Beware of Credit & Collections Fraud!

[Alex-M]

This important message is to alert all community members and staff, of a recent Credit & Collections Fraud that is going on. This month alone I have received 3 calls and 3 voicemails left on my Public Mobile number from two different debt collectors prompting a Mr. Sunar Afranet to call them back at two different spoofed numbers, as it was a very urgent matter that needed attention.

The following is a documented account of one such occurrence with a voicemail that was left at my Public Mobile number:

Voicemail left @ 5:49 PM on July 25, 2016

Spoofed Number: 587-287-4168

Call Location Of Spoofed Call: Calgary, AB

Caller says Good Morning, when clearly call came in at 5:49 PM on July 25,2016. Caller

announces himself as James Metcalf calling from Affglo Global Credit & Collections Inc.

saying that this message is intended for a Mr. Sunar Afranet, and a recent letter has been

sent out regarding the option to settle a matter with them. Says it's a time sensitive matter,

and there is a limited amount of time to accept this offer.

Leaves the details of where they are located in Ontario, Canada, yet asks to be called at the

spoofed number that originated from Calgary, Alberta.

I would like to point out that anyone who calls me and doesn't reach me directly, and leaves a voicemail, will hear my first and last name on the greeting. This Credit & Collection agency that has called me for the third time leaving a voicemail at my Public Mobile number, have clearly got the wrong person, and are too ignorant and arrogant to acknowledge their error, so the calls and voicemails persist.

I do have the ability to block the calls, and have done so already, but voicemails are still going through as these persistant buggers keep leaving voicemails when they call from different numbers, making it harder for me to block the unwanted calls.

The first call that I had received from them with a voicemail left came from a Imran Hirani just last week on July 20, 2016 at 11:20 AM, followed by a later call within the same day at 1:31 PM. The call originated from a spoofed toll free number orginating from the United States: 1-877-234-1601.

Another call with voicemail came on July 22, 2016 from the same caller, Imran Hirani from spoofed number: 1-877-234-1601.

The fact that they were less than intelligible when leaving the full details of their address and prompting a callback to speak with one of their agents, made it easy for me to trace them, find their real phone number and contact details, and report them to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

There are numerous reports and complaints about Affglo Global Credit & Collections Inc. that have turned up through a simple Google Search, and what they show are quite alarming. Here are just a few of those reports that I have taken note of:

From Mr. Number: http://mrnumber.com/1-877-234-1601/complaints

From Google Reviews (Please read reports left by : Paul Nossenko & Valencia Sanchez): https://www.google.ca/#q=global+credit+%26+collection+inc&lrd=0x89d4d41318b2c7c1:0x6ab10dfc4558c354,...

A YouTube Video showing someone being pestered with calls from this Credit & Collection agency, and the calls aren't even for him:

If anyone receives a call or has messages left on their voicemails from Affglo Global Credit & Collections Inc. I ask that you listen to the voicemails carefully, document everything you hear on them, and Do Not, I repeat... Do Not be tempted to call them back! Report them to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Contact Information can be found here at this URL: http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/reportincident-signalerincident/index-eng.htm

Also, if you aren't already using a call blocker on your mobile phones, there is a free call blocker app for both Android and Iphones called Mr. Number that does a really good job of blocking unwanted calls, and you can get it here for free:

Google Play Store (Mr. Number Call Blocker) for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mrnumber.blocker&referrer=mat_click_id%3D29a598930...

Apple iTunes Store (Mr. Number Call Blocker) for Iphone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1047334922

The real number of Affglo Global Credit & Collections Inc: (905) 479-2222

Address: 1490 Denison St, Markham, ON L3R 9T7

Website with their full contact details: https://www.affglo.com/voice-of-the-customer/

Be smart, be sensible, and if you know you don't owe any debt to any collection agencies, especially ones that are asking for the wrong person, be suspicious of the call especially if the calls are persistent and voicemails are left. Recognize Fraud and Report It!

[Carol1959]

If you receive collection telephone calls or collection letters from any collection agencies about student loan, that means the bank officials where you hold your account current or while you were in school use your identities and take student loans, fraudulently. No collection agencies has the legal authority to make student loan collection. I am one of the students (36 students in Smiths Falls and its surrounding area) whose identity is used by Chris Cummings, CIBC official to take student loan, fraudulently. In my case, he took the loan for 22 years and managed to defraud the taxpayers for $250,000. What a bum!

[Acekiller]

@CS_Agent should flag Affinity Global for advertisment.

[srlawren]

@AffinityGlobal you already said that last month.  No need to repeat yourself, especially when there has been zero activity on the thread since then.

