Data Check of America Scam Warning
There is a relatively new collection scam circulating, and I want to make the public aware of it. My office has been contacted by four former clients who have received the same collection call from a “Data Check of America”.
According to my clients, they received a call from this company, and were told that they had bounced a check at a Me & Eds Pizza in 2004. They were told that it needed to be paid or Data Check would execute a wage garnishment. (All the calls reference a bounced “Pizza” check.) I reached out to Me and Ed’s Corporate office and was told they know nothing about these collections, and have not authorized these collection efforts.
The scam artists are “spoofing” phone numbers, so the number showing on your caller ID is likely not correct. Examples of the “spoofed” numbers my clients received calls from are:
559-801-8915,
559-573-8780,
205-801-8915,
205-327-1150
404-400-3654
and 707-205-1628
The number that is left as a call back number in the recording is 866-298-3402, but when I tried to call that one, it went to a voicemail that was full.
I called 404-400-3654, (one of the numbers left) and got a live person. She answered the phone “Legal Department” and I told her that implied there was an attorney there. I asked for the name of that attorney, and said that I would like to speak with them. She did confirm that the company was “Data Check of America”. She said she would transfer me to a supervisor, and I was sent to a voicemail. I left a message, but no call was returned. When I called back and once again asked for the attorney’s name she said it was “Larry” but would not give me a last name, or where he was licensed to practice. She refused to give any information on where the company was located. I could hear a lot of phone activity in the background. It was obviously a phone “Boiler room”. When I pressed them for information on the company “Data Check of America”, they hung up on me. When I called back, the call went to a voicemail box that was full.
If you receive a call from “Data Check of America” saying you bounced a check, I would consider it a scam. You can, (and should) report these calls to the Federal Trade Commission here: FTC Complaint Site
It is my opinion that under NO circumstances should you send these people money.
Posted as public service by Timothy Springer, Bankruptcy Attorney, Fresno, CA
January 5, 2017 at 3:32 am
SCAM SCAM SCAM
DO NOT PAY ANY AND I SAY ANY BECAUSE THEY WILL CHANGE THE COMPANY NAME IN A SECOND AND GET NEW NUMBERS.SO IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU IN REGARDS TO A BAD CHECK IT’S A SCAM…DATA CHECK,BOYKIN & BLACK ASSOCIATES,ETC.ALL THE SAME COMPANY.I USE TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY AND WAS FIRED BECAUSE AFTER REALIZING WE WERE SCAMMING PPL I REFUSED TO COLLECT.BEWARE OF CHECK SCAMMERS
August 23, 2016 at 6:31 pm
I have received many phone calls from this company. I have been sending the unknown phone numbers to auto reject. Unfortunately, today they called me from an Arizona number where I have relatives, so I thought perhaps the number was one of them calling me. They answered Legal Department and I said I received a phone call from this number. They wanted to confirm that they were speaking with me, and when I asked them who was calling they proceeded to harass me about who I was how I would be facing a judge for the crime that I have committed, how it was ridiculous that I was hiding from this crime, and how I wasn’t adult enough to face up to my crimes. Also, sarcastically asking if I were also going to be hiding from the judge. Then, when I asked the person’s name, they went on a tirade, asking me what my name was over and over. I told them to have a good day and hung up. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to know that speaking to anyone that way will not get them what they want. I don’t know any reputable company that would degrade themselves by berating their customers to get what they want. Scare tactics are for tyrants. Here’s a list of the numbers they have used to contact me:
949-874-4622 – CA
928-494-0010 – AZ
678-809-2785
678-885-9750
404-400-3677
205-419-2944
678-310-1117
404-400-7756
205-327-1337
678-666-4639
218-789-1622
August 4, 2016 at 11:43 pm
8.4.16
I’ve had enough of these multiple numbers call me from the same company. I blocked that number each time and they would call back with another number. I’ve had it. I pushed 1 and asked to be removed from their call list. Some dude said something unintelligible and hung up. I called back, click. I called back…got a person. By this time I was a little more stern in my request to be removed. A lady who I jave to say is really good at her scamming job proceeded to say ” do you know who we are and why we are calling…I played along…gut already told me it was a scam. I’m not stupid. Then she continues with “ma’am you have a check written in 1996 to WINN Dixie in the amount of $10.22 that bounced. We have a copy of the check and will be glad to text it to you, I said fine, send it. She did and I couldn’t believe they had a copy of my check from 20 years ago…I sat there, didnt say anything when she was trying to talk to me. First thing I noticed was there was not an NSF stamp or any indication that my check bounced. Secondly I know for a fact that I have never had check bounce. But the bothersome part was how? How did they have a copy of my check? Where did they get it? But for S&G I decided to reaeach old check scams. This site solidified that I was right. Now I can’t wait for them to call back.
