Anonymous wrote:OP here,

So it seems that guy is from a collection agency. We’ve been corresponding by certified mail. So USPS does work, ha!

Anyway, I asked for evidence that the employer overpaid me.

He sent me some barely readable Excel spreadsheet with images of two paystubs. The guy doesn’t even have proper printouts of my paystubs.

One paystub is just wrong, I didn’t work during said period, neither did I receive payment into my bank account.

There a letter where they say they overpaid me in the pay period X. I didn’t work for them during that period, neither did I receive anything from them.

There are no clear calculations how the overpaid me.

Even if I consider the fact that they overpaid me, I don’t know believe the amount is correct.

I think the accounting and HR messed something up.

The collections guy doesn’t know the details himself. Instead, his tactic is to use vague threats.

Is there a chance of this going to court? Wouldn’t he have to provide better documentation than some unreadable Excel file?

Should I continue conversations with this guy?

I would not.

Have you talked to your employer. Because usually someone pursuing a debt tries to collect directly from you first.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My former employer is a huge company. I’ve tried to get my pay stubs and it took 5 phone calls, they keep re-routing me to different departments. I still haven’t received the paystubs.

After I get the paystubs I’ll know how many direct deposits they think they made and will go from there.

Ask adp

Was this federal contract work? It sounds like there was fraud. You could have a whistleblower case. It sounds like they were charging for time not worked and not paying you for it. I would contact the whistleblower hotline.

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

So it seems that guy is from a collection agency. We’ve been corresponding by certified mail. So USPS does work, ha!

Anyway, I asked for evidence that the employer overpaid me.

He sent me some barely readable Excel spreadsheet with images of two paystubs. The guy doesn’t even have proper printouts of my paystubs.

One paystub is just wrong, I didn’t work during said period, neither did I receive payment into my bank account.

There a letter where they say they overpaid me in the pay period X. I didn’t work for them during that period, neither did I receive anything from them.

There are no clear calculations how the overpaid me.

Even if I consider the fact that they overpaid me, I don’t know believe the amount is correct.

I think the accounting and HR messed something up.

The collections guy doesn’t know the details himself. Instead, his tactic is to use vague threats.

Is there a chance of this going to court? Wouldn’t he have to provide better documentation than some unreadable Excel file?

Should I continue conversations with this guy?

There are other ways to send documents- like registered mail, UPS, FedEx, etc. I would tell him to send everything in writing including proof of debt.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/debt-collection-faqs
A collector has to give you “validation information” about the debt either when they first communicate with you or within five days of the first contact. The collector has to include the following

their name and mailing address
the name of the creditor you owe it to
how much money you owe, written out to include interest, fees, payments, and credits
what to do if you don’t think it’s your debt
your debt collection rights, including your right to get information about the original creditor if you ask for it within 30 days of getting validation information from the collector

What if I don't think I owe the debt?

Once you get the validation information (see What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt), if you still don’t recognize a debt, or don’t think the debt is yours, send the debt collector a dispute letter. Say you don’t owe some or all of the money, and ask for verification of the debt.

Make sure to send the dispute letter within 30 days. Once the collection company gets the letter, it must stop trying to collect the debt until it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of the original bill for the amount you owe. Consider sending your letter by certified mail and requesting a return receipt to show that the collector got it. Keep a copy of the letter for your records.

If you don’t dispute the debt within 30 days of getting the validation information, the debt collector will assume the debt is legitimate.

OP here,

So it seems that guy is from a collection agency. We’ve been corresponding by certified mail. So USPS does work, ha!

Anyway, I asked for evidence that the employer overpaid me.

He sent me some barely readable Excel spreadsheet with images of two paystubs. The guy doesn’t even have proper printouts of my paystubs.

One paystub is just wrong, I didn’t work during said period, neither did I receive payment into my bank account.

There a letter where they say they overpaid me in the pay period X. I didn’t work for them during that period, neither did I receive anything from them.

There are no clear calculations how the overpaid me.

Even if I consider the fact that they overpaid me, I don’t know believe the amount is correct.

I think the accounting and HR messed something up.

The collections guy doesn’t know the details himself. Instead, his tactic is to use vague threats.

Is there a chance of this going to court? Wouldn’t he have to provide better documentation than some unreadable Excel file?

Should I continue conversations with this guy?

Been getting calls from this number and finally decided to answer. He told me he was calling on behalf of Accenture because I still have some of their equipment. I told him that I still had the equipment and just haven’t made it to the post office but I’d be returning it soon. He reiterated that it’s in collections now, I said ok and then there was a long silence so I very genuinely asked “is that all?” The guy was quick to call me rude, rubbed in the fact that my debt is in collections now and hung up on me. It’s very strange, he talks like a debt collecting super villain. I wouldn’t expect someone who went to law school to be so sensitive.

I can't believe anyone on the entire 5 pages would do anything more than wipes their ass with this.

I am responding to your contact about a debt you are trying to collect. You contacted me by
[phone/mail], on [date] and identified the debt as [any information they gave you about the debt]. Please supply the information below so that I can be fully informed:
Why you think I owe the debt and to whom I owe it, including:

•​The name and address of the creditor to whom the debt is currently owed, the account number used by that creditor, and the amount owed.

