AFNI Watch

AFNI Apologizes

2010-11-25T15:17:00.000-08:00

A common trick used by collection agencies is contacting neighbors of debtors and asking them to deliver a message to the debtor.

Many people refuse to do this.

Sometimes, there have been negative consequences. One well meaning neighbor was assaulted by the alleged debtor, who was tired of the collection agency harassment and who believed that the neighbor was an agent of the debt collector. Yes, alleged debtor-the collection agency had the wrong person. Both the neighbor and alleged debtor settled out of court.

Given the circumstances, the neighbor did not press charges against his understandably irate neighbor.

In this case, AFNI kept calling a teenager, demanding that she act as a messenger. Her father made an angry call to AFNI, and received this apology. Note that AFNI must do a lot of these, this seems to be a form letter apology as it is addressed "Dear Sir" and not to the actual person.

Ronald Greene of AFNI did not know what the word "hubris" meant and refused to divulge his educational details.

AFNI should be closed down, and Mr. Greene should finish high school.

In the interim, those subjected to abuse by AFNI may want to contact Mr. Greene directly, using the phone number down on the letter.

AFNI Sued in Minnesota

2008-12-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

July 18, 2008

Minnesota Sues AFNI For False Debt Collecting And Credit Reporting

AFNI, a national collection agency,has been the subject of numerous complaints regarding violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. AFNI's response has always been to deny its wrongful conduct and to say any "mistakes" were isolated incidents. This week the Attorney General of Minnesota had to file suit against AFNI.

Here is a quote from theie press release:

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson today filed a lawsuit in Hennepin County District Court against AFNI, Inc., an Illinois debt collection agency, for attempting to collect debts from Minnesota citizens who stated they did not actually owe the debts and for failing to substantiate debt that consumers stated they did not owe.

The lawsuit alleges that AFNI used unfair collection techniques to attempt to collect debts that Minnesota consumers stated they did not believe they owe, and that AFNI did not adequately verify the validity of debts to ensure it was collecting the debt from the right people. As a result, AFNI repeatedly contacted Minnesota consumers in an attempt to collect debts, some up to ten years old, that in some cases were not actually owed by the citizens.

“In this troubled economy, many people are struggling to pay their bills. Debt collectors are entitled to pursue payment of legitimate debts, but they must do so fairly and in compliance with the law,” Swanson said.

The lawsuit alleges that AFNI continued collection efforts, rather than verify the legitimacy of the debt, after citizens informed AFNI that it was attempting to collect the debt from the wrong person. In response to AFNI’s requests, Minnesota consumers sometimes provided private information, including social security numbers and police reports of identity theft, to prove that AFNI was collecting the debt from the wrong person, but that even after being provided with this requested information, AFNI sometimes continued its collection efforts.
AFNI also sometimes reported invalid “debts” to credit bureaus without verifying that the debts were actually owed by the citizen and did not take the action necessary to remove the debts from consumers’ credit reports.

Congratulations for this strong stance in favor of consumers by the Attorney General Lori Swanson.

Check By Phone: BAD IDEA!

2008-11-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

Paying by check by phone can be convenient, but it can get you into trouble if you are dealing with an unscrupulous or dishonest collection agency.

There have been many complaints against AFNI for abusing check by phone.

You owe $500, you approve a check by phone for $50. They take the $50, but then take more.By the time you find out, the money is gone and very hard to get back.

So just say no to the abusive collection agents at AFNI.

If they press you, tell them your bank charges $50 for each one or that your account doesn't support it. They will make noise but they will back down. They do not want $50 taken out of their meager commission.

And, if you have no choice, make sure you contact your bank IMMEDIATELY. Tell them you have authorized a check by phone for whatever the amount is, but no more. Tell them you will hold them (your bank) responsible if more is taken out.They will wait for a check or money order. You will also be able to trace the money if they claim they did not get it.

Giving a collection agency permission to do a check by phone is asking to be robbed. Just don't do it!

AFNI - Bills For Things You NEVER Bought!

2008-10-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

I got my first collection notice three days ago in the mail. It was from Afni, Inc. with the original creditor listed as Verizon Communications, Inc. According to the collection notice the balance due is more than $300.00!

But there's a problem.

I've never been involved with Verizon!

I turned 19 last December and have been living on my own for a little more than six months. Now is the first time I've ever been involved in legally binding contracts that results in bills. I pay the bills on time and none of the bills I receive come from Verizon.This collection notice was a mistake, obviously.

