Client Services Int'l - St. Charles MO

[IamOld]

Has anyone dealt with these guys before??

http://www.clientservices.com/Accoun...tRecovery.aspx

I've no idea who they're collecting for...it could be so many things...

Also...I know this is going to sound like "duh" for the older hands here, but does the collection industry somehow share it's "findings?" Like how all of a sudden four collectors have my unlisted direct work #.

By the way, this outfit spoofed a local number when they called me.

[treehugger1]

1) They may not have spoofed you. The number of work-out-of -home collectors has increased a thousand-fold since you defaulted. It is not unlikely that the particular agent assigned to your CA case lives down the block.

2) Your work number is not necessarily unlisted. If one CA got the number somehow, then others have the same ability. They don't need to share information.

[IamOld]

1) They may not have spoofed you. The number of work-out-of -home collectors has increased a thousand-fold since you defaulted. It is not unlikely that the particular agent assigned to your CA case lives down the block.

2) Your work number is not necessarily unlisted. If one CA got the number somehow, then others have the same ability. They don't need to share information.

Thank you Treehugger! THat would be interesting, eh? Although NCO spoofs numbers from both the area code of where I work and live.

But the work number troubles me because it is not published, I am not (most of our staff) is not on our website and!! my number at work was created from scratch...it is not a recyvcled #....

[DirkDiggler]

I got a letter from them regarding my Target Visa card, but no phone calls (at least they haven't left a message, my Vonage phone is on Do Not Disturb so my phone doesn't ring)

Funny thing is I'm still recieving statements from the Target Visa lol

[treehugger1]

I think the issue here is no different than it was a few years ago. If you don't want to be bothered then you must make this clear; either by answering the phone or sending a C&D communications. It easy for some folks to say, "Never talk to a debt collector," but when they have your work number (does not matter how they got it) you need to be proactive and answer the phone. Give them another number where you can be reached, and get your C&D communications letter in the mail. Ca's/JDBs have every right to attempt to contact you until you tell them otherwise.

[IamOld]

Thank you guys - for now, until/if I get anything in the mail from them, I'm not going to talk to them. I'm meeting with atty in a month, and he promised he'll be able to file in Sept!!!

[catleg]

You must send them a C&D and then they will go away.

[IamOld]

You must send them a C&D and then they will go away.

Right!!! But you know me...I don't talk to them on the phone....

Catleg if I could ask for an opinion from you and the others...Wells Fargo Credit card- received second final letter dated Aug 3 - gave me 10 days to send payment in full or else...is it time to refer them to atty? Is there any validity to them thinking I'm broke (which I am) and therefore why bother?

[catleg]

WFC has by now charged off your debt.
That means written it down to zero value on their books.
However that just means they will farm it out to collection agencies to harass you for a while, then (maybe) a law firm to sue you themselves and (finally) when they are informed of your BK they will sell it to a JDB for pennies on the dollar.
So if the calls aren't bothering you, you can just sit tight.
If they're harassing you, your neighbors or family you can C&D and wait for it to go to the next agency. Often they give 2 or 3 different CA's a shot at it before they go legal or sell it, depends on their "model".
Client Services started calling my neighbors trying to reach me so I had to C&D them.
if you have a lawyer you can certainly refer them to him, then they are no longer allowed to contact you.

[GoingDown]

Yes, they're calling you at work, so I would C & D them to get them to stop calling you, and if you are broke and will be filing bankruptcy soon you might want to tell them that in your letter. You might want to send a copy of the letter to the original creditor, too.

Since you have wages to garnish, you are not judgment proof.

[catleg]

Also it never hurts to yell "identity theft". This activates certain "red flag" protections in the most recent version of the FCRA.

[treehugger1]

The identity theft issue is a very reasonable card to play. There is a large amount of personal (non-public) information that gets passed around.

And, there are the real red flag rules that some folks are attempting to bring into focus. Part of these is the requirement that the creditor must have a written policy related to identity theft protection. I have had several CA's back off when it was clear they received personal information about me via some other third party. I also requested identity theft procedures from the original creditor related to the OC passing on personal information. It was very flagrant, as the local CA received a collection account from another out-of-state CA who was assigned to collect by the OC. The out-of-state CA sent the local CA a copy of the alleged contract with my complete SSN, birth-date, etc readable. I screamed identity theft at the local CA. One week later they sent me a letter stating they had returned the account to the first CA. They also wanted to make it clear that they would never compromise one's identity (ha.) I also called the OC and told them that one of their CA's was sharing non-public personal information about me with other companies. I have never heard another peep out of the original creditor or the out-of-state CA. I somehow hit a nerve. Interestingly, I never did receive a written ID theft policy/procedure from the original creditor. I often wonder if the OC had the collection agency back off.

I apologize for all the OC and CA acronyms. I am lazy this morning.

[IamOld]

Thanks Catleg (apologies for the late response) I've been coming and going and not knowing whether I was coming and going...yep, as of right now, nothing more from WF...or from Zwicker or Forsters and Garbus (or whatever)...but that's as for RIGHT NOW :-)

[IamOld]

Thanks GoingDown!!!! Yeah, but the thing is - I don't know if they listen to my message on the phone, but they never leave a message...when I'm there and I see their # pop up, I answer and hang up.

One is Chase and one is Forsters and Garbus (or whatever)

[IamOld]

THANK YOU! That is an excellent point - there like I said is NO way they can find out where I am, unless they divulge info - unless they can ask the IRS where my payroll tax deposits are from!!!

The identity theft issue is a very reasonable card to play. There is a large amount of personal (non-public) information that gets passed around.

And, there are the real red flag rules that some folks are attempting to bring into focus. Part of these is the requirement that the creditor must have a written policy related to identity theft protection. I have had several CA's back off when it was clear they received personal information about me via some other third party. I also requested identity theft procedures from the original creditor related to the OC passing on personal information. It was very flagrant, as the local CA received a collection account from another out-of-state CA who was assigned to collect by the OC. The out-of-state CA sent the local CA a copy of the alleged contract with my complete SSN, birth-date, etc readable. I screamed identity theft at the local CA. One week later they sent me a letter stating they had returned the account to the first CA. They also wanted to make it clear that they would never compromise one's identity (ha.) I also called the OC and told them that one of their CA's was sharing non-public personal information about me with other companies. I have never heard another peep out of the original creditor or the out-of-state CA. I somehow hit a nerve. Interestingly, I never did receive a written ID theft policy/procedure from the original creditor. I often wonder if the OC had the collection agency back off.

I apologize for all the OC and CA acronyms. I am lazy this morning.