Carson City residents have been receiving correspondence saying they must pay for a product or services they never even heard of. According to Fraud.org, people should be wary of these types of scams.
The website offers these tips to ensure consumers don’t fall victim to potential scams:
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a debt collector, ask for the person’s name and address, the company they represent and the original creditor (if indeed you have an outstanding loan). If they can’t provide this information, hang up;
If you’re concerned about the status of an unpaid debt, hang up and call the creditor back yourself at the phone number provided on your loan paperwork;
If the amount demanded is significantly more than the debt you owe, it’s probably a scam;
Check your credit report. If the debt the caller claims you owe is not listed on there, it’s probably a scam;
Don’t be intimidated if debt collectors are abusive or threatens legal action or arrest. Request written notice of the debt be mailed to you and tell them you don’t wish to be contacted again about the debt. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a debt collector must respect this request.
If you suspect the caller is a phantom debt collector, hang up and report the scam to Fraud.org.
