Complaint Review: Afni - Verizon - Bloomington Illinois

but was wondering if everyone who HAS received a bogus collection letter has filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's office? It would seem to me that if the IL AG is flooded with complaints, they may actually decide to do something about this agency.

Lengthy, but good to know for anyone who faces a debt, or debt collector. This is the response I got from the FTC from my complaint letter to them regarding AFNI. Thank you for your correspondence regarding debt collection practices. The Federal Trade Commission enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA" or "Act"), which prohibits unfair, deceptive and abusive debt collection practices by collection agencies and other third-party debt collectors. It also gives you certain rights when you are being treated improperly by a debt collector. Although the FTC staff is not in a position to intervene on your behalf in resolving your problem, we would like to outline some of the provisions of the Act for you and explain how you can use it to avoid further distress. We note at the outset, however, that the Act generally does not cover either the collection of commercial debts or the collection activities of the party to whom you allegedly owe your debt (the creditor) so long as the creditor is collecting in its own name. The Act applies only to third-party debt collectors collecting consumer debts. Congress enacted the FDCPA in 1977 in response to mounting evidence of the use of improper debt collection techniques in the marketplace. The Act prohibits several of these techniques, including, for example, disclosing consumers' debts to most third parties without the consumers' consent. It also forbids false threats to coerce payment (such as threats of suit or other actions when they probably will never occur) and any sort of oral harassment (such as threats of violence, profanity, and continuous calls) over the telephone. No calls may be made very early in the morning or late at night, calls to a consumer at work are restricted, and debt collectors may not add charges to the debt unless the consumer has agreed to them or they are permitted by state law. Finally, a debt collector may not sue a consumer outside the district (1) of the consumer's residence or (2) where the contract creating the debt was signed. If you believe that you do not owe the debt, you may file a dispute with the debt collector. If you do so in writing within thirty days of the date the collector notifies you of this right, the Act requires the collector to stop all collection efforts until it provides you with written verification of the debt. The Act also specifies that the debt collector inform you of this requirement at the beginning of the collection process. If you were not so informed, the collector violated the law. Instead of filing a dispute, you may choose to send them a letter demanding that the debt collector cease all further collection efforts. If you do so in writing, the Act requires that the collector comply with the demand. We suggest that you send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep a copy for your records. Please note, however, that sending a cease communication letter does not prevent the debt collector or the creditor from filing suit against you. It does, however, prevent them from calling you and sending collection notices. If you believe that the debt collector that is contacting you violated the law in this or any other way, you may additionally: 1) File a complaint with your state or local consumer protection office and/or the party to whom you originally owed the debt (the debt collector's client). If you file a complaint, describe the circumstances in detail and send copies of all written materials received from the collector. Any of these parties might take independent action against the collector. 2) File a private suit against the debt collector in any court for violations of the Act and, if you are successful, receive actual damages, attorney's fees, and additional damages up to $1,000. Remember, however, that the Act does not function to erase a valid debt, even if a debt collector has violated the law in attempting to collect it from you. If you really owe the debt, you will still have to cope with the consequences of non-payment if you do not pay. Remember also that some collection techniques, while unpleasant or distasteful, are not law violations. For example, a debt collector may: 1) Contact third parties solely to determine where you are, so long as the collector does not disclose the existence of your debt. 2) Contact you at work if the debt collector has no reason to believe that your employer prohibits the contact (and you have not filed a cease-communication request). 3) Use a rude or angry tone on the telephone, if the overall communication with you cannot truly be characterized as abusive or harassing. 4) Threaten consequences of non-payment that are truthful. For example, debt collectors may threaten to sue if suit will, in fact, be the result of non-payment. They also may threaten to report your debt to a credit bureau if, in fact, they intend and are legally able to do so. It is to your advantage to know the probable result of withholding payment, if it is accurate. 5) Accept or solicit a post-dated check, if the collector does not deposit it before the date on the check. 