For now I am going to enjoy my well deserved glass of wine and pat myself on the back for not being dumb.
Kudos to all that didn’t fall for this. Have an adult beverage. Enjoy life.
July 28, 2016 at 8:16 pm
These people have been calling me for 3 month about 6-7 times a day. I refuse to answer because I know for fact I NEVER had a bounced check. They left a treating voicemail today which I deleted. I have them on auto reject so the calls go straight to voicemail. I guess they must be getting mad I won’t answer. Lol
July 19, 2016 at 9:37 pm
They’re still at it in July. I received a call just two weeks ago. They stated I needed to pay $370 for a check I wrote in 2007 for $100. I did some research. I do not owe the debt. My check was cancelled in lieu of another account which did pay the $100. I don’t know how they are getting the old checks, but I do know that my house was broken into that year and I had a lot of paperwork stolen from my house along with about $5,000 worth of personal belongings. Maybe this will be how I finally get the police to find the people who broke into my house. One thing for sure, it is a sophisticated scam. Going straight to the District Attorney’s Office.
July 13, 2016 at 7:34 pm
I have been receiving calls from Data Check since April 2016. They had me do onto a web-site and I printed a copy of a check that was written in 2002 by my husband that they say was returned and threatened to garnish our current bank account if it was not paid!
Funny thing is I was not on his account at that time because we weren’t married but they wouldn’t tell me how they got my cell number.
I’ve blocked several of the numbers they called from but yet they keep calling.
NOW for the past 2 days, I’ve gotten calls from what they say is the Legal office of Bryan Miller & Associates BUT boy how professional they were screaming at me when I tried to ask questions and explain to them that I sent that check copy to our bank to verify and that my bank said the check did clear and was not NSF.
They kept hanging up SO, I keep calling over and over and over like they’ve been calling me BUT now it won’t let me dial either number 404-400-7756 & 678-310-1117. N
I did pull up the website they claim was the attorney http://www.brianmillerandassociates.com/
August 1, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Yeah. I just called the number that is associated with “Brian Miller and Associates” and it is funny that they knew exactly who I was, how much I “owe” etc without getting any information. Just like “Data Check”. One lady said that she could not send me any correspondence over the phone. Another said they would only send it to “my attorney”. I told them to stop calling until they send me correspondence to my home address. Oh, and she said that the $176.18 I owe for the $5.38 check I supposedly bounced in 2002 will go up because “attorney fees”. By the way, my check was from Winn Dixie although it looks like they did their best to try and erase that.
June 29, 2016 at 11:57 pm
Thank you! Just a call from these folks and, as I searched for them, found this scam warning.
June 22, 2016 at 12:26 am
I started receiving calls from from Data Check systems weeks ago, after waiting on hold everytime they called, finally someone answered today and told me I had a bounced check from 2000 to a pizza place in the Fresno area. They did send me to a website that indeed had a copy of my old check for $16.70 but as other did I questioned why it wasn’t stamped NSF and they said look under the pay to line and it was stamped “do not redeposit this check” which I have never seen or heard of a bank doing. I gathered as much info as I could, they had my full ssn, birthdate and other info which is kind of intimidating. They said they would turn it into my current bank and so on. Then gave me another number to call, when I did all she told me was that I had been verified to be sent to check systems. I told her I thought it was a scam and that I had filed bankrutcy a few years ago and that would have relieved me of the debt. She tried to tell me it wouldn’t but to send the paperwork to them, I asked for an address, she rattled of an address in Minnesota, which I googled and it was a totally different company. I called the original bank, they said statue of limitations had passed and it was most likely a scam. I went back to the website to print a copy of the bill and check and of course it was gone! I did screen shot the check before it was deleted though. Then I called them and they actually answered when I asked for a mailed copy she said they don’t mail copies. I told her I had seen it online but now it was gone, she then hung up on me. I’m done with these people and will be turnin them in!
