Area Circulation Scam Me, and Now They Sic ICS On Me! Virginia Beach Virginia

In September 2006, I received an interesting call from "Publishers Clearing House" sweepstakes, and was supposed to receive a diamond watch, and some magazines at a discounted price. Later down the line, I got another phone call from them, offering more stuff, but no magazines, and then a little while before Christmas I got a third call, and was supposed to receive a vacation to Hawaii, and was allowed to switch around the magazines I were receiving.

Note, I'm only 19, fresh out of high school, didn't know much, but felt something wrong. Around the end of December, I started working at CompUSA, and haven't checked my bank account since I stopped working at my previous job. So, around the time I got my first paycheck...my bank account was overdrawn close to $300.

Eventually, I called my bank, claimed fraud on the company, and things were taking care of, closing my account, and reopening it later. A week down the line, I received a call of them threatening "We don't want to mark your account.", I replied to them "Cancel my account, I've read up online of the scam you people do, refund my money, and leave me alone." the telemarketer hung up on me quickly.

Now, over the past month and a half, they'd call my phone, and i'd tell them to stop calling me, cancel the accounts. A week later, they started calling, but use private/blocked numbers so I couldn't contact them back. It was at one point I picked up and said "I'm sorry, I cancelled the account with someone, please leave me alone." and then it stopped. This was last Tuesday.

Friday afternoon, i'm coming home from work, and while going through my mail, I noticed a letter from "I.C.S." -aka- International Collection Services, claiming if I don't respond to them, they've no choice but to take me to court, for $375.00 on behalf of their client...you guessed it; Area Circulation, Inc.

So, I called the number to reply, because I'm just about to turn 20, just got a new job, since my CompUSA shut down, and i'm trying to go to school in October, and I don't need the stress of a lawsuit on me. I explain the situation to the person who picked up the phone, and the person I spoke to claiming "he doesn't mean to sound harsh..." says they're only a collection agency, working for their client, he gave me a extension, and name of the person handling payments there, and told me to call him Monday to work something out.

So, I take it upon myself, to get things dealt with, and called up Area Circulation. The girl that picks up tells me "Oh, your account is handled at another area, let me give you their number." so I take down the number, and call...the phone rings for a good minute and I get an "I.C.S." answering machine.
So, I left a message, and no one called back.

Now, before hand, I handled it in my own way, not paying them to scam me.
But, now i'm confused. I don't know whether i'm about to pay them because they sent a "legal" threat, which i'm starting to question, since I found no listing for I.C.S. anywhere on the internet, or are they trying their hardest to screw me over.

Tomorrow afternoon, i'm giving I.C.S. a call, and then Area Circulation, and fight with my all, to get any money back, but most of all, avoid the bullcrap they're putting me, and i'll update as soon as I get done with them, so I can make sure, no one else in my age group falls for this. These people ROYALLY screwed me up.

Kyle
Trenton, New Jersey
U.S.A.