6) Refuse to accept a partial payment for a debt (even if you had such an arrangement with the creditor). If there is more than one debt, the collector must credit the account that you designate. If you owe the debt, we suggest that, before you resort to some of the stronger measures outlined above, you try to work out any payment difficulties, first with the debt collector and next with your creditor. Finally, if you decide to proceed further, or if you think that the collector or creditor is about to take legal action against you, be sure to contact your local legal aid office or an attorney for advice. Like the FDCPA provisions discussed above, you may also find certain Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provisions helpful if you believe that a debt collector is providing inaccurate information about you to a credit bureau. To fully protect your rights under the FCRA, we strongly recommend that you dispute the credit report item in writing to both the credit bureau and the debt collector. When you dispute the item to the credit bureau, the FCRA requires that the credit bureau pass your dispute to the debt collector, along with all relevant information you provided. The debt collector must investigate the dispute (which includes a review of the information you provided) and report what it found to the credit bureau within thirty days after you first disputed the item to the credit bureau. During this same period, the credit bureau must also review the information you provided. If the debt collector reports that the credit report item is incorrect and should be deleted, or fails to report to the credit bureau at all within the thirty-day period, the credit bureau must delete the item from its files. If the debt collector reports that the item is inaccurate and should be changed to a less delinquent status (e.g., 30 days late, rather than 120 days late), but not deleted, the credit bureau must make that change in its files. We hope that this information has been helpful to you. Please be assured that we are always interested in reports of law violations. If we cannot act immediately to remedy them, we will retain whatever you have provided for possible use in future enforcement actions. The efficacy of our FDCPA enforcement program is largely dependent upon information we receive from individuals like you. Thank you for writing. Sincerely yours, Consumer Response Center

report on them .... Lets see what happens!!!

Corporate Headquarters 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702-3097 800.767-2364 Afni, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702 USA Contact: Jim Hess, Director, Business Development Phone: 800-767-2364, ext. 3321 Fax: 309-820-2632 Email: [email protected] Afni, Inc. IL 309-663-4510 Jim Hess Website: afninet.com President and COO: RONALD L GREENE 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON 61701 Secretary: GREGORY J DONOVAN same address Bruce F. Griffin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ronald L. Greene President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Donovan, CPA Vice President of Employee Services Stenia Dziadiw Vice President of Sales & Business Development Michael D. Garner Vice President of Call Center Services John Mobley, Jr. Vice President, Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer John O'Donnell Vice President of Credit & Collections Services Organization Number 0491821 Name AFNI, INC. Profit or Non-Profit P - Profit Company Type FCO - Foreign Corporation ***** Status A - Active Standing G - Good State IL File Date 3/27/2000 Authority Date 3/27/2000 Last Annual Report 5/1/2006 Principal Office 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 Registered Agent C T CORPORATION SYSTEM KENTUCKY HOME LIFE BLDG LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 Current Officers President Ronald L. Greene Vice President Gregory J. Donovan Secretary Gregory J. Donovan Treasurer V. Curtis Oyer Director Bruce F. Griffin Director Ronald L. Greene This organization has no assumed names Previous Names previous company names: 06/24/1986 - CREDIT CHECK INC. 06/29/2000 - ANDERSON FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. For collection-related inquiries, contact our Recovery Team at 1.800.371.3645, by mail at Afni, Inc. PO Box 3517, Bloomington, IL 61701 or email at: [email protected]. To handle your collections account on the internet, visit the collections website at AfniCollections.com Important Note Regarding Collection-Related Inquiries: If you choose to communicate via email, please remember that no matter how many measures Afni takes to ensure the confidentiality of your email, the Internet may be a non-secure medium for communication. If you choose to communicate your collection-related inquiry via email, Afni cannot be responsible for any possible disclosure of an account to a third party COLLECTIONS PORTION OF THE COMPANY URL APPEARS TO BE AFNINET.COM Anderson Financial Network, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61701 Administrative Contact: Girard, Chris [email protected] Afni 404 Brock Dr Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 828-5226 fax: (309) 820-2610 Technical Contact: Anderson Financial Network, Inc. [email protected] 404 BROCK DR BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701-2654 US 309.828.5226 fax: 123 123 1234 GENERAL INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SITES ON DEALING WITH COLLECTION AGENCY'S Tell them to validate by . What the money you say I owe is for; Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe; Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe; Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable; Identify the original creditor; Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent 1. NEVER talk to a collection agency on the phone. Period. 2. Keep good records. This can be the difference between a good and bad settlement. Don't expect them to remember you or what you agreed upon. 3. Send all correspondence via registered mail, receipt requested and put the registered mail number ON THE LETTER. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER TYPE YOUR NAME 4. Keep a copy of every letter you send. 5. Penalties and extra interest are typically fictious amounts of money added on by the collection agency to pad their profits. Sometimes as much as to 50% of the debt or more claimed to be owed by a collection agency consisting of interest and fees. This is illegal, every state has usery laws (which dictate the maximum interests allowed to be charged. That is except North Dakota. There are no such laws which is why most credit card companies incorporate there.) Junk debt buyer pay anywhere from 1 cent to 7 cents on the dollar, there is no way there is this much interest. 6. Time is on your side. As time passes, the creditors will likely stop calling and the debt will be filed away for future attention or until the SOL runs out ..

