Robert James & Associates

According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can stop all telephone contact from a debt collector by sending them a written request to do so. This should be a certified letter with a return receipt, so that you have proof that the debt collector received it (you can also use the certified tracking number on your receipt). If they don't desist, send them a second letter referencing the first letter with the tracking number. And if they still don't desist, you can report them to the FTC for violation of the law.

Make sure in your letter that you are requesting the collector to cease all telephone contact, but to maintain written contact so that you know where your account stands until you can pay it off. Otherwise, the next thing you may receive is a court summons if or when they decide to sue you. If you don't believe you owe what they are asking, you can also request that the collector verify the debt, which they have to do in writing.

Ending all telephone contact requires a written request, but if you are receiving calls at work, all you need is a verbal request. Make sure you record your call (some states require that you need to inform the other party that the call is being recorded). Obviously, it is not in the best interest of a bill collector to compromise your income by calling you at work, so they should honor your request. Robert James and Associates is the only collection agency I've contacted that did not consent to call recording on my end (they hung up when I informed them), although I'm sure they record all calls on their end. Unfortunately, I'll have to send them a C&D letter.

I am in the process of paying off all of my outstanding debts with a withdrawal from my retirement savings (as well as getting back on track with a financial management program). And most of the collection agents I have spoken with have been very understanding once I explained my plan. A few, however, don't want to hear it, and these are the ones I have had to send C&D letters to. I have written very tactful letters in which I outlined my plan for financial reorganization, and have requested the statements I need from them in order to settle my debts. If they know you're serious, they're much more likely to work with you.

I received a call from Lisa at Robert James and Associates on March 26, 2012 and that they were an arbitration company and they had a summons that was going to be sent to the court house in the county that I live in to garnish 25% of my wages. In addition, she is also going to file criminal charges against me for check fraud. I told her that I did not do anything that would warrant a criminal charge for check fraud. Lisa continues to tell me that she has my work info and that is going to have me served there, unless I make a payment. If I make a payment, they will not file the summons. I said to her I do not understand what is going on. I have spoken to this company and gave them my attorney's information. Lisa tells me that does not matter and they are now the owner of the debt, them and another company that she mentions which is DMP. I told her I could do $50 a month payment, which would leave me strapped. Lisa asks me to hold on and another person gets on the phone. He does not give me a name and starts telling me that he is going to serve me and that I owe some $1,500 but he will settle for $900 but there is no way that he is going to accept $50 a month. No, he wants $142 from me for 6 months but he will split it every week.

Then he starts telling me that I am going to be responsible for court's costs and attorney's fees if he files. This man is very aggressive and very rude almost laughing at me for my $50 payment. I tell him I will not have a payment until May. The man says to me, "Did you just not get paid? You should be able to pay right now." I told him, "Well, that money is gone. I had to pay my bills." I said, "You should know that I have no money," because he tells me he has my credit information as well. I get Lisa back and I tell her I think I need to talk to my attorney about this and Lisa tells me, "You are wasting my time." To Lisa, "You are threatening to arrest me?" Lisa says to me, "I said nothing about arresting you." Well, if you file criminal charges against someone, would they not be arrested?

By this time I am running late for work and I told Lisa I said, "Are we almost through?" She says that she just needs my debit card and I gave it to her. Lisa asked if my email address is correct and I told her yes. Lisa stated that she is going to send information about my payment plan as of today April 5, 2012. I have received nothing. I go down to my office and I see that there is a missed call from Robert James and Associates. Thankfully, they did not leave a message on the voicemail. So they called my work as well. I called on Tuesday to see what I would get when I called. I get Lisa's voicemail. I left no number and no message and about an hour later, I get a call back from Lisa asking me to call. I guess they have me on caller ID. I did a lot of research about Robert James and Associates and they are not an arbitration company as they state they are. Their main focus as it states on their website is debit collection. Total lies!

We had gotten a loan and tried to make payments by check to fast cash, they refused. Next thing I know I have Robert *** and associates calling me making threats. I tried to tell them I tried to pay by check and they were rude and would not listen. We have only one income and that is my husband's disability. They said I would receive a summons and they would take this money from my husband's disability income.

They have also been calling family members and harassing them! I filed a complaint with the BBB but never received a response. I have been checking out this business and they are a bunch of crooks who like making people feel scared and humiliated! They call me several times a day and now I just do not answer the phone because I am tired of being threatened by them! This is how the disabled get treated by dishonest people!

I received a phone call from Michael ** stating that he needed my credit card number to pay off a pay day loan. I explained to him that I have done that in the past and had problem with unauthorized amount and withdrawal. He told me to go and get a prepaid Visa debit card. I told him I don't have that extra money for that. He said that my wages were going to be garnished. I asked for a debit validation letter and he hung up on me and said he did not have time for me. He was extremely rude and uncooperative all he wanted was my card number.

