when my two year old daughter died and they told me that I was lying and that I didn't have a daughter who died. They then told my husband to quit hiding behind his wifes skirt and that they would sue us for everything we had. One rep in the pre-legal division even went so far as to threaten to take away my vehicle. When I tried to speak with her supervisor he called me a ****ing crybaby and told me to man up and pay what I owed. My question is I have been paying them for a while now but am wondering have I been paying in vain. I've probably already paid them close to 800 dollars of my 1800 dollar debt. How do I check if they are authorized to collect for Lowes was that letter proof?

no that letter wasn't proof.if they are assigned by lowes to collect then they should have something with your signature on it from loews.i would contact lowes and make sure it is in collections or charged off.without getting something in writing from these cretins they can take the money you already gave and just put it towards so-called interest.check with lowes on that,but next time remember.nothing in writing,as per a payment agreement.no payment.

I am currently being harrassed by this company. I agreed to a payment plan with them and received two statements from them and kept my word. I got a call today and the woman tried to tell me I haven't sent any payments since Nov. Lucky for me I made copies of my checks showing the date they cashed them. I asked nicely why I did not receive a statement to mail for my January payment, she tried to tell me I had to do it over the phone, I refused. She would only concider a lump sum payment. I want very badly to settle this and try to clean up my credit report but I am worried I am getting ripped off. I e-mailed Woman Within requesting info on this company, I will have to wait to see if they reply. :x

I just did a BBB check on them, they are legit. Customer ExperienceBack To Top Based on BBB files, this company has a satisfactory record with the BBB.

To have a "Satisfactory Record" with the BBB, a company must be in business for at least 12 months, properly and promptly address matters referred to it by the BBB, and be free from an unusual volume or pattern of complaints and law enforcement action involving its marketplace conduct. In addition, the BBB must have a clear understanding of the company's business and no concerns about its industry.
Business Contact and ProfileBack To Top Name: Northstar Location Services, LLC
Phone: (716) 817-6770
Address: 4285 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY 14225
Google map Mapquest map Yahoo map
Business Category: collection agencies

BBB file opened: September 14, 2005
Business started: March 2001
Primary Contact: Ms. Linda Leising (Compliance Officer)
Complaint Contact: Ms. Linda Leising (Compliance Officer)
Other Contacts: Mr. Aaron Castle (COO)
Ms. Barbara Crean (Executive)
Ms. Ann Granville (Executive)

Additional Locations and Phone NumbersBack To Top (716) 565-6926
(716) 565-6928 (FAX)

Customer Complaint HistoryBack To Top
The company's size, volume of business and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company has handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgment on the validity of complaints filed.

Number of complaints processed by the BBB
in the last 36 months: 114
in the last 12 months: 48

Complaints Concerned:
Selling Practices (7 complaints)
6 Resolved
1 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve

Advertising Issues (2 complaints)
1 Resolved
1 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve

Service Issues (37 complaints)
22 Resolved
15 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve

Customer Service Issues (3 complaints)
3 Resolved

Credit or Billing Disputes (58 complaints)
32 Resolved
26 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve

Delivery Issues (2 complaints)
1 Resolved
1 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve

Refund Practices (1 complaints)
1 Resolved

Contract Disputes (4 complaints)
4 Resolved


Products and ServicesBack To Top This company is a collection agency.
Alternate Business NamesBack To Top The Northstar Companies, LLC

Government ActionsBack To Top The BBB has no information regarding Government Actions at this time.
Advertising ReviewBack To Top The BBB has no information regarding Ad Reviews at this time.
Industry TipsBack To Top Debt Collection

The following is BBB general information and is not intended as a report on any specific company.

If you experience problems with a collection agency, it's important to know your rights. There are two types of debt collectors: creditors, to whom you owe money directly, and third party collectors, which collect on behalf of companies. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, creditors and third party collectors may NOT:
* use false, deceptive, or misleading representations or means;
* harass, oppress, or abuse any person while seeking payment;
* use any false statements or engage in unfair practices.

The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission offer the following information on fair collection practices.

