Topic: Focus Receivables Mgmt- scam or legit?!

[gpwood]

Anyone have info on this group?  I started receiving calls from them about a 2nd mortgage back in October.  (A little history- working on modifying the first which took 22 months.  While working on the first, the 2nd with BOA got charged off.  According to my atty, the BOA loan was charged off more than 6 months before the modification on the first was complete.) 

Started getting calls from Focus Receivables Mgmt about this loan.  NEVER received any written communication with them about a collection etc.  Finally spoke with them at the end of Nov.  Worked out a settlement in 2 payments.  Was told that they would provide documentation after the payment processed the first time stating that this was a settlement arrangement etc.  Never received it.  They called me 2 days before the other payment was to go thru as a reminder.  I asked about the documentation and they said they would fax something over.  They did - but it had incorrect amounts and account numbers on it. 

Waited a couple of weeks after the 2nd and final payment had processed to get the documenation and received nothing- no mail, no fax.  Tried to contact them and this is where I started having issues. 

Called the direct number that the CA had provided and I had used before.  Not a working number.  Called the main 800 number that was left on my voice mail- now goes to a medical company.  Tried the contact info I found online- can't get a human. 

I got nervous that this was a scam and contacted my bank.  They opened an investigation and I was told they would contact them and let me know the findings of the investigation. 

I received my money back about 10 days later.     A couple of days later FRM started psycho calling me and asking why my funds were returned and why I didn't want to settle the debt- and then got very nasty.  I told them I thought it was suspicious they way they did business and that they needed to provide me with a valaditaion of debt and that they represented BOA and that then I would talk to them.  They said that they had sent communication to my address and that it was  returned. 

Not sure where to go from here.  I want to settle the debt but I don't have a good feeling about them.  Any info is appreciated!

[Mischievous Smurfy]

you did the right thing ...

they have already violated by failing to send the 1692g letter ...

if this were me ... I would send them a letter back ... spelling out that you were unable to contact them after having given them your banking information and thus put a stop to their pilfering (yes Sir I would put it exactly like that)  that you contacted your bank who has begun an investigation.

you dispute the debt.   give them all location information so they have no legal excuse to contact third partys   ... along with the employers address state that you are not allowed personal calls at work ... along with the home phone number that all calls are inconvenient ... along with the cell phone number that you withdraw any permission they THINK they had to call it.

Don't try to "teach them" anything ... they don't care ...   the only thing they will understand is a summons.

they will no doubt ignore everything you said and hand you a mother load of violations .... or worst case scenario ... sue you over the debt ... at which point you will countersue for the violation ... but I don't think that is likely.

the name sounds familiar ... I will see what I can find.

[BJ_Lurker]

The name jingled my brain, too. My intel says Focus Receivables Management has its HQ in Marietta, GA. Recognize the town yet? It's the home of the Fred Hanna crime family, including your old favorites Hanna & Associates and West Asset Management. See also older names Worldwide Asset Purchasing and Galaxy Capital Recovery.

Hanna is a known chronic lawbreaker, and none too popular with employees who once long suffered in a moldy office building with clogged toilets and sewage soaking the workspace floor.

[salvin]

Reliable sources  indicate they disappear after the word "arbitration" is mentioned....just saying...

[freedy]

they have disappeared twice for me ,using arb in the vod letter.

[kevinmanheim]

Reliable sources  indicate they disappear after the word "arbitration" is mentioned....just saying...

+1

[gpwood]

They will not stop calling me.  What kind of letter- and what should it say- do I send to get them to stop?  Do I need to contact an attorney?  I am starting to get really .  Thanks again for the info!

[kevinmanheim]

Begin to document the calls. Keep a detailed log of times and call content.

Send them a certified letter telling them that calls are not convenient at any time. I suggest you also tell them that they can write to you. Provide them with the correct address.

If they continue to call after receipt of that letter, consider suing them.

Are they calling your cell phone?

[Mischievous Smurfy]

Dear Sir or Madam,

In November I worked WITH your company and agreed to settle the debt you allege I owe.  You stated that after the first of two payments you would send me a letter spelling out our agreement.  That has never come. You then called me two days before the final payment to "remind me".  During that conversation you stated you would fax me a letter stipulating our agreement.  You did do that ... but it contains amounts I never agreed to, incorrect account numbers and is unacceptable.  Despite that I allowed the agreed to amount to be deducted from my account.  Subsequent to the second draft and in an effort to get some kind of acknowledgment that this alleged debt is settled, I called you on the same number I had used previously only to find it had been disconnected.  I tried to call the toll free number you left on my voice mail and got a different company.  I have been unable to contact you since you now reek of a fly by night scam operation. 

As a result I contacted my bank who has now begun an investigation and returned MY money to ME.  Since then you have begun calling in a campaign that can only be described as "phsyco".

Its very simple, allow me to document what I am paying for by sending me documentation of the debt, that we have agreed to the amount required to settle that debt and an acknowledgement of payment.  That way when you sell the full amount and forget to mention it is settled ... I can show the company that you defrauded that I in fact paid.   Absent all 3 of the above you will not get a penny no matter how many times you call or what kind of nut you put on the other end of the phone.

Feel free to send me documentation of the debt and the terms of our settlement, otherwise do not contact me again.

My home address is at the top of this letter.   

My home phone number is ....   However, it is not convenient for me to receive any calls from you, at any time, at any place, at any phone number.

My employer is ....
My employers address is ....
My employers phone number is ....   However, I am not allowed personal communication of any kind at work.

My cell phone number is ....   However, I withdraw any consent you may THINK you had to call me on my cell phone.

Having now handed you all of my "location information" I have foreclosed any legal excuse for you to contact third parties.

Have a Nice Day, 

gpwood

Having said that ... it is important to recognize that this could result in you being on the receiving end of a summons ... depending on the amount and age of the debt.

If you really do want to settle this ... include a settlement agreement for them to sign and return.  At which point you will send them the funds.

[gpwood]

Yes- they are calling my cell phone.  My issue is that I am not sure they are acting as an agent or that they have an assignment of the note.  If it is not going to "settle" things with BOA, I don't want to pay them anything.  Again, I have received ZERO written communication from them- no valadtion of debt, no initial letter of collection etc.  They refuse to send me anything. 

After talking with the bank- we both came to the conclusion that since it was showing as "paid off" (charged off) that FRM is NOT acting as an AGENT for BOA.  They are probably a JDB and since they have provided NOTHING in writing and did not pay the bank the 10K that I paid them for the settlement- I should not deal with them further!  I FINALLY got in touch with someone that was able to give me correct info!  (not helping this situation is the fact that during the loan mod process, they changed systems and changed loan numbers so the number I had didn't match anything!) 

Thanks for the help!  I will be sending them a cease communication letter - certified- tomorrow.  Please pass along the warnings to anyone else dealing with them!  Focus Receiveables Mgmt is not an Agent and they scam you.  Also- if you have set up a payment arrangement thru ACH - and think the colleciton is fradulant, you can dispute it with your bank and they will investigate and you might get your money back.  I was sure glad to get mine back!

All of this

[kevinmanheim]

If they are calling your cell, and most likely doing it with an auto dialer, the TCPA comes into play.

Document everything. You might have a good case against them down the road.

[Mischievous Smurfy]

Yep .. you need to decide whether you want to go after them .... or just make them go away.  If you want to go after them then you have to consider continuing to hand them rope on the cell phone calling.

How did they come into possession of your cell phone number?