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Argyle Solutions abusive phone calls, attempting to collect on paid bills. Ripoff Tampa florida
A couple of months ago, someone left a message on my cell phone stating it was an important "Business matter," and left an 800 number. I called to find out what it was about, and the person who answered said they were with "accounts receivable" working for a company called "Argyle Solutions." This first person cited a hospital bill and an amount owed. I recognized the amount since I had paid a hospital bill for that amonut several years ago, and I do have a receipt. I stated this to the person I spoke to on the phone, and asked him not to call me anymore.I did not have the cell phone at the time I paid the bill and furthermore, I never give the cell phone number to doctors or hospitals or businesses. It is for family and personal contacts only.I asked the representative from "Argyle" who gave him my cell phone number and he refused to answer me.There is a company called Argyle Solutions on the internet, which I had never heard of before the mysterious calls started.
My phone numbers are on national do not call lists, and I filed a complaint against this company with the FTC.
I'm not concerned about this old hospital bill, since I have receipts for this and all old medical bills. What concerns me is how some company I never heard of got my personal phone number. They would not give me their address, or fax me any information about the alleged bill or the "business matter," they cited. This company has called me several times after I asked them not to, leaving the same message on my cell phone. When I call them and ask them to fax me some kind of information regarding their "business matter," their representatives are rude and loud, shouting over me; they are evasive,refusing to tell me the specific reason for their repeated calls, and refusing to tell me how they got my phone number. If this is the kind of company doctors and hospitals do business with, I don't want anything to do with these "health" providers.
Cris
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
P
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
CRIS - DO NOT CALL THE AGENCY BACK .... NEVER TALK TO A COLLECTION AGENCY .....
#5Consumer Suggestion
Mon, May 14, 2007
Google the number and see who it comes to then address your letter of dispute to the company ... There were several laws broken as you advised us of the telephone call (i.e, not telling you who they are, not providing call back number, no providing address, etc.)
You need to send them a letter certified return receipt requested with the cert number placed on the letter itself to prove what was sent. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER because your signature may appear on documents you never signed ... (A sample letter is demonstrated below). You also need to get proof that nothing is owed.
Since there were several laws broken, you need to put this in the letter too ....
-------------------------
Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Date
Name of Collection Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
CERTIFIED LETTER NUMBER:
Re: Dispute of Collection Action: Case # ________
[If the collection agency has sent written notice, your case number is likely in the letter. If you have not received a written notice from the collection agency, tailor this line accordingly. For example, show the date you were contacted by the collection agency and/or identify the creditor by name if you can.]
To [person whose name appears on agency's notice to you]:
On [date] I was contacted by [name of person who called you] of your agency, who informed me that [name of collection agency] is attempting to collect [amount of claimed debt]. This individual is collecting on behalf of [name of creditor]. [OR] This individual would not tell me for whom you are supposed to be collecting.
[OR]
On [date] I received a written notice of the claimed debt, a copy of which is attached.
This is to inform you that I dispute the debt because [insert reason for dispute, e.g. the agency has confused you with someone else or the debt was paid. Include copies, not originals, of any correspondence that proves your point]. I am hereby requesting that you confirm the fact that I owe this debt as required by any applicable state and federal laws. Please contact the creditor to obtain verification.
In addition, under the provisions of state and federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and related consumer statutes, I am hereby instructing you that you are to cease collection of the debt while efforts are made to obtain verification. Until you resolve this error with the creditor, you should neither contact me nor anyone else except the creditor about this collection.
Furthermore, any reporting of this matter to a credit reporting agency is premature. Until you have investigated my dispute, you should not relay negative information to a credit reporting agency. If negative information has already been reported, you will need to notify the agency to remove said report until the investigative process is over so that my credit report remains accurate, or at the very least, my credit report should be updated to reflect my dispute.
Your next contact with me should be either notice that the creditor has failed to provide verification of the debt and that the matter has been closed or that you believe that this debt is valid and are providing proof of my responsibility. If the former, please confirm that I am not being held responsible for the debt in writing and also that if the account has already been noted on my credit report, that you will contact the bureau(s) in question to have the account removed. If the latter, I expect that you will provide me with an explanation as to why you have decided not to remove this account from collections and a copy of all documents relevant to the debt such as the application, bills, records of communications and payments, and any other data that indicates my responsibility.