Contact

debt collectors may not contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree to alternative times. They may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax; however, they may NOT contact you by postcard. Collectors also may not contact you at work if they know your employer disapproves. You may stop a collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the agency telling them to stop. Once the agency receives your letter, it may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact, or to notify you if they intend to take a specific action.

If you have an attorney, debt collectors may not contact anyone other than your attorney once you've provided the attorney's information. If you do not have an attorney, collectors may contact other people, but only to find out where you live and work. In most case, collectors may not contact such permissible parties more than once and cannot reveal to anyone other than you or your attorney that you owe money.

Within five days after you are first contacted, collectors must send 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. If you believe the company contacted you in error, you must write to them within 30 days after the initial contact; upon receipt of your letter, the company must cease collection activities. However, if the company can provide proof of the debt such as a copy of a bill for the amount owed, the company may renew collection proceedings.

Prohibited Practices

Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices while attempting to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
* use threats of violence or harm against the person, property, or reputation;
* publish a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts (except to a credit bureau);
* use obscene or profane language;
* use phone calls to repeatedly harass you;
* fail to identify themselves on the telephone;
* advertise your debt;
* threaten arrest if you do not pay your debt;
* say they will seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so;
* indicate that actions such as a lawsuit will be taken against you, which legally may not be taken, or which they do not intend to take;
* collect any amount greater than your debt, unless allowed by law;
* deposit a post-dated check prematurely.

Debt collectors may not use false statements when collecting a debt. For example, they cannot:
* falsely imply they are attorneys or government representatives;
falsely imply you have committed a crime;
* falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau;
* misrepresent the amount of your debt;
* misrepresent the involvement of an attorney in collecting a debt;
* indicate that papers being sent to you are not legal forms when they are;
* give false credit information about you to anyone;
* send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency when it is not;
* use a false name.

Law Violations
If you believe a debt collector has violated the law, you may sue in state or federal court within one year from the date of the possible violation. If you win, you may recover money for damages you suffered, including court costs and attorney's fees. You should also report problems with debt collectors to the Attorney General's office and the Federal Trade Commission.

ID: 22002202
Report as of: 1/7/2009 11:15 PM

?? 2009 Better Business Bureau, Inc.

I got a letter from this company to settle a debt that I had with Discover Card Services. I contacted Discover and they provided me with the company's information. I contacted the company and sent them payment in full through western union and receive a letter by email that the account is paid in full. I am so glad that I took the settlement offer. It was 40% on the dollar, 1,000 dollars less than what I owed. I say go for it pay the debt off.

You guys seem to know a lot about this company. I am young and did not know to research them before paying them. They had sent me letters about my account and called one day to settled. I settled with them and paid them. They were supposed to take it off of my credit, but they have not. Does anyone know how I can get a hold of these people?

I have delt with this company and regretfully so. I was at a point where I wanted to try to get my debt back in shape and since they continued to call non-stop I decided I would finally see what they were offering. I called the actual company where the debt was incurred and they did verify that this company is the one that they were using for collections. So I decided to go ahead and do the settlement with them.

They were so nice at first, making everything sound so easy and even making the payments as low as they could with a final settlement payment of over 1k at the end. I repeatedly asked the guy what I could do if I couldn't make the large lump sum payment at the end and he repeatedly told me all I would need to do is call and have them change the amount of the check and the settlement payment would be reduced and moved to the next month. Well it came time for this payment and when I called they refused to do anything. They even threatened me when I said that I wouldn't be able to pay the large settlement because I was in a financial bind.

I tried to be civilized and tell them that I would make the minimum payment but they didn't want to hear that either. The guy (Tom Griffith) just got all angry and rude with me telling me what money I should have like he knows what's in my account. Then when I spoke to the supervisor (which I think was the same person) he also got really rude and told me that I should try to find someone to borrow the money from or get my taxes done early so that I could get the money and pay them (as if he knew how much I was getting back). He even went on and on for about 10 minutes on how I should have saved the money each month until I got to the large lump sum and he acted as if he knew what bills I had to pay; telling me that most companies give me a grace period to be late on making payments so I can be late paying them and just pay Northstar. SERIOUSLY?! So I hung up!

