Collection agency wants $93 on behalf of my former bank.

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
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So my wife calls me on my way home last night and says that a collection agency called looking for me about money I owed to my former bank (Commerce Bank). The collection agency knew both my wife's name and mine, and then asked if my social security number ended in #### (my wife doesn't remember the number they gave). She told the woman that she didn't know my social security number and they hung up on her.

So I'm pissed while she's telling me this, because I have no idea why a collection agency would be calling me. I closed my accounts back in June, and even though there was a $3 online banking charge the day the account was closed, the bank promised to erase that fee and zero out my account.

As soon as I get home I call the collection agency back (866 number on the Caller ID). The woman on the other end of the phone didn't speak English entirely well, but she said she represented Alliance One Collection Agency on behalf of Commerce Bank, and that I owed them $93.

I asked her who I should call and dispute this, upon which she claimed she would be taping our conversation and then verified I was disputing the claim. I told her I wouldn't dispute the claim if they could provide documentation that I owed them money, but she said they couldn't provide any documentation. Of course, I'm not going to pay anyone almost $100 unless they can tell me why, so I told her I would definitely be disputing this.

She then gave me a fax number (215-396-7255) to send my written dispute to and said goodbye.

Flash forward to today...

I call my former bank and ask them "What do I owe you money for, and why haven't I heard anything about this until now (6 months after I closed my account)?" The woman on the other end was very nice, and said she'd look into it for me.

A couple hours later I get a phone call back from the nice woman at Commerce telling me that I don't owe them any money, and even the head of the Collections Department couldn't find anything outstanding on my account.

Searching Google yielded no significant results to suggest that this company is legit.

I'm going to be sending the "collection agency" a fax shortly that says I am disputing this claim because Commerce themselves say I don't owe them money, and that I will be calling later to verify that the matter is closed.

Am I being ripped off? I'm pretty skeptical at this point and am starting to believe it's a scam.


Update 1:
Talked with someone else at Commerce, who verified that they do indeed use Alliance One Collections on occasion. Probably not a scam then, unless it's a really clever one.

Update 2:
After not hearing from anyone for three weeks, I finally called the collection agency back to see what was going on. The lady on the other end of the phone (the same rude woman that harrassed my wife originally) pulled up my account and said the case had been closed.

I had her repeat that just so I made sure I was understanding her correctly (there was lots of static on the other end of the line). She told me that they had closed the case after my (former) bank faxed them my last statement showing that I didn't owe any money. My name was cleared after only 3 days but I didn't know until I finally called them....how nice.

No one seems to know why my name was reported to the collection agency in the first place or where this $93 amount came from, but I will nervously be checking my credit report every six months for some time.

This summer my wife and I plan on buying a new car, and maybe even a house. Stupid mistakes like this could really mess everything up.


Cliff Notes:
1. Collection agency calls, says I owe $93 to my former bank.
2. Called the bank, who says I don't owe them any money.
3. Search google for collection agency's name + bank's name, nothing found.
4. Sending fax to collection agency disputing claim because bank says I don't owe money.
5. Waiting for response.
6. Collection agency closed the case after only 3 days. I never heard anything about it until I called in.
 

BlamoHammer

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2002
2,259
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Ugh, it is always depressing to know that a lowdown place like a collection agency can launch your life into financial chaos
 

KLin

Lifer
Feb 29, 2000
29,973
404
126
sounds like a scam to me. Or someone at your former bank screwed up.
 

Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
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www.beauscott.com
Get your bank to fax them a letter that says you owe no money to them. Be sure to NOT send them any personal information like SSN or bank account #'s.
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
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1) Request statement from bank saying "He don't owe us sh!t."
2) Fax copy to scum-central collection agency, signed "GFY"
3) Profit!

- M4H
 

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
0
76
Originally posted by: Beau
Get your bank to fax them a letter that says you owe no money to them. Be sure to NOT send them any personal information like SSN or bank account #'s.
Yeah, I'm definitely not going to send them any personal information other than my phone number (which they apparently already have).

I'll see if I can get the bank to fax my last statement showing that I owe $0.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
collection agency, IIRC, is required to send you a notice via mail stating "this is an attempt to collect a debt." Thus, you should receive something from them in writing as well as via the phone.
 