Corporate Headquarters 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702-3097 800.767-2364 Afni, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702 USA Contact: Jim Hess, Director, Business Development Phone: 800-767-2364, ext. 3321 Fax: 309-820-2632 Email: [email protected] Afni, Inc. IL 309-663-4510 Jim Hess Website: afninet.com President and COO: RONALD L GREENE 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON 61701 Secretary: GREGORY J DONOVAN same address Bruce F. Griffin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ronald L. Greene President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Donovan, CPA Vice President of Employee Services Stenia Dziadiw Vice President of Sales & Business Development Michael D. Garner Vice President of Call Center Services John Mobley, Jr. Vice President, Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer John O'Donnell Vice President of Credit & Collections Services Organization Number 0491821 Name AFNI, INC. Profit or Non-Profit P - Profit Company Type FCO - Foreign Corporation ***** Status A - Active Standing G - Good State IL File Date 3/27/2000 Authority Date 3/27/2000 Last Annual Report 5/1/2006 Principal Office 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 Registered Agent C T CORPORATION SYSTEM KENTUCKY HOME LIFE BLDG LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 Current Officers President Ronald L. Greene Vice President Gregory J. Donovan Secretary Gregory J. Donovan Treasurer V. Curtis Oyer Director Bruce F. Griffin Director Ronald L. Greene This organization has no assumed names Previous Names previous company names: 06/24/1986 - CREDIT CHECK INC. 06/29/2000 - ANDERSON FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. For collection-related inquiries, contact our Recovery Team at 1.800.371.3645, by mail at Afni, Inc. PO Box 3517, Bloomington, IL 61701 or email at: [email protected]. To handle your collections account on the internet, visit the collections website at AfniCollections.com Important Note Regarding Collection-Related Inquiries: If you choose to communicate via email, please remember that no matter how many measures Afni takes to ensure the confidentiality of your email, the Internet may be a non-secure medium for communication. If you choose to communicate your collection-related inquiry via email, Afni cannot be responsible for any possible disclosure of an account to a third party COLLECTIONS PORTION OF THE COMPANY URL APPEARS TO BE AFNINET.COM Anderson Financial Network, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61701 Administrative Contact: Girard, Chris [email protected] Afni 404 Brock Dr Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 828-5226 fax: (309) 820-2610 Technical Contact: Anderson Financial Network, Inc. [email protected] 404 BROCK DR BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701-2654 US 309.828.5226 fax: 123 123 1234 GENERAL INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SITES ON DEALING WITH COLLECTION AGENCY'S Tell them to validate by . What the money you say I owe is for; Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe; Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe; Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable; Identify the original creditor; Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent 1. NEVER talk to a collection agency on the phone. Period. 2. Keep good records. This can be the difference between a good and bad settlement. Don't expect them to remember you or what you agreed upon. 3. Send all correspondence via registered mail, receipt requested and put the registered mail number ON THE LETTER. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER TYPE YOUR NAME 4. Keep a copy of every letter you send. 5. Penalties and extra interest are typically fictious amounts of money added on by the collection agency to pad their profits. Sometimes as much as to 50% of the debt or more claimed to be owed by a collection agency consisting of interest and fees. This is illegal, every state has usery laws (which dictate the maximum interests allowed to be charged. That is except North Dakota. There are no such laws which is why most credit card companies incorporate there.) Junk debt buyer pay anywhere from 1 cent to 7 cents on the dollar, there is no way there is this much interest. 6. Time is on your side. As time passes, the creditors will likely stop calling and the debt will be filed away for future attention or until the SOL runs out ..