June 21, 2016 at 2:24 pm
I have been rcvng the same phone calls since February of this year about a $30 bounced check from Win Dixie back in 1995 ,I called Win Dixie and they have no record of it and they only hold it for 7 years then write it off. YES IT IS A SCAM !
June 17, 2016 at 11:30 pm
This must be a Winn Dixie issue because they called me about a check from 2002 for $5.36 that of course they wanted over $100 for. They even had a “copy” of it which they text to me. Crazy how they had my cell phone number as it was different than the one I used then. I could not read who the check was made out to but the W I could read was Winn Dixie.
June 13, 2016 at 9:55 pm
Similar situation here: I kept getting phone calls from Alabama and Georgia. I finally answered and was told this company, representing Data Check of America, is attempting to collect on two bounced checks to Me & Ed’s Pizza from 1997. I tried several times to contact Data Check at 877-614-8290 and no matter what time I call I get a recorded message that their office isn’t open. So I tried to contact them at the numbers listed on Data Check’s website, one rings and rings until an automated message comes on saying the party is not answering. The other line to the Compliance Department went to a voicemail for some guy named Chris. Left a message and we’ll see if I get a call back. I’m glad I found out about this because I went through a bankruptcy after my divorce a few years ago and worked hard to restore my good credit rating and didn’t want it messed up. Glad I decided to do some investigating first. Thanks!
June 2, 2016 at 11:45 pm
I just received a call from 1.877.614.8290 stating that I had a returned check from Winn Dixie in the amount of $33.78 from 1996. They stated that statue of limitations no longer applied but that my existing bank might penalize me and could harm my credit score but they would give me the opportunity to pay it and it would cost me $240.66 to remove this item from my financial record. I took the website address – logged in – some of my personal information was there but the copy of check was not.
I’m glad I found this – I did not really know where to go to verify. I will report to the Federal Trade Commission.
May 28, 2016 at 12:18 am
After getting calls for several weeks, and only getting a “full voicemail”, today I finally spoke with someone. They mentioned that they were from data check of america and even showed me the supposed check that bounced for $5.60 from Winn Dixie from 19 years ago and wanted me to pay $175.60 to reconcile. I had my card out and was about to provide my information because it looked legit. Luckily my wife was sitting right next to me and said don’t give them your bank information and tell them that you will look into it. While she was on the phone, I found this website (THANK YOU GUYS FOR POSTING!!!). At that point, I hung up on them and low and behold they called back like 5 times in a row. My wife told me to just answer the phone and tell them that I was going to look into it further. I answered and she said somehow we got disconnected. I informed her that I was going to look further into it and then she dropped the “F” bomb and hung up the phone. So thankful my wife was here and I found your website.
May 20, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Keep getting calls from Datacheck of America 205-588-4005. I called back l, they answered and asked is this was Tammy (maiden name). I said no (been married 12 years). When they connect me to my “account representative” goes straight to voicemail. I’m blocking the number. Not liking that they have my info though.
May 16, 2016 at 11:27 pm
Same thing! A Michael Richardson (or Smith depending, he uses both) 866-218-3402 ext 1004 called and actually texted me over a 12 year old check written to Fresno State book store for $186. on an old United Airlines checking account. Never ever heard of an NSF with them and the back of check appeared normal but a small NSF posted on the front, they could have photoshopped it. Tried to get credit card immediately to avoid it going on credit report. Broke all likes of debt collection laws and statute of limitations, if this really was NSF is 3 years. in CA I think. Total scam but concerning how they had a copy of this old check???
May 23, 2016 at 5:57 pm
I had a similar call, they claimed I wrote a check to a book store at Fresno State. They refused to provide me with a copy of the check, therefore, I told them they will not be getting a penny from me.
