Complaint Review: The Cardinal Firm - Temecula California

A "courier service" contacted me from a blocked number.  The woman on the line (putting on a very friendly act) claims that she needs to confirm my address in order to deliver a package.  I asked where she was calling from and she stated that she's a courier calling on behalf of the company "CF" and then gives me this number to call: (877) 862-5297.  She plays innocent and says she has no information to give me other than a reference number beginning with the letters "DA", but that if I call this number, they will explain further and confirm my address.  She says that she'll wait an hour, but if she doesn't receive an email from the company "CF" with a confirmation of my delivery address, she will call me back.  The whole thing felt creepy and suspicious. 

I did not call the 800 number.  The woman called me back an hour later, as promised, but I did not pick up.  This time, she left a not-so-friendly message that was totally scripted and threatening.  I didn't know courier services were so invested in people's "private/personal matters".  I did a reverse lookup of this number and found other complaints with similar details. 

Later in the day, the courier woman called again.  I became annoyed and decided to call the 800 number to see who would answer and what I could find out.  I tried to call from a blocked number at first, but got a busy signal.  I then called without blocking the number and a man answered with the greeting "Answering Service".  I asked what type of business it was that I was calling. He explained that he's the answering service for a large office building and then started rattling off business types: Healthcare company, design company, etc., etc., and then asked me if I had an extesnsion.  I then asked about "CF".  He said, "that's The Cardinal Firm" and transfered the call.  A woman picked up and I asked what type of business it was.  She said they are a litigation frim.  I asked if they had a website and she spelled it out for me: thecardinalfirm.com

I thanked her and said that I needed to look into it because of the strange calls I'd been receiving from a courier on their behalf.  She did not respond and then just hung up on me. 

The next morning, I received another voicemail from the courier and at this point I'm getting very annoyed so I call The Cardinal Firm back and this time a man answers "how may I direct your call?" I tell him that I keep getting calls from a courier service who is trying to send me something on behalf of CF.  He asked if I had an extension or a file number.  I gave him the DA reference number the courier had given me the day before.  He then said that in order to avoid a case of mistaken identity and due to a state law, he has to either verify my birthdate or social security number before he can tell me what this matter is in regards to.  I reluctantly verified my birthdate (reluctant becuase I have no idea who I'm speaking with and I am very protective of my personal information).  That said, I wanted to know the reason these people are contacting me so I made the choice to give my birthdate. 

The man then said he confirms he's speaking to the right person.  He said that he had a scanned copy of my Driver's License (recited my DL number) and recited my full social security number.  He said that Wells Fargo Bank is suing me over an old account.  I've never had a bank account with Wells Fargo and I stated this to him.  He said that he'll send paperwork and that he'd provide me with dispute instructions and then he abruptly hung up on me. 

A little while later, I received a text from my brother who lives in another state.  He said that a "courier service" called him looking for me. So, now they are harassing my family members.  This is unacceptable.

As another consumer wrote on 6/28/18, the website for The Cardinal Firm is clearly a facade.  These individuals are extremely shady!  Beware and be careful.