Portfolio Business Management Illegal Collection Practices on Debt 8 years old Nationwide

I received a voice mail this morning 2-24-2016 from a so-called liason for a process server in my county, which did not give a name.  Since I was not available to take the call the they left a message that I was to be served legal papers either at home or at my place of employment.  They left a call back number 844-623-6932 to talk to someone about the reason that I was being sued.

I called the number and spoke to a representative who said that I had written a bad check to a prepay loan company in November 2007 that did not clear the bank.  They said that I was being sued for Intent to Defraud a Financial Institution.  They told me that when I received the legal papers that I would have the opportunity to go to court and dispute the filings but that if I lost I would have to pay about $3000.00 in fees (960.00 original balance + 1500.00 Attorney Fees+ court cost)

I was so frazeled that I ask about a statue of limitations for the state which they told me was 15 years.  I ask how I could take care of this debt without going to court and he transfered me to another department.  Once in that department the woman I spoke to said that I could settle the debt if paid by the end of the month a one time fee of 513.48, or the original balance of 960.00 in installments over three months.  I was so scared that I managed to get her to accept a payment of 256.74 set to come off my debit card on 2-25-2016, a payment of 100.00 on 2-29-2016, and a payment of 156.74 on March 10, 2016.  I gave her my debit card and hung up.

Once I got off the phone I started thinking about a debt that old and why I had not been contacted before now.  I realized that I may have just been scared into a fruadulent conversation.  I immediately called our County Court House to see if a suit had been filed against me.  Wouldn't you know there was no suit filed in this county against me.  A suit would have had to be brought against me in this county.  

I immediately called my bank to see if any money had been removed from my account, luckily it had not.  So I immediately cancelled my debit card so that Portfolio Business Management would not be able to access any funds.  I then called the 844-623-6932 and spoke to the same gentleman that I spoke on the initial call.  I advised him that I had called the court house and found that there was no suit filed against me and that what they were doing was illegal, and I was going to report them to every agency I could.  I also told him that I cancelled my card so they could not access my account.  He then said that he had told me in the original phone call that I could go to court and disput the debt and to have a nice day and then he hung up on me.

This is a scam.  If I did have an outstanding debt for a check, the statue of limitations to collect is 4 years in our state.

I suggest people not fall victim to the scare tactics of Portfolio Business Managment!!!