Corporate Headquarters 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702-3097 800.767-2364 Afni, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702 USA Contact: Jim Hess, Director, Business Development Phone: 800-767-2364, ext. 3321 Fax: 309-820-2632 Email: [email protected] Afni, Inc. IL 309-663-4510 Jim Hess Website: afninet.com President and COO: RONALD L GREENE 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON 61701 Secretary: GREGORY J DONOVAN same address Bruce F. Griffin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ronald L. Greene President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Donovan, CPA Vice President of Employee Services Stenia Dziadiw Vice President of Sales & Business Development Michael D. Garner Vice President of Call Center Services John Mobley, Jr. Vice President, Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer John O'Donnell Vice President of Credit & Collections Services Organization Number 0491821 Name AFNI, INC. Profit or Non-Profit P - Profit Company Type FCO - Foreign Corporation ***** Status A - Active Standing G - Good State IL File Date 3/27/2000 Authority Date 3/27/2000 Last Annual Report 5/1/2006 Principal Office 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 Registered Agent C T CORPORATION SYSTEM KENTUCKY HOME LIFE BLDG LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 Current Officers President Ronald L. Greene Vice President Gregory J. Donovan Secretary Gregory J. Donovan Treasurer V. Curtis Oyer Director Bruce F. Griffin Director Ronald L. Greene This organization has no assumed names Previous Names previous company names: 06/24/1986 - CREDIT CHECK INC. 06/29/2000 - ANDERSON FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. For collection-related inquiries, contact our Recovery Team at 1.800.371.3645, by mail at Afni, Inc. PO Box 3517, Bloomington, IL 61701 or email at: [email protected]. To handle your collections account on the internet, visit the collections website at AfniCollections.com Important Note Regarding Collection-Related Inquiries: If you choose to communicate via email, please remember that no matter how many measures Afni takes to ensure the confidentiality of your email, the Internet may be a non-secure medium for communication. If you choose to communicate your collection-related inquiry via email, Afni cannot be responsible for any possible disclosure of an account to a third party COLLECTIONS PORTION OF THE COMPANY URL APPEARS TO BE AFNINET.COM Anderson Financial Network, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61701 Administrative Contact: Girard, Chris [email protected] Afni 404 Brock Dr Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 828-5226 fax: (309) 820-2610 Technical Contact: Anderson Financial Network, Inc. [email protected] 404 BROCK DR BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701-2654 US 309.828.5226 fax: 123 123 1234 GENERAL INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SITES ON DEALING WITH COLLECTION AGENCY'S Tell them to validate by . What the money you say I owe is for; Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe; Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe; Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable; Identify the original creditor; Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent 1. NEVER talk to a collection agency on the phone. Period. 2. Keep good records. This can be the difference between a good and bad settlement. Don't expect them to remember you or what you agreed upon. 3. Send all correspondence via registered mail, receipt requested and put the registered mail number ON THE LETTER. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER TYPE YOUR NAME 4. Keep a copy of every letter you send. 5. Penalties and extra interest are typically fictious amounts of money added on by the collection agency to pad their profits. Sometimes as much as to 50% of the debt or more claimed to be owed by a collection agency consisting of interest and fees. This is illegal, every state has usery laws (which dictate the maximum interests allowed to be charged. That is except North Dakota. There are no such laws which is why most credit card companies incorporate there.) Junk debt buyer pay anywhere from 1 cent to 7 cents on the dollar, there is no way there is this much interest. 6. Time is on your side. As time passes, the creditors will likely stop calling and the debt will be filed away for future attention or until the SOL runs out ..

