Complaint Review: ALW Sourcing - NCO Group

I received a letter from ALW Sourcing this past weekend. Firstly, I'd like to offer a little bit of background, that you might better understand why I am irrate. I was stationed overseas as a servicemember of the U.S. Army from 1987-1991. During those years, due to my specific military "job," I was unable to return to the United States even for a "leave of absence." I am a practicing Wiccan, and therefore refuse to purchase metals such as gold, platinum, or titanium (commonly used to make jewelry). I believe in the old philosophy, "if you can't afford it, you don't need it," and I therefore pay for all of my puchases with cash, check, or debit (not credit) card.

With all of the above in mind, this letter claims that I owe in excess of US$600, for a purchase made at a Samuels Jewelers (I don't know where, but I never saw a Samuels Jewelers store overseas). The account-holder's name is not even my name. Upon contacting ALW Sourcing, I was informed that this debt is from 1990. I mentioned to John, the gentleman (if one can call such a person a "gentleman"; I have a few more appropriate references for such a person) on the phone, that I am not this person, and that even if it WERE my debt, that 20 years is well past the lawful limitations for attempting to collect a debt. He asked if a certain four digits were the last four of my Social Security number, which they are. He then informed me that there is no limit on time in which they can seek to collect this debt (is this true? Did the laws change regarding that over the past decade or so?), and that this is a legitimate debt (even though it's not MY debt?!).

I then contacted a lawyer (this may be helpful to others who fall prey to these scandalous scum-suckers), who advised me to write a letter to AWL Sourcing, disputing the validity and requesting verification/validation of this debt, and send it via Certified Mail.

I have also attempted to contact Samuels Jewelers, to obtain any information about this debt that I can. Unfortunately, since I did not ever open any account with Samuels Jewelers, I do not know anything about the account beyond its number (included in the correspondence from AWL Sourcing); therefore, they will not release any information about this debt or the account to me. Yet, I am supposed to be liable for this debt that I don't even know anything about????!!!!!
The website for Samuels Jewelers Credit Department, (((Link Redacted))) , states that "Your privacy and security are important to us." If it's so important to them, why are they refusing to assist someone who may have been the victim of identity theft?! If it's so important to them, why are they insisting that I pay a debt that they are unwilling to explain to me "because (I) do not know the appropriate information linked to this account?!" Of course I don't know the zip code, phone number, or address linked to the account! I'm NOT the person who opened the account!!!! Yet, I'm liable for the account's balance?!!! And they won't even tell me what this debt is for??!!! It seems to me that they're just making up an imaginary account and debt, and trying to see how much money they can steal from me.

Although I do not use credit, I rely on a "good credit record" to obtain fair priced rental housing, bank accounts, and such things in life as require a "clean credit record." I am not currently aware if they have sent "hard inquiries" to credit reporting agencies on this matter, but I am seeking legal counsel to ensure that my credit records are not maligned by AWL Sourcing (or one of its many, many alias names). I'd list the names that they go by (as listed in their correspondence), but I believe that would exceed the storage limitations of the entire internet (it's a full page of names)! Basically, it appears to me that they go by just about anything that includes "NCO," or "NCOP," and ends with "LLC," or "Inc," with a few other oddball names like "ALW Sourcing" thrown in.

Also, I noticed that

i am going thru identiclay the same thing. it's really annoying to have to have to deal with taking off something that you never authorised in the first place. hopefully they will just take those inquiries off and that will be that. but they really shouldn't be allowed to do that. i wonder why they allow this at all.

thanks for posting

i am going thru identiclay the same thing. it's really annoying to have to have to deal with taking off something that you never authorised in the first place. hopefully they will just take those inquiries off and that will be that. but they really shouldn't be allowed to do that. i wonder why they allow this at all.

thanks for posting

i am going thru identiclay the same thing. it's really annoying to have to have to deal with taking off something that you never authorised in the first place. hopefully they will just take those inquiries off and that will be that. but they really shouldn't be allowed to do that. i wonder why they allow this at all.

thanks for posting

i am going thru identiclay the same thing. it's really annoying to have to have to deal with taking off something that you never authorised in the first place. hopefully they will just take those inquiries off and that will be that. but they really shouldn't be allowed to do that. i wonder why they allow this at all.

thanks for posting

After numerous requests to Trans Union and threatened legal action, they have removed ALL ILLEGAL hard inquiries from my report. In my submissions to them, I did advise that merely removing them would not prevent further action. I kept pressing them for copies of the inquiries where I had given my authorization for same.

In their last response, they stated that my report showed no inquires from these cannibals - this after they had deleted all. Little do they know that a great program called SNAG-IT allowed me to secure, in .jpg and pdf, examples of reports showing that in fact these creeps did submit illegal inquiries as well as TU allowing same.

My business has kept me extremely busy and this is why I am just now updating. To Carl - leave me a method to contact you.

it's the same to me they are killing my credit score and I'm sick of it. I'm looking for an attorney right now but I think it will be good if we can talk, I have a couple of ideas and some new info that you might not know yet.

Carl.-

Good suggestion.

Haven't done so yet but will.

Did you try challenging these inquiries with the credit bureaus?

I'd send a Registered Letter with return receipt to the credit bureaus requesting that NCO provide documentation in the form of a signed loan application that they were authorized to make these hard inquiries.

NCO is a particularly bad firm...they got the largest fine ever for FCRA violations....but apparently they make so much money from violating that laws that they can stay in business.

Absolutely.

They show up as "hard inquiries" on TU and have lowered my credit score accordingly. The new hard inquires incur 2-3 point reductions each.

In my enthusiasm to participate in Ripoff Reports, I inadvertently switched names of CEO's on the two reports am compiling. The correct name of the CEO for NCO is:

Michael J. Barrist - Not Steven D. Fredrickson.

Steven D. Fredickson is the CEO of Portfolio Recovery Associates in Norfolk Virginia. Report on this company will be submitted shortly.

So, to correct this report, let's take Michael's money, home, family and reduce him to street trash.

Are you sure these aren't soft inquiries?