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Report: #201223

Complaint Review: Merchants Credit Guide Co. - Chicago Illinois

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: Dawsonville Georgia
  • Author Confirmed What's this?
  • Why?
  • Merchants Credit Guide Co. 223 West Jackson Blvd Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

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A female voice has been calling lately from number
1-888-249-1037.
Apparently, many others (according to Internet research) have been contacted by this "company", and everything I've seen indicates that they are trying to call and say they are trying to collect on a defaulted account with Bank of America.

What they are trying to do is get you to give them your account information so they can clean you out.
If you try to call back, they won't answer - it either goes straight to a busy/error signal or it rings twice and then says "all circuits are busy".**

I just got off the phone with Bank of America and gave them every drop of information I have about these freaks. IT IS A PHISHING SCAM - do not even talk to them. They are supposed to be letting me know what happens, if it's juicy, I'll come back here and spill it!

G
Dawsonville, Georgia
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 07/15/2006 11:07 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/merchants-credit-guide-co/chicago-illinois-60606/call-ken-hughes-merchants-credit-fishing-for-bank-of-america-account-numbers-do-not-an-201223. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
5Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#5 Consumer Suggestion

File an FTC complaint online and a lawsuit upon first contact by these thugs..

AUTHOR: Steve - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Merchants Credit Guide is at the top of the BOTTOMFEEDER list. Almost every debt they attempt to collect on is past SOL and cannot be documented to win in court. Just the mere contact is a violation of your rights.

An FTC complaint should be filed immediately and upon each contact. Do this online. Its fast and easy.

Immediately send a CEASE COMMUNICATIONS letter upon first contact by these thugs. As soon as they violate it, file the lawsuit for FDCPA violations. This is how we get rid of them.

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

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#4 Consumer Suggestion

MCG Co is a scam because they knowingly buy old, time barred debts and attempt to coerce unsuspecting debtors into re-affirming an otherwise uncollectable debt.

AUTHOR: Steve - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

"G",

"Phishing" is a type of internet fraud where phony sites trying to look as if they belong to legitimate businesses and ask for personal information. MCG CO has nothing to do with Bank of America, except that BofA sells bad debt to them, and contracts some collections.

However, "Karen"..The MCG CO collector must be new, or just found this site. I think she is new, because all collectors at MCG CO are familiar with Rip Off Report, as I have saturated all fax machines with these reports several times.

MCG Co is a scam because they knowingly buy old, time barred debts and attempt to coerce unsuspecting debtors into re-affirming an otherwise uncollectable debt.

Keep in mind, attempting to collect a time barred debt is not illegal, but re-aging accounts, making derogatory credit entries, and filing lawsuits are all illegal activities which they engage in on a regular basis. They also ignore CEASE COMMUNICATIONS requests in violation of the FDCPA, among other violations.

It's funny how a new collector is all gung h*o for a few days or weeks in responding to this site, defending the bottomfeeder they work for, then you never hear from them again. Look at the old posts here, it is a pattern. This is because the turnover is so high in this industry, that many collectors take this job just long enough to get some money for some more crack, or they get fired because they cause a lawsuit for the company.

Karen, the collector, will soon be gone like all the others. Read what Bud Hibbs has to say about MCG Co at budhibbs.com. There are complaints all over the internet on these crackheads, just do a search.
>>
Head Debt Collectors:

Daniel F. Burtis, President

Michael Fromknecht, President

Gregory Fuchs, Vice President

Edwin S. Burtis, Secretary, Treasurer

Kenneth Hill, VP Operations

Bud Says?

Rarely has one organization generated the number of complaints that this one has. Consumers coast to coast are complaining about Merchants Credit Guide Co. attempting to collect on debts that are time barred by statute. Agency owner and President Greg Fuchs, Daniel F. and Edwin S. Burtis are a class action law suit waiting to happen. Merchants is a bottom-feeder who purchased and is attempting to collect on debts that are ten, twelve, fifteen years old and longer. These slimy dumpster divers have taken the slime to yet another low, with their illegal practices.

Merchants is collecting for it's own subsidiary; CFB Financial III, LLC (IL LLC) on debts so old, most are time barred by statute meaning they can no longer be litigated, they can no longer be placed on your credit reports and the slime at Merchants and CFB Financial can be sued for their illegal debt collection practices. Some Citibank accounts were originally charged off back in the 90's, which tells me that owner's Burtis likely paid just pennies for them. Their debt collectors are poorly trained, making threats of actions they cannot take and we are receiving many complaints of time barred debts appearing on credit reports. The good news is you can sue these idiots and may even be able to recoup legal fees in your suits. What the Burtis's are doing is not new or even unique, just a different spin on an old consumer scam, to rip off unsuspecting consumers. Consumers a warned NOT to fall victim of the scam.

Now is the time for consumers to go after this low-life, sleazy bottom feeders that lie and steal money they are NOT entitled to. Anyone having inside information on Burtis and the lawbreakers who work for him get in touch with me. We are seeking any information available on Fuchs & Burtis such as where they live, what they drive, church, organizations, family, connections, anything at all, get it to us. This also includes the sleazy employees working there; let's focus on them to see who and what they are, when they are not on a crime spree. Many complaints are for accounts consumers do not even owe, however the idiots at MCG have a lot of trouble understanding that. Wonder what their drug testing policy is?

Anyone being contacted by Merchants Credit Guide is urged to NEVER send them money, they are a scam. All of the debts they are attempting to collect appear to illegal. You do NOT legally have to pay on a debt that is time barred. If Merchants Credit Guide Co. has accessed or placed information on your credit bureau report(s), they may have committed a crime. You may be able to collect a fee of $1,000 from them AND have Merchants Credit Guide pay your attorney fees.

Fuchs, Burtis and their goons are liars and con men, let's hold them accountable. If you need a good consumer attorney, I recommend the experts at: www.naca.net

You may want to consider legal actions against Fuch, Burtis and Merchants if warranted. Tape record their calls (where legal) as tapes go a long way in court settlements. This group of dumpster slime won't be around long, let's hasten their demise by going after their illegal debt collection practices.

Contact me if you have personal information on Gregory Fuchs, Edwin S. and Daniel Burtis or the other goons working at Merchants Credit Guide Co and CFB Financial III.

I also recommend you visit the Ripoff Report for more: ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff171912.htm

AND: chipford.com/ripoff/merchants.htm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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: merchantscreditguide.com

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#3 Consumer Suggestion

Everyone, File Complaints With The FTC

AUTHOR: Kathleen - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Definitely take the time to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. With enough consumers doing so, we'll put this slimy group out of business.

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#2 Consumer Comment

Things to do

AUTHOR: Carol Ann - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Go to Federal Trade Commission.gov and give tem the number that is calling also fbi.gov/submit a tip for electronic fraud...that should do it..they are probably offshore!

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#1 UPDATE EX-employee responds

What are you talking about?!!!!

AUTHOR: Karen - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Monday, September 18, 2006

Where are you getting your information? It is not a scam!!! Yeah it is true about debt buying and some are contracted. Please do your homework.

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