May 13, 2016 at 7:08 pm
So glad you posted this warning! I have been receiving calls from this company for weeks. I finally got tired of getting a full voice mail, and since I knew I hadn’t had any returned items, I wasn’t too worried. But I’m tired of the calls, so I called the number from the recording (559-634-9104) and talked to ‘Vanessa’. She asked for my previous name, and I indicated I hadn’t used that name for over 10 years. She asked for the last four digits of my SSN, I only provided the last 3, then she said this was for a returned item from 1996!! Almost 20 years ago! She directed me to a website (datacheckofamerica.com) where I was able to see a scanned check (yup, I wrote it!) from 8-20-96 to Canned Food Outlet. Thankfully, I printed it out immediately, because it’s now been removed from their website. I told her I had to investigate this because I cannot imagine why a merchant would wait 20 years to follow up on a $83 debt, AND regardless, I was NOT going to pay over $250 to redeem it. She quickly said she was authorized to negotiate a lesser amount, but I told her I intended to check this out first. What they don’t realize is that I worked in banking for over 25 years (and worked at the bank this check was drawn on!) and I realized after the call ended that there was no mention of this item being returned NSF. In fact, the back of the check references it was processed on August 22, 1996! Gotcha!!!
I will be reporting this to the FTC immediately and will take great pleasure in alerting ‘Vanessa’ that they screwed up big time.
It *is* disconcerting to know that they have at least a copy of a true check I’d written way back then. Of course, I’ve been divorced from the co-owner on this account for 12 years and this account has been closed for just as long.
Again, thanks for posting this warning.
May 27, 2016 at 3:29 am
I just had the same thing happen to me on a 20 year old check. They also had a copy of my check and wanted to charge me $200 in interest. The check had no markings of NFS markings at all. I called the bank and they looked at it and told me that you would know if it was sent back 2 times. My question is has anyone ever had them actually proceed with any legal action as they threaten. I am going to ignore them, but I really wanted to make sure that there was nothing they could actually do, being that the statue of limitations ran out about 17 years ago and there was no criminal charges filed for the $54 check..
May 13, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Thank you for posting this warning. I have been receiving calls for weeks from this company, stating that there is a pending wage garnishment for a returned item. Press 1 to speak to an agent. Of course, pressing 1 just meant a continuously ringing phone, and the voice mail is full. Since I’ve been scammed in the past by waiting on a line that was spoofed to the Cayman Islands (resulting in a $85 long distance call on my cell phone!), I no longer respond to these types of calls. AND, I knew I didn’t have any returned items on my account. So, when I received ANOTHER call a few moments ago, I called *that* number (559-634-9104) and reached ‘Vanessa’. She told me it was for a returned check from 1996! Really?? Almost 20 years ago!!! I explained that I had no reason to believe that I owed the merchant (Canned Food Outlet) anything. They referred me to a website (www.datacheckofamerica.com), where I was able to view a check I had legitimately written on 8-20-96. Thankfully, I printed it out immediately, because now it’s been deleted. Hmmmmm. Just as in the response above, there is no indication on the check that it was returned NSF. In fact, the back of the check shows it was processed on Aug. 22, 1996. This was a joint account I had at the time with my ex-husband, and the bank is no longer in existence (it has merged with Citibank). In addition, there is no longer a ‘Canned Food Outlet’ in town, so I cannot check with them. I explained to ‘Vanessa’ that I would be contacting the bank to verify that this is, indeed, an unpaid item, but no matter what, I was certainly NOT going to pay $254.28 to redeem a check that was for $83.19! At which point, she quickly told me she had authorization to reduce the amount. I told her I would be contacting her after I’d done some investigation, which may explain the quick deletion of the check copy. She gave me this number to call her – (866)218-3402. It is very disconcerting that this company has a copy of my actual check. Thankfully, they screwed up and called someone who worked in banking for 25 years (I actually worked at the bank where this check was drawn), and I know enough to look for the Non Sufficient Funds stamp on the front, and the Processed date on the reverse. No, I won’t be intimidated by this scam and will be reporting it to the FTC as referenced above. Thank you for sharing your story.
May 19, 2016 at 4:38 am
I got the same call..They texted me a copy of my check from 1997 that had a NSF stamp on the front.. They did not show me a copy of the back of the check..This check had my had my SSN written on the memo part and my DL number on it.. They gave a number to call back as 866-218-3402 ext.1029…A Nancy Lewis.. What do I do to report it..I need an alert on my account..They said if I do not pay it then they are going to put a hold on all my credit/debit cards so that I am unable to make any transaction to any of their merchants.. Untill this was taken care of..