I am instructing you not to contact any third parties such as my employer, neighbors, friends or family members. In addition, you may not contact me by phone at work or at my home about this collection activity. All future correspondence should be sent to me in writing.
[If you want to still speak to a collector by phone, indicate times when it is okay to contact you or note the name, address, and phone number of your attorney, if you have retained one.]
I look forward to your acknowledgement that you have received this notice by [date that is two weeks from date of letter].
Sincerely,
Print or type Your name
P
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
CRIS - DO NOT CALL THE AGENCY BACK .... NEVER TALK TO A COLLECTION AGENCY .....
#5Consumer Suggestion
Mon, May 14, 2007
Google the number and see who it comes to then address your letter of dispute to the company ... There were several laws broken as you advised us of the telephone call (i.e, not telling you who they are, not providing call back number, no providing address, etc.)
You need to send them a letter certified return receipt requested with the cert number placed on the letter itself to prove what was sent. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER because your signature may appear on documents you never signed ... (A sample letter is demonstrated below). You also need to get proof that nothing is owed.
Since there were several laws broken, you need to put this in the letter too ....
-------------------------
Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Date
Name of Collection Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
CERTIFIED LETTER NUMBER:
Re: Dispute of Collection Action: Case # ________
[If the collection agency has sent written notice, your case number is likely in the letter. If you have not received a written notice from the collection agency, tailor this line accordingly. For example, show the date you were contacted by the collection agency and/or identify the creditor by name if you can.]
To [person whose name appears on agency's notice to you]:
On [date] I was contacted by [name of person who called you] of your agency, who informed me that [name of collection agency] is attempting to collect [amount of claimed debt]. This individual is collecting on behalf of [name of creditor]. [OR] This individual would not tell me for whom you are supposed to be collecting.
[OR]
On [date] I received a written notice of the claimed debt, a copy of which is attached.
This is to inform you that I dispute the debt because [insert reason for dispute, e.g. the agency has confused you with someone else or the debt was paid. Include copies, not originals, of any correspondence that proves your point]. I am hereby requesting that you confirm the fact that I owe this debt as required by any applicable state and federal laws. Please contact the creditor to obtain verification.
In addition, under the provisions of state and federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and related consumer statutes, I am hereby instructing you that you are to cease collection of the debt while efforts are made to obtain verification. Until you resolve this error with the creditor, you should neither contact me nor anyone else except the creditor about this collection.
Furthermore, any reporting of this matter to a credit reporting agency is premature. Until you have investigated my dispute, you should not relay negative information to a credit reporting agency. If negative information has already been reported, you will need to notify the agency to remove said report until the investigative process is over so that my credit report remains accurate, or at the very least, my credit report should be updated to reflect my dispute.
Your next contact with me should be either notice that the creditor has failed to provide verification of the debt and that the matter has been closed or that you believe that this debt is valid and are providing proof of my responsibility. If the former, please confirm that I am not being held responsible for the debt in writing and also that if the account has already been noted on my credit report, that you will contact the bureau(s) in question to have the account removed. If the latter, I expect that you will provide me with an explanation as to why you have decided not to remove this account from collections and a copy of all documents relevant to the debt such as the application, bills, records of communications and payments, and any other data that indicates my responsibility.
I am instructing you not to contact any third parties such as my employer, neighbors, friends or family members. In addition, you may not contact me by phone at work or at my home about this collection activity. All future correspondence should be sent to me in writing.
[If you want to still speak to a collector by phone, indicate times when it is okay to contact you or note the name, address, and phone number of your attorney, if you have retained one.]
I look forward to your acknowledgement that you have received this notice by [date that is two weeks from date of letter].
Sincerely,
Print or type Your name
P
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
CRIS - DO NOT CALL THE AGENCY BACK .... NEVER TALK TO A COLLECTION AGENCY .....
#5Consumer Suggestion
Mon, May 14, 2007
Google the number and see who it comes to then address your letter of dispute to the company ... There were several laws broken as you advised us of the telephone call (i.e, not telling you who they are, not providing call back number, no providing address, etc.)