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
0
76
Originally posted by: DrPizza
collection agency, IIRC, is required to send you a notice via mail stating "this is an attempt to collect a debt." Thus, you should receive something from them in writing as well as via the phone.
Good to know. Thanks!

I called Commerce Bank back and asked if they have used Alliance One before. The lady said that Commerce does deal with Alliance One.

So this is either a really good scam or someone at the bank messed up. The woman I talked with at Commerce will be faxing them my statements first thing tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

Grrr....I never thought I'd have to deal with something like this. This one little incident could ruin my great credit rating (credit score: 794 out of 850) that I've worked so hard for. If anything, I'd be willing to pay them $93 just to keep a good credit score whether I owe them money or not, which feels like extortion to me. :|
 

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
0
76
Based on the fax's area code, I did a yellow page search for Alliance One and found this:

Alliance One
4850 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 942-7693

This is looking less and less like a scam, which doesn't make me feel any better. :(
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Be sure to contact your State Attorney General's office and put them on the case. Busting scams like this is their bread and butter.

...for refusing to provide anything in writing if nothing else.
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
GL :beer:

What is it with everyone getting screwed latley... the G35, the phone bill... and this?
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
Originally posted by: Digobick
Based on the fax's area code, I did a yellow page search for Alliance One and found this:

Alliance One
4850 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 942-7693

This is looking less and less like a scam, which doesn't make me feel any better. :(

I live near there... bout 45 minutes
 

petejk

Senior member
Apr 6, 2002
463
0
0
i had the same thing happen to me...but instead of an old bank

it was from YAHOO

Since I received the scam by mail, I was able to contact the Criminal Investigations unit of the United States Postal Service
 

xchangx

Golden Member
Mar 23, 2000
1,692
1
71
The collections Agency is required to provide documentation. When you submit a dispute, they are supposed to prove, either by documentation from your bank or by them.

Also, they are not allowed to say that they are a collection agency to ANYONE but you. Some kind of privacy law.

Could still be a scam, you know collection agencies are not exactly the most trust-worthy businesses.
 

upsciLLion

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
5,947
1
81
Originally posted by: Digobick
Based on the fax's area code, I did a yellow page search for Alliance One and found this:

Alliance One
4850 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 942-7693

This is looking less and less like a scam, which doesn't make me feel any better. :(

:confused:
 

chrisms

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2003
6,615
0
0
Once I got my cell phone I got a lot of calls for a guy named Lance, must've had the number before me. I've been getting messages from Alliance One also, I never call them back but I figure it was for him. I say screw them.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Digobick
If anything, I'd be willing to pay them $93 just to keep a good credit score whether I owe them money or not, which feels like extortion to me. :|

Which is why it's so easy to scam people like this.

In your case it doesn't really sound like it though since the bank does use that collections agency, & it appears to be legit.

Probably just a misunderstanding somewhere.

In a couple months I'd pay for a three bureau report & make sure there's nothing on your credit, just to be on the safe side.

Doesn't hurt to check it frequently anyway, but especially in cases like this.

Viper GTS
 

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
0
76
Doesn't hurt to check it frequently anyway, but especially in cases like this.
Yeah, I just checked last month (which is how I know my credit score), and it was clean as a whistle. The bank will be faxing over some documentation to this collection agency soon, so we'll see what happens then.

If I don't get any documentation back from them I'm definitely not going to pay, but then I'm faced with a bad credit rating.
 
Sep 29, 2004
18,656
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Better Business Bureau and FBI!!!!!!

Call them NOW

If you have the fax number, they can bust the place ASAP!!!!!!!!

F them ASAP for Fing others!
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: upsciLLion
Originally posted by: Digobick
Based on the fax's area code, I did a yellow page search for Alliance One and found this:

Alliance One
4850 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 942-7693

This is looking less and less like a scam, which doesn't make me feel any better. :(

:confused:

There's a road near Street Road named Old New Road.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
collection agency's are terrible. I had one after me for a doctor bill to a doctor i NEVER went to! i asked for a copy of the bill so i can see if it was really me. they NEVER sent it but keep on hounding me.

All the bill has is the name of the agency, name of the doctor and that i owe them $50. here they can try to ruin my credit and NOT prove that i even went to the doctor. bah!