So I did some research and found out that a lot of people are having problems with Afni, Inc. People being billed for things they never bought, people getting collection notices meant for other people (John Doe, no middle initial, gets collection notice for John F. Doe and the collection agency insists that he pay the balance anyway), people paying balances they don't think they owe, and it turns out that they don't, but they can't get their money back. Afni, Inc is also reported to be very unhelpful and uncaring.

Hmm. Unhelpful and uncaring? I started to think that reporting this as a mistake wouldn't be as easy as I thought it would be. I called the toll-free number on the collection notice three times within an hour but the line was busy each time! A toll-free number with a busy line? That's never happened to me before. I was getting worried. I went online and found the website for Afni, Inc and saw that there is another toll-free number for collections. I called that one twice but it was busy, too!

Then I was really worried. And suspicious. I just moved out on my own. I've never dealt with Verizon before and they have never called me or sent me a bill. And now I get a collection notice out of the blue from a collection agency with two phone numbers that are busy whenever I call. Something wasn't right.A mistake, highly improbable identity theft, or some weirdo scam, who knows. So I called Verizon. After more than five minutes on hold I got to a Collections person.

We talked briefly and she told me to call the collection agency. I told her that both lines were busy. She said there was nothing she could do and told me to try calling at a later time. I thanked her and hung up.I got online again and went back to the page for Afni, Inc. I called their corporate office. The phone was answered none-too-promptly by a professional-sounding woman. I told her that I was calling about a collection notice from Verizon. I told her that I'd called two of their numbers but they were both busy. I recited the numbers and asked her if there was another number I could call. She gave it to me. I thanked her and hung up.I called the number and finally got through.

I spoke to a young woman about the situation and... well you know how it goes. But it wasn't as bad as it could have been because I was lucky enough to get a polite worker who faked sympathy. Eventually she put me on hold and came back. We talked while someone else listened in. And guess what? It turns out that the collection notice is a mistake! Sort of.

Apparently, the original bill that went unpaid is from four months in 1995. "Nineteen ninety-five?" I asked. "I was way too young to have Verizon in nineteen ninety-five!" The woman laughed. "Yes. You would have been eight years old.

"Not that it mattered to Afni, Inc!The woman told me that even though it was obvious that a parent had used my name, the bill still had to be paid. I told her I didn't have the money. Plus, why do I have to pay it? I was eight! She told me that the only way I could avoid paying the balance is by reporting this as fraud.Me: "...What?"To get out of paying the bill I'd have to formally report this as fraud to Afni, Inc and file a police report on my own.

Then I'd have to send Afni, Inc a bunch of stuff for their records. Otherwise the collection notice would be valid and I'd have to pay the balance. If I didn't do something and didn't pay, they'd screw up my credit.Well of course I'm not going to do all that! My mother and I don't get along but fraud and police reports are serious business. I'm not going to have my own mother thrown in jail. So I told the woman I'd ask my mother to pay it.

We finished up, I thanked her and hung up. Then I called my mom. I started to tell her about the call but I couldn't. She was being nice and I didn't want to ruin it. So we talked a little and that was that.

So there you have it. I do hate Afni, Inc because:I got a collection notice, which scared me.I had to do a lot of research to find out what was going on with this company.Their toll-free lines were busy each time I called, which seems really fishy. Maybe it's sabotage.And most importantly: the fact that the account they have bought from Verizon Inc is for bills in an eight year old child's name, and Afni, Inc doesn't give a crap.

I understand that Verizon has lost a bit of money and the balance needs to be paid. But my situation is unusual. Shouldn't my situation be treated differently since I was a kid at the time? The fact that my name is on the bill is just a technicality.Wouldn't getting rid of my account, calling Verizon and making them take the blame for not getting an ID be the best thing to do? It would certainly be the kindest and most sensible thing to do.

Obviously my mother is at fault too, but... this situation is different. Fraud is when someone you don't know steals your info and buys plane tickets to Jamaica, then parties you out of several thousand dollars. This isn't fraud. This is just sad. And stupid.I also dislike Verizon. What, did ID not exist in '95? I'm going to call them today and ask if they'll call Afni Inc and cancel the debt. That way I won't have to tell my mom, my mom won't have to pay, then she and I will get along the same as we always do.