These people have called my work and threatened my coworkers and upset one of them. They are telling them that they were going to have me served at work. I talked to them once and told them to bring it on and my attorney will be waiting for them and they wanted to know who my attorney was. I told them to find out for themselves. They are still calling and today and they called my sister, a woman named Chelsea **, and told her that they were having me served and she had cosigned for a loan for me, which was a lie. She was upset and I told her the next time they called to tell them I have filed a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's Office, which I have twice, and to serve me. The only thing I'm afraid of is I may lose my job over this.

A representative by the name of Cherry called a relative of mine. She stated that she was a Richland County process server trying to reach me. She said that I had a warrant out for my arrest for check and bank fraud. The relative asked her not to call them again. She said, "I will call you on tomorrow." She then called me leaving a message stating that I was going to be served at my job for breach of contract, and I would be persecuted in my county court. She transferred me to a person in their legal department. I asked the male representative when was the court date set for. He stated to me that it was in seven days. I asked him not to contact me again with the harassing phone calls. He started laughing and was like he will call me all day everyday. I disconnected the phone.

Their company called me at 6 a.m. and called family members, too. I called Lisa and she told me a subpoena had been issued for me on a payday loan from 2010. She was saying because I closed my Bank One account.

I never had a Bank One account in 2010. I told her I don't have a job right now so she was like I need to make payment today. Then she was like I have your job info and it was a job that I left over six years ago. She had me agreed on a recorded line to three payments: 75 on 8/26 (which has been paid), 75 on 9/26 and 75 on 10/26; and told me to call back to set up more payments. She said that she will email me a letter showing this debt of 900. I have yet to receive it. So I call back and told her that I need some proof that this is a valid debt and if they can't show me, they will not get any more money from me. She did not give me an account number to this so-called debt I owe.

In follow-up to my previous complaint, the ball is now rolling with the State Attorney General; they cannot go into the checking account at will and withdraw funds not agreed upon. They violated three sections of the Fair Debt Practices Act in my dealings with them. If anyone wants to try to get a class action suit going, my complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's office is complaint # **.

Please feel free to call them and tell them of your experiences with Robert James and Associates. I am also in the process of getting the ball rolling with my own private attorney. All of these irreputable collectors assume that everyone who has troubles from time to time are uneducated and/or without resources. They were wrong.

This is the most dishonest company I have ever dealt with. They called me, told me a subpoena had been issued for me which was a lie. I called & talked to the owner, Mr. Walters, who told me that yes it was a lie & they fired the person responsible. He said he was "at my mercy". He agreed on a recorded line to 3 payments - 100.00 on 4/20 (which has been paid), 100.00 on 5/20 and 97.50 on 6/20. Yesterday, 5/16, I called & asked to defer the 5/20 payment to 6/4. Mr. Walters agreed but said he would have to charge me a 100.00 service fee which I said would be fine, so he agreed to hold until 6/4. Today, 5/17 he charged the total remainder of 197.50 to my checking acct.

I called & said we had arrangements for 6/4 - the person I talked to asked if I had it in writing, I said no, he said "Well then it didn't happen". He said he had a right to do anything he wanted because I don't have it in writing. I demanded to talk to Mr. Walters, he flatly refused to allow me to speak to him. A complaint has been filed with my state atty. general and tomorrow I will be retaining a lawyer. When I told him I would be retaining a lawyer, he said "hahaha! You're yelling about 197.00, how are you going to get a lawyer?" Surprise for him I have quite a few friends & friends of friends who are attorneys. They deducted an authorized payment from my checking account which is fraud, this in turn overdrew my account which will cause further bounced checks, emotional and financial hardship.

I can understand if someone owes a debt to a company. My problem is that this person and his associates called my family and friends', releasing my SSN to them, which I'm pretty sure, is illegal. Then when the mention was made of their wrongdoings, they back tracked and said since I owe them money, they can do what they please. Beware of them and beware of him because they are nasty as all get out.

I was called by this man stating that I owed on a payday loan that I don't think I ever got; they will not send me proof. I have asked several times. Mr. ** told me I'd go to court if I didn't pay this but since I don't know I even owe it, I am not going to. I would like to see proof.

These men continue to call my home and scream, laugh at me, threaten me, and harass me almost daily, even though the person they are calling for is my step-son who has never lived here or even in the same state. I have told them to stop calling and remove my number and because I refuse to give my step son a message from them, they try to make me feel like I am a non-caring person. Then they say, "we'll just call you again tomorrow". They are extremely rude.

They are distressing me terribly and making me very angry. I can't seem to stop them from calling my home.