We're in South Carolina.
Following applies whether you owe or not.
ASAP! do not talk to them period, immediately mail them a debt validation request that also states do not call you ... send it via USPS return receipt (that's your proof they've been notified). You telling them that over phone means nothing to them & won't in a courtroom either; they'll deny all. Check your credit reports asap, if anything from ARS there, notify credit report agency ASAP, there's time limits on this stuff that if YOU act asap you have lotsa protection. Don't waste your time hoping they'll wake up with ethics; reporting them to FTC or law enforcement will also yield you zilch. Set em up for a lawsuit (send that letter that says put or shut up) & then pounce when the violate. We found a local attorney who took others of same ilk (NCO, Brock & Scott, Northern Group, Asset Acceptance etc) on for NO $ but she got 1/2 of settlements of which there were thousands. She immediately filed suit electronically in Fed Court for their violations of FDCPA & FCRA. They collapsed immediately & begged for settlement. NO BS!
these ARS characters can cause you a lot of problems ... don't give in to them at all but don't dare ignore them either! They have no scruples at all. They're thieves. If you get a letter or call from them and you're not prepared to get repeatedly abused, lied to & ripped off ... DO NOT engage in any phone conversation except to get their contact info (They want to trick you into accepting their terms & admitting you owe) ... YOU NOW immediately send them a letter VIA USPS send it certified w/ return receipt ... it'll cost about $6. Tell em never call you at any number at any time 'cuz it's inconvenient. Tell em it ain't your debt & for them to send validation & proof and tell em to prove it's your debt & tell em to prove they have proper title or assign to the debt. You can sue if they continue to call or continue collection if you notify them & they don't forward proofs. This applies to any debt collector who is not your original creditor. There's lotsa scummy companies who buy old nearly uncollectable debt (and old BAD info about bogus debts that never existed or identity theft). ARS is but one junk debt buyer/ collector. They call it secondary or tertiary ... it's junk & often out of statute (each state has own Statute of Limitations). We've been there. Keep records of calls & all paperwork. If/when they continue it's grounds to sue
Used to get lotsa calls letters from ARS until 2 yrs ago when we lettered them. Now just this month, once again getting calls from 803-675-7659 and suffix's 7439 & 7661. In all instances they never leave a message and in all instances when I call back I get a fast busy & in all but one instance there's no reply when I pickup & answer. In one instance last week, I answered call from 803-675-7661. The caller seemed surprised I answered and he said his name was Alex and he was with ARS. WE have some crappy experience with a junk debt collector ARS aka Associated Recovery Systems aka ARS National. I asked Alex if ARS was Associated Recovery Systems and he replied YES. I attempted to tell him off but he hung up before I got to pal in "lemme tell you pal". FYI, ARS has received 3 separate certified return receipt letters from us demanding they never telephone us for any reason & we have same number they used to harass us at 2 years ago. Now it seems they've started back. In the meantime we found a lawyer in our town who has already busted several other junk debt collectors & filed Fed suits on our behalf for calling when notified not to and both lawyer & we have shared several thousand dollars in settlements from those scummy junk debt collectors ... looks like ARS may be next. All this no BS, pure truth!
Why file a report here? Ripoff Report is a permanent record! Other complaint sites copy our content then remove reports for money.