These jacks are full of you know what! I really hate that I have even dealt with them. I filed a complaint against them with the original company I incurred the debt with but they didn't seem to care much. The bad part is that Northstar still has my account number and all of my information and they have threatened that if the check comes back NSF then they will take legal action and I will be forced to pay the full debt amount and not the settlement amount. Whatever!

The payment is coming up and the only thing that they will do is go into the account and get nothing. I can't pay what I don't have. Unfortunately I can't escape this now, the only thing I can do is wait to see what happens. I may still end up owing the bank if they try to get the funds. I am upset but what can I do the damage is done and I don't have that much money.

etbudelta4, try and dispute it with the credit agencies as "paid in full". they have to go back to the collection agency to verify.

Bria, this is exactly why I never give any collection agency access to my checking account. I'll either pay with Money order/and or pre-paid visa card.

You guys have been calling me for over 6 months regarding someone else please delete my #

Kayleigh, NO ONE FROM THIS FORUM IS CALLING YOU!!

I have been repeatedly harrassed by Northstar for a debt with a credit card company. At first, they would not even tell me the name of their company, but insisted I pay them $10,000.00 now on the phone. They have called my work phone, (23 calls in 15 days), my personal cell phone (leaving threatening messages and using an angry tone which is frightening) and called my son's cell phone threatening that "your Mom will be sued and loose everything if you don't have her call us today). They have also called my ex-husband and my ex-mother in law. They have told me if I do not send them the lump sum, they will call my employer to embarrass me. They stated they knew everything about me and would make sure I was embarrassed and would loose everything. They are insisting on $5,000.00 today. I explained that I do not have that kind of money, I only have my income to live on, and like most, I am having a very difficult time. Their response was laughter. I explained the only money I have is $3,000.00 and that I would send them to settle the debt. They stated this was "an embarrassing offer" and I better get the money today, the full $5,000.00. The anger and hurtful comments are making me feel threatened. The embarrassment of them calling people I know, and the threats told to my son have gotten to be too much. Today, they advised me to hire a lawyer because they will sue me and I will not win, and will loose everything, and my wages will be gone because they will garnish them. I want to settle this and clear my credit, but can't give them what I don't have. What do I do? I feel threatened and in fear. Can someone help me? Should I hire an attorney as they suggested? Thank you to anyone who can help.

Look for an attorney at naca.net. Start recording the calls and sue their pants off.

Hi cmo6464,

Send them a Debt Validation letter.

Plus, file complaints with the FTC, I see quite a few violations here. And file complaints with your State Attorney General.

This company is doing everything wrong.

chrys

What state are you in? When was the last time you paid on the account? How are they reporting on your credit reports?

Thank you for your advice. Chyrs, I am doing what you suggested-thank you. Guest-thank you for your advice on finding an attorney. Nascar-Im in Maryland. Unfortunately, I was injured at work and had no income for one year. Other than this issue, I have excellent credit, but unfortunately this will ruin it. The only alternative may be bankruptcy.

Thank you all for your help. I just dont want to see anyone else have to suffer through this with this company.

Northstar has been calling me being rude on all messages. I am using a debt arbitration company to deal with them now they tell me they are going to send me to the legal department to garnish my wages. I have tried to talk to them and explain the situations to them. They are the rudest people I have ever dealt with. Should I contact the parent company that supposedly sent my account to them to see if they are really supposed to be doing this?

In my opinion, Northstar Location Services are a bunch of liars, and they are not to be trusted under any circumstances. Why should you pay them now? They have already trashed your credit rating if it has gone to collections. I would send them a Cease and Desist and not pay them a dime.

Don't call the number. Many CAs do this to "capture" your number in their system. They're a collection agency. A search for them brought this up:

Northstar Location Services
95 John Muir Dr
Amherst, NY , 14228-1144
Phone: 716-565-6926
FAX: 716-565-6928

we dealt with Sherri (ext 1092) and she was polite, professional and easy to work with. But, we were paying...

The day you talk to them or give them your address...they have you trapped. DO NOT send them anything. If the don't already have your address, don't give it to them.

