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  • Report:  #231422

Complaint Review: AFNI - Bloomington Illinois

Reported By:
- Bloomington, Illinois,
Submitted:
Updated:

AFNI
404 Brock Dr Bloomington, 61701-2654 Illinois, U.S.A.
Phone:
309-828-5226
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
I received a letter postmarked Jan. 17th, 2007 dated Jan. 3rd, 2007 from AFNI Inc. requesting $825.00 from a creditor named Verizon Communications, Inc. The bill was for phone service between 1994 and 1997.

This was the first time I have ever heard of this. I called them and was informed they had just obtained the bill in Sept. 2006.

The told me not to contact Verizon and I must send verification of where I lived between 1994 and 1997.

Am I suppose to send the money for a bill that is 10 to 13 years old because they say so?? The also told me even if I request the validity of this debt, all they have is a statement from the Verizon & that is what they will provide me with.

Sounds like a scam to me. What can I do? Even if this was mine, how could I prove I paid something from 10-13 years ago?? I wouldn't even have the receipts.

John

Bloomington, Illinois
U.S.A.


4 Updates & Rebuttals

P

Dallas,
Texas,
U.S.A.
IF THE DEBT IS 10-13 YEARS OLD I THINK YOU ARE SAFE

#2Consumer Suggestion

Thu, January 25, 2007

do a google on statue of limitations (and your state) and it will tell you. the sol depends upon what the contract is (credit card, etc.) or written contract type ....


Debra

Ottawa,
Illinois,
U.S.A.
I Called Them....

#3Author of original report

Sun, January 21, 2007

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR THE RESPONSES. I've already called them when I first got the notice because I had no clue what it was about. Being a good citizen I wanted to let them know they had the wrong person. My name is a very common name and they must of confused me with someone else. They did ask me several questions regarding my name and the time frame of the alleged debt. That's when they told me of the dates of the alleged debt occurred. Dec. of 94 though Sept. of 97. Even though I really do not believe this is my bill, does anyone know the statue of limitation for a phone bill in the State of Illinois? What if I paid it but do not have the receipts anymore? Judging from the large amount of comments concerning AFNI & Verizon on this website, it looks like AFNI sent out a bunch of bogus bills around the same time. Is there something we all can do?


P

Dallas,
Texas,
U.S.A.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE COLLECTION AGENCY ...

#4Consumer Suggestion

Sat, January 20, 2007

Do not disclosure anything about yourself to them ... the debt even if valid is out of SOL. They may have told you not to contact the original credit because they KNOW you don't owe it, or because they can't tack on ridiculous fees even if you do ... Big thing is it is SOL ..... 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. 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 ..


John

Califon,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Scam

#5Consumer Comment

Fri, January 19, 2007

It is up to THEM to prove it is you and that you owe it. THEY have to prove you lived there. They have nothing and are phishing for you to give them the info they need to make a bogus claim on you. Call Verizon and let them know. They will finally get tired of their name being besmirched by these thugs and drop them as a collection agency. Someone will post how to ask for validation better than I can . Just stay off the phone.

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