Recently, I was offered a position in Tampa, Florida with an Advertising Company dealing in Collection Accounts in the Carribbean Islands.
It seems many of the Carribbean Businesses signed up for placement of a WEB SITE, advertising their business, and that a contract was recorded by the advertisement company on the customer. The customer knew they were being recorded as a matter of record. Shortly after the contract went into effect, within 5 business days, I was "told" the placement was made on the internet with the website and the customer received a disk, and guided toward the website.
I made close to 75 to 80 calls in two and a half days contacting the debtor company regarding their invoice.
I was TOLD to tell customer that there was a tape redording of their verbal agreement.
I was told to TELL them it was now in the PRE-LITIGATION area and that it was with Phillips-Thomas-Goldberg to RESOLVE ... or... this case would be brought into litigation.
I was also given a SCRIPT to read to the company owner / manager or who ever signed the contract... and I was TOLD top TELL them... if the bill was not PAID...they would be SUED...
That in addition to the bill they owed, there would be "ADDITIONAL" charges such as:
Attorney Fees
Private Investigator Fees
Process Service Fees
and additional fees...
First, the former had notified the debtor company they would be sued in Tampa, Florida... That they would "HIRE" a PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR to take photos of their company, including the inventory. They were informed that they would go in and take the money out of their register, or take the money out of their BANK ACCOUNT.
The poor debtors were terrorized beyond belief. They received a barrage of calls from '1st placement , then to the newly created 3rd Party area. This was supposed to be the HARD HIT DEPARTMENT.
A day later, I was TOLD by my supervisor to pass any account that gave me trouble to her desk. She would contact the debtor company and state her name was Ms. Steel, and she was the PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR who would be taking the photos of their business. This was "supposedly" a SCARE tactic. I was also TOLD to get the name of the business NEXT DOOR, just in case the party owing the BILL changed their TELEPHONE NUMBER. I asked ..WHY ?
So we can CALL those people, and let them know the customer owes us money..I stated that was THIRD PARTY DISCLOSURE, and against the law...their answer... We are a COMMERCIAL AGENCY and do not fall under the CONSUMER LAWS.
What the intewntion was... to ruin the reputation of the party owing the debt.
I made two telephone calls...after I QUIT and told the employer to stick it up their asses...
I made a few calls and this is what I found out.
1) Even though the contract was initiated in the United States ( Florida)
they had NO JURISDICTION in the islands, unless they were sued in the
islands.
2) You could not in any capacity represent themselves as Attorneys,
or in any capacity convey directly or "indirectly" the call was coming
from an attorney, or Pre-Legal.
3) You can tell any debtor that you will hire an attorney to sue them in
the United States and take that JUDGMENT into the islands . You
would have to iniatiate a LAWSUIT in that specific Island., get a
JUDGMENT and tht would COST MONEY..
4) You can not threaten to take money from their register ( TILL ).
You would be COURT papers signed in the Carribbean jurisdiction.
5) You can not take money out of their BANK ACCOUNT unless you
received a JUDGMENT from the COURT in the Carribbean Judicial System
on that special Island Jurisdicxtion.
6) You can not tell the former client, "WE WILL COME THERE, TAKE YOUR
INVENTORY & SELL IT FOR PENNYS ON THE DOLLAR ". You would need
the LEGAL AUTHORITY from that JURISDICTION OF THAT ISLAND TO
DO SO.
7) To collect the money they were looking to COLLECT, would cost them
more than it was WORTH, plus CARRIBBEAN COURT COSTS, FILING
FEES, ATTORNEY FEES ( CARRIBBEAN ), GARNISHMENT FEES,
and still if the owing parties had any inclination they were being sued
they should "TAKE THEIR MONEY OUT OF THE BANK... and put it in some
other location, under some other name, or take the funds home with them
daily.
8) Another option, is to change the name of the company to a NEW COMPANY
name, the debt dies with the OLD COMPANY. The NEW Company has no
contract with the former company. CHANGE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
I also heard with my own ears from "numerous" companies they were TOLD
to try the PRODUCT / WEBSITE for thirty (30) days...If they were not
satisified,they could cancel the contract. Needless to say waiting 30
days put you over the cancellation time period.
My gut feeling... this is smoke screen, questionable contracts.
This is a tactics to get these people to pay for advertisements they
could most certainly "NOT AFFORD", and with the right verbage... got
them to agree to.
I could not stomach anymore ...I QUIT...
MY ADVICE>>>> Get an attorney in your island...
MY ADVICE>>>> Do not be PUSHED into paying .
MY ADVISE>>>> LET THEM SPEND MORE MONEY TO GET NOTHING
THEY CLAIM IS LEGAL. LET THEM COME TO YOUR
JURISDICTION ...WILL THEY...I DOUBT IT.
MY ADVISE>>>> CHANGE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE BUSINESS
MY ADVISE>>>> IF THEY TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR...SUE THEM.
MY ADVISE>>>> PUT AN ARTICLE IN YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER
WARNING OTHERS WHAT IS GOING ON, and
AS A GROUP BRING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
This means everyone will get involved, and hire
LEGAL COUNSEL...and go after ANYONE WHO YOU
"BELIEVE" is infringing on your rights.
NOBODY SHOULD BE SCARED by ANYONE INTO
PAYING, ANYTHING that is QUESTIONABLE.
KNOW WHAT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ARE....
CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY TODAY...
YOU KNOW THAT ONCE IT STARTS GETTING AROUND
TO "OTHERS"... YOU WILL HAVE MORE AMMUNITION
WITH YOU TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING YOU FEEL IS
" JUST NOT RIGHT ".
PROTECT YOUR SOVEREIGN DIGNITY and RIGHTS !!
This is my observance and my OPINION... I saw and heard what I did... I
can only say from my heart... Protect yourself- Do Not Live In Fear -
You have legal Rights , no matter where you live - Know what your
rights are.
Ex employee
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida
U.S.A.