Just because they THINK you owe them money doesn't make it so. You owe ONLY the original creditor, not them. You need to refuse to talk to them or give them anything. Remember, you owe them NOTHING!

They have been calling me for a few weeks on a non stop basis. Both my cell phone and house phone. I do not pick up the calls as there is no company name. My numbers are unlisted which tells me they have used illegal means to get these numbers. I owe credit cards. The companies not a collection agency. If I had the money to pay them I would have. Was out of work to begin with for over a year. I learned unless they send me a letter I do not respond. The collection companies charge fees. This one has yet to send me any form of mail. I had did a cease and decist letter to the original collector. Since they are not following the rules of collections, I will turn it over to the BBB. They even leave messages on my answering machines. Since I now work out of my home, and not allowed incoming calls. They meet up with a phone I do not hear. As I have told everyone. If your name does not appear in my caller ID, I will not pick up that phone. Matter of fact since I am working day and night this is my job. You will not call here the ringers are shut off. When I get the money trust me the original creditor will get the money not you. Then when the original creditor is paid off, I will contact the credit bureaus and dispute the debt as a paid off collection account. With my cancelled checks from the bank. Takes a while and a lot of work but it does work. I had one company that closed down. They factored there debts to someone else. They threatened me several times. Down to putting me in jail. Filed a complaint with the Consumer Credit Affairs in Cali. for illegal collection practices. Beware of debtors telling you, they will put you in jail for not paying your bill. It is a scare tactic. If it is a non secured debt not a whole lot they can do about it. They are insured. They collect the insurance from you not paying your debt. Or write it off at the end of the year. Hence, they get the money twice. This is not what I wanted to do. I wanted to pay my bills. I did not like being out of work for a year. I never had one late payment until I was terminated out of a psychic company. I was terminated because the supervisor wanted me to tell clients what they wanted to hear not the truth. Another lesson learned.

These dirtbags have called my home number twice looking for different individuals with my surname.
I don't owe any company money.
I have an excellent credit rating.

When I demanded to know who was in charge and where they were located, they insulted
me and hung up.

If Northstar is continually harrassing you, why not harrass them back. I believe that their correct address is 4285 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY 14225-1943. I have included some of their toll free numbers that you can call day or night and maybe they wont like having to pay for your phone calls to them. If you call at night they will still have to pay. Their toll free numbers are. 877-630-6700 866-822-4256 866-328-8252 866-610-2729
866-224-9822 866-224-9823 866-224-9824 866-224-9825
866-859-0289. I suggest that you call and make sure that the numbers are current and correct before you call at night, as you would not like to make an honest person pay for the harrassment you are receiving from these bottom dwellers.

You are obviously already in their system when they call to harrass you. Their is nothing they can do to you if you reveal no personal information to them. Don't get mad, make them pay.
If Northstar is continually harrassing you, why not harrass them back. I believe that their correct address is 4285 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY 14225-1943. I have included some of their toll free numbers that you can call day or night and maybe they wont like having to pay for your phone calls to them. If you call at night they will still have to pay. Their toll free numbers are. 877-630-6700 866-822-4256 866-328-8252 866-610-2729
866-224-9822 866-224-9823 866-224-9824 866-224-9825
866-859-0289. I suggest that you call and make sure that the numbers are current and correct before you call at night, as you would not like to make an honest person pay for the harrassment you are receiving from these bottom dwellers.


Enter Your Samebox Message:

I don't know about you, but I know that Northstar location Services is trying to collect on a debt from me that was written off by the original creditor. I might actually sue them. They are located in the Buffalo/ Cheektawoga area. Is it possible that the feds might be after them? http://www.buffalonews.com/437/story/816187.html

Here is the article as it appears in the Buffalo News
Feds accuse two men of debt collection fraud

October 03, 2009, 6:53 AM / 0 comments
Two Buffalo debt collectors could face decades in prison for a fraudulent debt collection scheme, U. S. Attorney Kathleen M. Mehltretter said Friday.

Timothy E. Arent, 37, and Neil G. Wieczkowski, 41, were charged Friday with mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Arent also is charged with bankruptcy fraud.

Over the last four years, the two obtained money from their victims under false pretenses, personation and representations, Assistant U. S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse said.