You need to send them a letter certified return receipt requested with the cert number placed on the letter itself to prove what was sent. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER because your signature may appear on documents you never signed ... (A sample letter is demonstrated below). You also need to get proof that nothing is owed.
Since there were several laws broken, you need to put this in the letter too ....
-------------------------
Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Date
Name of Collection Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
CERTIFIED LETTER NUMBER:
Re: Dispute of Collection Action: Case # ________
[If the collection agency has sent written notice, your case number is likely in the letter. If you have not received a written notice from the collection agency, tailor this line accordingly. For example, show the date you were contacted by the collection agency and/or identify the creditor by name if you can.]
To [person whose name appears on agency's notice to you]:
On [date] I was contacted by [name of person who called you] of your agency, who informed me that [name of collection agency] is attempting to collect [amount of claimed debt]. This individual is collecting on behalf of [name of creditor]. [OR] This individual would not tell me for whom you are supposed to be collecting.
[OR]
On [date] I received a written notice of the claimed debt, a copy of which is attached.
This is to inform you that I dispute the debt because [insert reason for dispute, e.g. the agency has confused you with someone else or the debt was paid. Include copies, not originals, of any correspondence that proves your point]. I am hereby requesting that you confirm the fact that I owe this debt as required by any applicable state and federal laws. Please contact the creditor to obtain verification.
In addition, under the provisions of state and federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and related consumer statutes, I am hereby instructing you that you are to cease collection of the debt while efforts are made to obtain verification. Until you resolve this error with the creditor, you should neither contact me nor anyone else except the creditor about this collection.
Furthermore, any reporting of this matter to a credit reporting agency is premature. Until you have investigated my dispute, you should not relay negative information to a credit reporting agency. If negative information has already been reported, you will need to notify the agency to remove said report until the investigative process is over so that my credit report remains accurate, or at the very least, my credit report should be updated to reflect my dispute.
Your next contact with me should be either notice that the creditor has failed to provide verification of the debt and that the matter has been closed or that you believe that this debt is valid and are providing proof of my responsibility. If the former, please confirm that I am not being held responsible for the debt in writing and also that if the account has already been noted on my credit report, that you will contact the bureau(s) in question to have the account removed. If the latter, I expect that you will provide me with an explanation as to why you have decided not to remove this account from collections and a copy of all documents relevant to the debt such as the application, bills, records of communications and payments, and any other data that indicates my responsibility.
I am instructing you not to contact any third parties such as my employer, neighbors, friends or family members. In addition, you may not contact me by phone at work or at my home about this collection activity. All future correspondence should be sent to me in writing.
[If you want to still speak to a collector by phone, indicate times when it is okay to contact you or note the name, address, and phone number of your attorney, if you have retained one.]
I look forward to your acknowledgement that you have received this notice by [date that is two weeks from date of letter].
Sincerely,
Print or type Your name
Kevin
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
Interesting
#5Consumer Suggestion
Sun, May 13, 2007
Why dont you contact the State Attorney General's office in Florida.. In addition, consider filing a criminal complaint with your local police department/sheriff department..
I have some information on how they obtained your phone #... There is a tool called skip tracing.. How does this tool work? In addition to utilizing online public information, they can pay for use to privileged information (available via lexis-nexis and other companies). Also, they will do cross references to people you put down as friends, relatives, etc.. a long time ago on other obligations.. They are so slick because they can back track through your HOME PHONE records and cross reference those to others to find you.. Do you honestly think they will tell you they found you through skip tracing.. One other thing.. They will utilize your friends, family, etc to find you or your number.. They do this by posing as someone else who maybe has good news for you (or pretends to be an old friend trying to find you)...
So, when they call you, do one of two things.. This will ultimately get them to stop calling you...
One option -- when they call you.. start cussing them out.. They will get pissed off.. But guess what.. it is your phone line.. They do not pay the bill.. If they complain, tell them to get off your phone then..
Second option -- blow a whistle or make other loud noises in the phone that totally will drive them up the wall.. And you know what.. It will work.. They will not want to call and listen to you make loud noises in your ear...
However, I would talk to the hospital or medical facility and get a paid in full letter.... (you may need this in the event they try to sue).. Hopefully they are not dumb..
Hope that helps..