[AffinityGlobal]

Affinity Global is a collection agency working on behalf of many creditors.  Should you believe that information provided to us by a client is incorrect, please provide us with the details; we will engage our client to resolve the issue.  Please contact our ombudsperson’s office via email at complaints@affglo.com or via our secure web form at https://www.affglo.com/voice-of-the-customer.

[AffinityGlobal]

Affinity Global is a collection agency working on behalf of many creditors.  Should you believe that information provided to us by a client is incorrect, please provide us with the details; we will engage our client to resolve the issue.  Please contact our ombudsperson’s office via email at complaints@affglo.com or via our secure web form at https://www.affglo.com/voice-of-the-customer.

[AffinityGlobal]

Affinity Global is a collection agency working on behalf of many creditors.  We believe in treating people with respect while working towards securing a suitable repayment plan.  Please provide us with your account details; we will review the account activity and ensure that we work with you in a professional manner.  Please contact our ombudsperson’s office via email at complaints@affglo.com or via our secure web form at https://www.affglo.com/voice-of-the-customer.

[AffinityGlobal]

Affinity Global is a collection agency working on behalf of many creditors.  Should you believe that information provided to us by a client is incorrect, please provide us with the details; we will engage our client to resolve the issue.  Please contact our ombudsperson’s office via email at complaints@affglo.com or via our secure web form at https://www.affglo.com/voice-of-the-customer.

[Alex-M]

@imm1304 Thank you for your suggestions and sound advice, definately something to keep in mind if I need to take on any further action against this Credit & Collections agency that keeps leaving voicemails at my PM number for a Mr. Sunar.

So far today I have not had any bothersome calls or voicemails left. So I hope that it stays that way permanently.

[imm1304]

Hey @Alex-M,

Thanks for sharing your experience for the rest of us to learn from.

The number you have must have belonged to someone else in the past.. most likely several years ago.  These collection agencies tend to be most deviant in their practices.  

I would advise you to write a stern letter ... addressed to the highest authority you can find from their website... CEO- Customer service, Owner, etc.   Do not include a return address.  Just clearly state the phone number they call is not for the person they are looking for. Be sure to throw in there something along the lines of "Stop calling immediately or I will be compelled to take legal action. The only call from your company I expect is you calling to apologize and reassure me that I will no longer be getting those harassing calls."  

Be sure to date the letter.  Fax or email the letter right away.  Keep a copy of the letter.  

Then head over to Ministry of Government and Consumer Services to file a complaint:  https://www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca/esearch/compform/english/complaint.jsp

Filing a complaint is important because a pattern emerges and the ministry can act when 1000 people file about the same behaviour of this company.  Good luck!  

[Alex-M]

@Korth I thank you for that helpful piece of advice. I currently am using a very good call blocker app for my Android phone called Mr. Number which I suggested in my post to others to use. The app itself is very good at blocking numbers as once a call comes in from an already blocked number, it will automatically block it, and their is even a setting in the app itself where you have the option to pick up the call and hang up on it so that it does not go to your voicemail. I have this option already set, but it does become a little daunting of a task when they keep calling from different numbers, and you have to keep blocking those numbers continually.

I need my voicemail, because if my contacts call me, and I don't immediately answer, I just let it go to my voicemail, so then I can just return their call at my earliest convenience.

I have always wondered, if mobile carriers recycle / reuse numbers instead of providing fresh new ones. I am beggining to think that I may actually have someone's old Public Mobile number.

I would not go with the idea of calling this Credit and Collections agency back, and would strongly advise anyone else from doing so after all the horror stories I have read about the reputation and their harrassment of others when trying to explain to them that they clearly have the wrong person. So that is definately a NO NO for me.

[Korth]

Not sure if PM's voicemail settings offer a block-number option.

You can always subscribe to a non-PM voicemail service which does offer the option if needed.  Best to select one which serves your local region, to avoid long-distance hassles.  Not always best to select one which is free because there are often hidden costs (which typically sell your personal info to advertisers).

Also not sure if blocking the numbers will have any effect, the collection agents will just call you from another number (again and again).  They're in the business of being persistent and tracking down financial delinquents who don't want to be found, they'll harass and harangue and intimidate you endlessly as long as they think it's potentially profitable.  Unfortunately for you, your phone number is one of the leads they have listed on their history/database for Mr. Sunar Afranet, lol, he must be a hard fellow to locate.  Good luck trying to reason with these collection agents, they'll automatically assume you must somehow know this guy and be lying to them.

My advise is to contact them directly, announce that you are recording the call for your personal records, demand to know the name/identity of the agent in charge of the case, formally inform them that you don't know a Mr. Sunar Afranet, and make it clearly understood that you will not tolerate being hassled by their attempts to locate this guy or collect this debt.  They may threaten to take you to court (and they often claim that they never lose a case) - tell them you won't take them seriously until they deliver you a court summons.  It's really the only way to get them to back off, lol, sorry.