It was rated one of the top three scams in Hawaii last year.
Fake debt collection agencies are calling residents and threatening you to pay debts that you don’t have.
The Hawaii Better Business Bureau advises consumers to know your rights if you get called.
It’s a call you don’t want to get.
Thieves are calling Hawaii residents at random threatening to arrest you and put in jail if you don’t pay a debt that doesn’t exist.
The Hawaii BBB says they ask for several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars to be sent immediately.
“Be wary if the collector is not disclosing their name or the agencies name or creditors name or refuse to provide documentation about the alleged debt,” said Lisa Nakao of the Hawaii Better Business Bureau.
Never give out personal information.
Instead ask questions…Like what is the agency’s name? Where are they located? And ask if they’re licensed in Hawaii.
Once you have the information you can verify it with the Hawaii BBB.
“Consumers can demand written notice about the alleged debt because according to the fair collections practices act the written notice must be sent within 5 days of the first contact,” said Nakao.
Nakao says the notice should state the amount of debt owed, who the creditor is and how they can dispute it if they don’t agree.
“We recommend maybe not discussing about the debt until seeing that notice,” said Nakao.
So far, no one in Hawaii has fallen for the fake calls.
But if you do, the money you paid will most likely never come back.
For more information, check out the Action Line section on our website.
You can also email your consumer concerns to actionline@khon2.com or call weekdays from 11a-1p.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
