Complaint Review: Merchants Credit Guide Co - Chicago Illinois

Karen: all debt collectors are scum. There isn't a single one that wouldn't have another job if they had the smarts and ability to get another job. No, not all debts are correct and collectable. Debts DO expire and are uncollectable. You are not only a little bit wrong, you are totally wrong about this. What kind of training - if any - did you have at your place of employment? Sounds like all you got was gung-h*o pitches and the "more you collect the more balloons, pizza and cake showed up at the office". Team building and morale, all that nonsense. While I agree that there are some people that do owe debts, and they should pay them, NO ONE should have to tolerate the abuse that collectors heap upon someone they feel is due abuse. Example: I was called by one of your "brilliant" brothers and accused of going criminally delinquent on my GMAC account, and they were going to repossess my car and my credit was s**t. I knew where this was going so I clicked on my tape recorder. I responded by telling him 1) I do not have a GMAC account, my car is paid off, and my credit is pretty good, not s**t. He heaped more abuse at me while he claimed to pull up my credit bureau report. He kept abusing me about GMAC. Then he found the truth: I had pretty good credit, GMAC was NOT one of my creditors, he had the wrong person. What do you think this genius did? He hung up on me. No apology, nothing. So I wrote a letter and included a transcript of the conversation to the headquarters of the collection agency. Shortly thereafter I received a letter confirming they would no longer be contacting me. No apology, no admitting that this collector was a psycho, nothing. But they won't contact me because I didn't have a GMAC debt. Interesting abuse of power, don't you think? How did they get my contact info and SSN? I don't know. I didn't give it to them. They're all scum, Karen, you are going to have to admit it. You yourself may be rising from the pond scum if you are truly an "ex" collector. Steve and others guiding people through the horror nightmare that is uneducated collection agency are doing all of us a service while Karen, you are not. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, do not pass of your "opinion" as fact.

Katia, Yes, "cc" everyone. Also, saturate every fax machine they have with about 150 copies of your letter about an hour after they close. Then they can't claim they didn't get it! Karen, You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Getting Tired"...... It's amazing that Steve is showing people how to avoid debt collectors. I am not in favor of bashing consumers at all. The debt does not go away, and they dont stop calling because you dont answer the phone it goes from agency to agency in different stages over many years. If I borrow something from you, you're going to want it back. Don't get something you can't pay for. ID theft happens, and it is a process to finalize what happened. And as far as not giving any information, its already given when the account is received in the office. Karen - Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. Karen, Actually, the debt does go away..It is called STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS which you morons totally disregard! Furthermore, MCG CO is primarily a JUNK DEBT BUYER. That's right. They attempt to collect on time barred debts that they know cannot be legally collected. I know for a fact that approx 80% of the debts they buy are past SOL. Legally UNCOLLECTABLE!!! MCG CO came after my 86 year old Grandmother for a credit card debt of less than $300 from over 20 years ago!! I responded to that one personally. They buy these type of debts for approximately 1/10th of a penny on the dollar and most of them have absolutely no documentation and they know they could never validate it or take it to court, but they make the threats anyway, in clear violation of the FDCPA. Here is the info on MCG Co: Agency Details Merchants Credit Guide Co. aka/CFB Financial III, LLC 223 W. Jackson Blvd., #900 Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: (312) 360-3000 888-249-4134- Fax: (312) 360-3024 Also: 1308 State Highway37 West Frankfort, IL 62896 Phone: (618) 937-4665 Fax: (618) 932-6127 CFB Financial III, LLC Barry P. Siegal, Agent for Service 55 W. Monroe St. #500 Record Office: 223 W. Jackson Blvd., #900 Chicago, IL 60606 Web Address: http://www.merchantscreditguide.com

It's amazing that Steve is showing people how to avoid debt collectors. I am not in favor of bashing consumers at all. The debt does not go away, and they dont stop calling because you dont answer the phone it goes from agency to agency in different stages over many years. If I borrow something from you, you're going to want it back. Don't get something you can't pay for. ID theft happens, and it is a process to finalize what happened. And as far as not giving any information, its already given when the account is received in the office.

Steve, First of all Thank you for your advice. I already prepared the Dispute letter but I just wanted to check with you if by me being in Chicago IL, I should do something else or send a copy to an agency. Thanks a million, Any other advice? Should I cc the credit bureaus?

Katia, These people are fishing. They are junk debt buyers. Everyone with your same or similar name got that letter. You may have done irrepairable damge by giving them information. Rule #1 is to NEVER speak to any collector on the phone, EVER!! Rule #2 is to NEVER give a collector ANY personal information. Think about it, if they had a valid claim, why would they need to talk to you? The answer is that they wouldn't. They would just file a lawsuit. You need to go to ftc.gov and read and print out the FDCPA and the FCRA. Right now you need to send a request for DEBT VALIDATION where you clearly dispute the debt and DEMAND to see whatever you allegedly signed to create it. Also DEMAND a full account history for purposes of determining jurisdiction on collections actions and statute of limitations calculation. Send this letter by certified mail, return reciept requested, and be sure to put the certified# on the letter itself and keep a copy for your records. This "debt" being 12 years+ in age is uncollectable and they know it. That is why they terrorize people who do not know their rights. sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.