Arent and Wieczkowski also are accused of trying to dodge the law by changing the names of their businesses as many as 18 times. They reaped more than $8 million, authorities said. Arent also is accused of withholding information from the bankruptcy court in 2005, failing to disclose the purchase of a Buffalo home worth $500,000 before he declared bankruptcy.

Here is another article :(there are several others about Buffalo collectors in recent months)

The following information was released by the office of the New York Attorney General:

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the filing of criminal charges against 12 employees of several Buffalo-area debt collection companies for posing as law enforcement officials and threatening to have consumers thrown in jail unless they immediately paid off the debts that they supposedly owed.

All of the individuals charged today worked for one or more of the debt collection companies owned by Buffalo resident Tobias Boyland, which were shut down in June under an order obtained by Cuomos office. Since announcing that case during the summer, the Attorney Generals Office has compiled more than 1,000 complaints against Boyland and his companies. Todays charges and arrests are a part of the Attorney Generals ongoing probe into unlawful debt collection practices.

The tactics allegedly used here are some of the worst of the worst in the debt collection business," said Attorney General Cuomo. The defendants alleged lies, deceit and intimidation caused many innocent people to pay money they didn't owe just to stop the terrifying calls. My office will continue to seek out and punish companies that prey on consumers and violate clearly written laws regarding debt collection.

According to the felony complaints, the defendants stole thousands of dollars from consumers from across the country by using the threat of criminal charges and incarceration to collect debts that often did not exist, had passed the statute of limitations or had been previously discharged through bankruptcy. The collectors also regularly inflated the amount owed on an actual debt and would falsely tell consumers that they were being sued in civil court.

The complaints allege that the collectors used false law enforcement identities to coerce and cajole terrified consumers into agreeing to make the payments. Frightened at the prospect of arrest and humiliation, consumers authorized withdrawals from their checking accounts, wired money, or sent money orders to the collectors. Consumers were intentionally given misleading names, addresses and telephone numbers that led them to believe the businesses were located far from the Buffalo area.

The 12 individuals were charged in Town of Cheektowaga Court with multiple counts of grand larceny in the 4th degree (class E felony), which carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison for each count. The following individuals were charged today:

Tina Almond, 30, of Marsdale Road, Cheektowaga

Marcus Brown, 32, of Hoyt Street, Buffalo

Andrew Brzyski, 25, of Mary Lou Lane, Depew

Boris Burch, 49, of Kenmore Avenue, Buffalo

Rhonda DeSousa, 44, of Thornton Avenue, Buffalo

Jeremy Hapka, 22, of E. Rouen Drive, Buffalo

Kenneth MacGregor, 33, of Hodge Avenue, Buffalo

Danielle Miller, 33, of Highgate Avenue, Buffalo

Tracey Pritchett, 39, of Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo

Jammiea Simpson, 35, of Elmer Avenue, Buffalo

Bennie Davis, 47, Howard Street, Buffalo

Meghan Williams, 30, of Hussey Avenue, Buffalo

According to the criminal charges and a civil lawsuit filed by Cuomos office in June, Boyland and three other individuals - Kayla Pritchett, Dellian Sharp and Dorian Wills - operated numerous collection companies in at least four locations in Western New York. The debt collection agencies operated under several names across the Buffalo area, including: Central Resource Management, Final Claims Asset Locators, Final Control Asset Locators, Interchange Payment Solutions, Next Step Services, Portfolio Asset Assurance, Silverbay Services, and Teleport. Boyland was recently indicted by an Erie County Grand Jury on weapon charges.

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the New York State debt collection and consumer protection laws prohibit the following conduct: posing as an attorney, threatening lawsuits or other legal action which cannot be taken, saying a consumer committed a crime or will be arrested, and talking with third parties except to get location information. The law further requires collection agencies to send a written notice within five days of initial communication with the consumer explaining how he or she can dispute the debt. If properly disputed, the collection agency must stop all collection attempts and send verification.

The arrests and charges are part of an ongoing investigation by Attorney General Cuomo into unlawful debt collection practices. In recent months, Cuomo has shut down multiple debt collection companies and required others to reform their deceptive practices. Lawsuits against several other collection companies are pending.