Corporate Headquarters 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702-3097 800.767-2364 Afni, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61702 USA Contact: Jim Hess, Director, Business Development Phone: 800-767-2364, ext. 3321 Fax: 309-820-2632 Email: [email protected] Afni, Inc. IL 309-663-4510 Jim Hess Website: afninet.com President and COO: RONALD L GREENE 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON 61701 Secretary: GREGORY J DONOVAN same address Bruce F. Griffin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ronald L. Greene President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Donovan, CPA Vice President of Employee Services Stenia Dziadiw Vice President of Sales & Business Development Michael D. Garner Vice President of Call Center Services John Mobley, Jr. Vice President, Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer John O'Donnell Vice President of Credit & Collections Services Organization Number 0491821 Name AFNI, INC. Profit or Non-Profit P - Profit Company Type FCO - Foreign Corporation ***** Status A - Active Standing G - Good State IL File Date 3/27/2000 Authority Date 3/27/2000 Last Annual Report 5/1/2006 Principal Office 404 BROCK DRIVE BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701 Registered Agent C T CORPORATION SYSTEM KENTUCKY HOME LIFE BLDG LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 Current Officers President Ronald L. Greene Vice President Gregory J. Donovan Secretary Gregory J. Donovan Treasurer V. Curtis Oyer Director Bruce F. Griffin Director Ronald L. Greene This organization has no assumed names Previous Names previous company names: 06/24/1986 - CREDIT CHECK INC. 06/29/2000 - ANDERSON FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC. For collection-related inquiries, contact our Recovery Team at 1.800.371.3645, by mail at Afni, Inc. PO Box 3517, Bloomington, IL 61701 or email at: [email protected]. To handle your collections account on the internet, visit the collections website at AfniCollections.com Important Note Regarding Collection-Related Inquiries: If you choose to communicate via email, please remember that no matter how many measures Afni takes to ensure the confidentiality of your email, the Internet may be a non-secure medium for communication. If you choose to communicate your collection-related inquiry via email, Afni cannot be responsible for any possible disclosure of an account to a third party COLLECTIONS PORTION OF THE COMPANY URL APPEARS TO BE AFNINET.COM Anderson Financial Network, Inc. 404 Brock Drive Bloomington, IL 61701 Administrative Contact: Girard, Chris [email protected] Afni 404 Brock Dr Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 828-5226 fax: (309) 820-2610 Technical Contact: Anderson Financial Network, Inc. [email protected] 404 BROCK DR BLOOMINGTON, IL 61701-2654 US 309.828.5226 fax: 123 123 1234 GENERAL INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SITES ON DEALING WITH COLLECTION AGENCY'S Tell them to validate by . What the money you say I owe is for; Explain and show me how you calculated what you say I owe; Provide me with copies of any papers that show I agreed to pay what you say I owe; Provide a verification or copy of any judgment if applicable; Identify the original creditor; Prove the Statute of Limitations has not expired on this account Show me that you are licensed to collect in my state Provide me with your license numbers and Registered Agent 1. NEVER talk to a collection agency on the phone. Period. 2. Keep good records. This can be the difference between a good and bad settlement. Don't expect them to remember you or what you agreed upon. 3. Send all correspondence via registered mail, receipt requested and put the registered mail number ON THE LETTER. DO NOT SIGN THE LETTER TYPE YOUR NAME 4. Keep a copy of every letter you send. 5. Penalties and extra interest are typically fictious amounts of money added on by the collection agency to pad their profits. Sometimes as much as to 50% of the debt or more claimed to be owed by a collection agency consisting of interest and fees. This is illegal, every state has usery laws (which dictate the maximum interests allowed to be charged. That is except North Dakota. There are no such laws which is why most credit card companies incorporate there.) Junk debt buyer pay anywhere from 1 cent to 7 cents on the dollar, there is no way there is this much interest. 6. Time is on your side. As time passes, the creditors will likely stop calling and the debt will be filed away for future attention or until the SOL runs out ..

That's true. Afni send out these letters by the thousands. A lot of people pay them. I have been looking into this for a little while. Most people who get the letters are X customers of Verizon. They must have a connection to Verizon and know who the people are that changed their phone service. At this point most letters are sent to Fl. I have tried their phone number on the letter head many times and always get a busy. The people next door to me received 2 of them this week for different amounts. In some cases Afni has sent them to the credit bureau. This is so wrong. The state or federal gov needs to stop them. Allan Investigative Reporter