May 12, 2016 at 5:43 pm
I got a call for these guys as well and now they will not stop calling. They claimed I had a bounced check from 1995 (21 years ago!) and the bank has no record of this. Not to mention, the check is to Young’s Supermarket in Visalia, which the company shut down in 2010. I intend to see if I can get as much information from them as I can to lodge formal complaints, but it may be a long shot. These people pray on people using scare tactics to coerce them into paying money they do not owe and it is a disgusting business model.
May 10, 2016 at 4:21 pm
I just got off of the phone with these people and yes, they actually have a copy of a check I wrote in 1998. They are requesting money on both the website and by phone. They have called my phone many times over the past several months. The check they have on file did not ever bounce and the bank I used back in 1998 is no longer in business. Where these people came up with these copies of checks is scary. I just demanded that they stop calling my number immediately.
May 26, 2016 at 9:12 pm
Oh My I have been getting the same phone calls and almost sent them money over their so called web page…. I did not fell comfortable about doing it and told them it was rejecting my payment. I immediately hung up and they stopped calling for a few days but now they are calling from a different number. I looked up the check they said bounced on the web page they gave me to apply my payment and sure enough they had a check with the letters NSF stamped on the front but on back it states they deposited the check (the person i wrote the check to ) 7 days later. I found it funny that after 18 years they want to come find me to have me pay a bounced check…. I have been getting the new string of phone calls from 661-678-809-2785 which is a cell phone and it says the mail box is full and can not except anymore messages… I hope someone can find these people.
April 20, 2016 at 6:08 pm
So glad I found this posting they tried telling my wife the exact same thing that was mentioned in the posting when I called they were very rude and refused to give me any information in fact I was hung up on several times by so called supervisors the call showed it originated in Georgia and the lady was mia or mya banks supposedly in the litigation dept when I asked them why the bank doesn’t show any record of a bounced check they said because they bought the debt from the bank which is bull we will definitely be reporting this to the ftc.
April 13, 2016 at 12:09 am
yea they wont stop calling me so I reported them to donotcall.gov
aliases of the company for 800 notes
Datacheckofamerica.com
totalcheckrecoveryllc.com
datacheckofnv.com
aargon.com
There address from 800 notes
DATA CHECK OF NEVADA LLC
3455 S Durango Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89117 (lady didn’t give suite number)
8668 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89117 (didn’t give suite number)
Owners
DUANE CHRISTY
ERICA KIRBY
BILLY KIRBY III
Erica Goodley (might be erica kirby cause registration email is [email protected])
Fake address given on Whois data
8465 W. SAHARA AVE. STE. 111-201
April 7, 2016 at 2:37 am
Greetings,
I am beginning to suspect that these criminals may have gone dumpster diving at a check clearing house.
After multiple voice mail messages threatening wage garnishments (from an assortment of numbers) I finally decided to call them and see what it was about. Amazingly they were even able to provide me with a copy of the check they were calling about throught their website. Here is what I found:
– The check was over 14 years old and had no indications of having been returned as NSF. It looked like a check that had been normally processed.
– I called the original Payee (Visalia Times Delta – to whom I still subscribe). They had no record of a returned check and my account is current.
– They were asking for 6 times the original check amount – had this been a legitimate debt and they had properly notified me within the mandated time frames the maximum allowed by california statue is 3 times.
Of course explaining anything to their operators is pointless.
I figure between the voice mail messages falsely claiming an intent to garnish wages and the excessive fees, not to mention the fact that this is not a valid returned check to begin with I alone have evidence of at least $5,000.00 in fdca violations.
Of course it is most likely a waste of time trying to persue these guys. I’m fairly certain the moment they have an actual legal obligation they themselves will refuse to pay.
May 31, 2016 at 11:12 pm
Yep- same story for me as detailed above. They said my check was written 18 years ago and I owed 250 and also would settle the case. They don’t have a mail in system- it’s only used for “corospondence”- that I’m sure they never respond to it. I told him that in the Florida the statueof limitations are 3 years. He told me it was a moral thing so I responded with the name of my X that managed the account. What a bunch of scum bags. He was told to “F” off as I hung up the phone and blocked the number. I will report this agency to the OIG and others.