Just this week a close relative of mine ( I actually live with this relative and his wife) got a message on his answering machine from a so-called collection agency and law firm, about an old credit card ( PROVIDIAN).
He says he had several years ago and paid off just as soon as he discoverd that the intial very low interest rate was not going to continue. He says he had the card maybe 6 months.
Anyway, he has a great rating. Has a great job and is pretty conservative when it comes to his money. Tight-wad is a good description( HA HA!!)
So he calls the number they left. He was told by a gal on the line that he sounded "HOT and SEXY".... well, then the gal said he owed OVER 4 grand to this "Providian" collection agency/law firm and wanted him to give her a credit card number and pay it off that way.
He told me he told her she was an idiot and a liar and if she ever called again, he would call the police because he KNOWS he does NOT owe that money. He hung up on her as she continued with some "sexy talk".
He called the telephone company and reported the harassing call and called the police and they said they will be calling him for a follow up shortly.
Yes these crooks buy junk debt that they don't have any legal standing to collect and then try to scare people into paying. I found out by dealing with them myself and it wasn't till I started doing some research and experiencing it first hand that their threats are empty. A real credit collector that intends to sue you will get a court date and issue you a real subpoena in an attempt to get a real judgment and then will provide you the documentation of that judgment. What goes on with these scumbags is mob collections minus the broken kneecaps.