Cuomo urges consumers to visit www.NYDebtHelp.com to learn their rights. The site allows victims of debt collection and debt settlement companies quick access to the Attorney Generals office to file complaints, and outlines the stages of the Attorney Generals investigation.

The criminal case is handled by Assistant Attorney General Paul F. McCarthy under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief of the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau Richard Ernst and Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice Robin L. Baker. The investigation was handled by Investigators Michael G. McCartney, Paul R. Scherf, Jr. and Sandra Migaj under the supervision of Deputy Chief Investigator James Domres. Staff from the Attorney Generals Buffalo Regional Office is assisting in the case. The Attorney General thanked the Erie County Sheriffs Office for their help during the execution of the court ordered search warrants and the arrests of the defendants.

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

LMAO!!!! These losers at North Star "location" services could not find a Palm tree in Hawaii.... Lol people if you should ever get a call from this skank agency or any of their like ilk you have only one thing to do: Laugh at them and hang up on them period. This is but merely a third party predatory agency that thinks you are simply stupid enough to pay them monies for a debt you no longer owe period since the original creditor has obviously long since charged off the debt thus its no longer valid.... These losers purchase old debts for pennies on the dollar then think that they can fool you into paying them even far more monies so as to so called resolve the matter lol.... These losers have zero power over your life other than to bore you with their lame calls so pay no attention to the hollow and otherwise impotent threats these freaks spew forth...totally powerless to do a damn thing!!! :D Tell them drown themselves and hang up on them...

I have just reported them to the Federal Trade Commission for their yelling, rudeness, and insults to me over a debt. They think they have the right to yell and intimidate people, and they even told me that because I was not a "customer" since they were a collection agency, that they could use any means necessary. They claimed they had my conversation on tape, yet at no time did they ask to take our conversation. They are obnoxious, hateful people who get off on insulting people who are struggling to keep their heads above water in this terrible economy. They won't let a person get a word in edgewise, and they twist everything you say. I hope they get put out of business, because every last person who works there has the same nasty, rude attitude toward people.

A family friend recommended this one to me. If you know they are calling you, as soon as you answer the phone, before even saying hello, say "this call will be recorded". According to what my family friend said, the debt collectors will hang up the phone immediately. Or will be a lot more polite. put them on speakerphone, use a voice recorder, answering machine, a little tape recorder. Its different in each state, mine says you have to let someone know when they are being recorded. They know they don't want to be recorded because they know they are breaking federal debt collection laws. And they may have to compensate you for each offense. Try it and see - beat them at their own game.

p.s. I just ignore their calls, I know they have no legal right to collect on a debt that the original creditor wrote off and did not forward to them. (I checked my credit report)

"this company has a satisfactory record with the BBB."

NOT TRUE they are not a part of BBB and they also have an F rating. I just looked them up.

Quote:

[COLOR=black]I am on the other side of this Northstar issue. I am a small home based business and in 15 years of business, Northstar is the FIRST customer who actually has stolen merchendise from me. How ironic, a debt collector that defaults on their own agreed payment. Too bad it's only a little over $50.00 they owe me, because I think it would interesting to send a debt collection angency after a debt collector for a bad debt. Very hypocritical company. I hope this post gets read by other businesses owners who would be considering Northstar to collect a bad debt and choose a different company. This issue I am having with them only reinforces their total lack of integrity.[/COLOR]
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Got a note from my dad. He got a call from these guys looking for my wife and myself. He asked what this was about and they said they had a client who had a contract with us and they were hired to find us. Whatever. I hope I turn on the news one day to hear how about someone going postal and the masacre wherever they are located. At some point someone has to stand up and say enough is enough if the laws in place do not protect the citizen from this kind of damaging behavior.

[QUOTE=Anonymous;446366]The day you talk to them or give them your address...they have you trapped. DO NOT send them anything. If the don't already have your address, don't give it to them.
Just because they THINK you owe them money doesn't make it so. You owe ONLY the original creditor, not them. You need to refuse to talk to them or give them anything. Remember, you owe them NOTHING![/Q

You are wrong