•​If this debt started with a different creditor, provide the name and address of the original creditor, the account number used by that creditor, and the amount owed to that creditor at the time it was transferred. When you identify the original creditor, please provide any other
name by which I might know them, if that is different from the official name. In addition, tell me when the current creditor obtained the debt and who the current creditor obtained it from.

•​Provide verification and documentation that there is a valid basis for claiming that I am required to pay the debt to the current creditor. For example, can you provide a copy of the written agreement that created my original requirement to pay?

•​If you are asking that I pay a debt that somebody else is or was required to pay, identify that person. Provide verification and documentation about why this is a debt that I am required to pay.

The amount and age of the debt, including:

•​A copy of the last billing statement sent to me by the original creditor.

•​State the amount of the debt when you obtained it, and when that was.

•​If there have been any additional interest, fees or charges added since the last billing statement from the original creditor, provide an itemization showing the dates and amount of each added amount. In addition, explain how the added interest, fees or other charges are expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or are permitted by law.

•​If there have been any payments or other reductions since the last billing statement from the original creditor, provide an itemization showing the dates and amount of each of them.

•​If there have been any other changes or adjustments since the last billing statement from the original creditor, please provide full verification and documentation of the amount you are trying to collect. Explain how that amount was calculated. In addition, explain how the other changes or adjustments are expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law.

•​Tell me when the creditor claims this debt became due and when it became delinquent.

•​Identify the date of the last payment made on this account.

•​Have you made a determination that this debt is within the statute of limitations applicable to it? Tell me when you think the statute of limitations expires for this debt, and how you determined that.

Details about your authority to collect this debt.

•​I would like more information about your firm before I discuss the debt with you. Does your firm have a debt collection license from my state? If not, say why not. If so, provide the date of the license, the name on the license, the license number, and the name, address and telephone number of the state agency issuing the license.

•​If you are contacting me from a place outside my state, does your firm have a debt collection license from that place? If so, provide the date of the license, the name on the license, the license number, and the name, address and telephone number of the state agency issuing the license.


I have asked for this information because I have some questions. I need to hear from you to make an informed decision about your claim that I owe this money. I am open to communicating with you for this purpose. In order to make sure that I am not put at any disadvantage, in the meantime please treat this debt as being in dispute and under discussion between us.


In addition to providing the information requested above, please let me know whether you are prepared to accept less than the balance you are claiming is owed. If so, please tell me in writing your offer with the amount you will accept to fully resolve the account.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Also, screw you.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

It’s so obviously a scam; why are you wasting any time on this? Call them and ask for a letter certifying the debt is yours. If they don’t produce it, ignore them. And no, blurry pdfs and excel files do not count.

OP here. My former employer is a huge company. I’ve tried to get my pay stubs and it took 5 phone calls, they keep re-routing me to different departments. I still haven’t received the paystubs.

After I get the paystubs I’ll know how many direct deposits they think they made and will go from there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This guy sounds so shady. You are getting in more trouble by engaging with him. If they think they have a shot with you, I don't see him giving up on this scam. It's much safer to not reach out and block him all around. If he escalates, file a complaint with the state's disciplinary board. He cannot demand payment with blurry pdfs as his evidence. People counseling you otherwise must be scammers themselves or easy targets.

Here is an update.

I called the collection agency he said he is from and they told me he does work there, although they sounded weird. Like they answered the phone with a “hello”, not the name of the company.

He sent me another PDF. The PDF looks like a couple of paystubs pasted in the middle of the Excel spreadsheet and some random calculations.

The paystubs do have the correct name and address, and an employee number.

I called my former employer and asked to send me my paystubs. They asked for my employee number. I didn’t have it so I gave them the one off this guy’s PDF. They said they found a matching record and will contact me regarding paystubs. That was also weird too, but I’m 99% sure they are legit. It’s Accenture Federal Services.

Meanwhile, I checked my bank records and I did not receive the second direct deposit that this guy was showing in his PDF.

So I sent him an email asking to send me hard copies of my paystubs and receipts for direct deposits within 30 days, otherwise I’ll be ignoring him as I think it is a scam. I said I’ll report this scam if I find evidence.

He responded saying he’s sorry I think it’s a scam and threatened to ruin my credit.

And that’s where I left it.

Double check the pay stubs with the employer and also ask them about the direct deposits. Finally, why not confirm with them whether they sent the account to collections or not?

Also would it be possible to ask the former employer if there is indeed an overpayment? According to them I mean.
If they say no then the guy is a scam?

Someone I know signed a contract saying he would pay back the immigration fees if he leaves the job less than a year after he gets his green card. They tried to collect and he just kept requesting more info and eventually they left him alone. The amount was $12k
So I would ignore the $2k. They won’t go to court over it as they won’t look good suing a regular person over this. Even if it’s already in collections, just monitor your credit report and if your score goes down then you act on it. But for now try to just sit it out.

Anonymous wrote:OP here . Plot twist. He actually sent an email and on the email he’s under a different company

Joe Daniels
Sr. Manager
Bilateral Credit Corp, LLC
1980 Pawtucket Ave Suite 2-1
E. Providence, RI 02914
Direct (212) 760-8077
Main (212) 239-5151

Have you called the main line to Bilateral Credit Corp (not what is listed in this email) to confirm they actually have an open debt collection against you? Ask them if a Joe Daniels works there.

Did he send you an email that is from @bilateral.com (this is what it looks like the ending of the email address should be based on their website).