Have you received a call or aggressive voice mail message from CSIR? You’re not alone. It seems that this company has recently acquired a backlog of old debt and has decided to leave the most threatening-sound message possible. Read on for more details.
We prefer to the purchase of non-bankrupt, consumer accounts as our traditional debt business. Once accounts are purchased, we sort them and attempt collection using a variety of techniques. We optimize our collections by primarily relying on our own call centers.
Later on the same page, we read: Litigation is typically used if we find a customer who is able, but unwilling to pay.
They have been calling from a couple of different phone numbers, primarily 888-929-1339, and also 888-929-1343. Below are a couple of variations of the messages we’ve heard from CSIR.
Yes this is James Cash with CSIR. We need to speak with you. There is a person of interest who lives at this address. Our direct number is 888-929-1339. We need to hear from you immediately. This is a time-sensitive matter. Thank you.
While that message is rather benign, the message below is left with a very threatening and aggressive tone, and has upset many people.
This is Brian Slater with CSIR. We need to speak with you NOW. There is a person of interest who lives at your address. Our direct number is 888-929-1339. That’s 888-929-1339. We need to hear from you immediately. This is a time-sensitive matter.
Yes, he literally raises his voice with a threatening “NOW.” Notice the term “person of interest” which makes you sound as if you are wanted by the police. And how “time-sensitive” can a years-old debt really be? It’s probably time sensitive to them, but not to you, as they only have 7 years from the time of the original delinquency to legally come after you. In most cases, after 7 years they cannot pursue a bad debt in the courts, but they can call and write to you about it as long as they want. If you made payments on this old debt, it is possible they will have 7 years from the time of your last payment. Just because they purchased the debt recently does not mean they have 7 years to collect. The 7 years is from the date of the original delinquency.
6/26/2012 Update: A new version of their voice mail has been reported. This one is coming from 888-314-7098:
This is Charles Godan(?) with CSIR. I need to speak with you immediately. If I do not hear from you today there is nothing I can do to help you with this situation. My direct number is 888-314-7098. I need to hear from you immediately. This is a time-sensitive matter.
The last name is unintelligible, and it sounds like the same voice as Brian Slater above. Notice how the urgent scare tactics continue as he says there is “nothing he can do to help” if you don’t call him back today. It’s an old debt, so it’s only time-sensitive to CSIR.
CSIR is located at 17011 Beach Blvd., Suite 900, Huntington Beach CA 92647. Although they ask you to call back at 888-929-1339, their office number is 855-518-4504. Their email is [email protected]. The CSIR website was only created in December 2011, which leads one to wonder how recently this collection agency began doing business. If you’re wondering where the 855 area code is located, it is actually a toll-free number like 800, 888, and 866.
7/31/2012 Update
A new phone number and message have been reported. CSIR is now also calling from 888-314-7131, and will leave the following message:
Uh yes this is James Cash with CSIR. I need to speak with you immediately. There is a person of interest who lives at your address. My direct number is 888-314-7131. I need to hear from you immediately. Thank you.
So if you get a call from 8883147131, it’s just a debt collector trying to sound scary and official. They’re not.
8/9/2012 Update
Here’s a voice mail from CSIR that someone reported today. The first couple of words were cut off..
…press 1 now. If you think you’ve been called in error, press 2 now. Our direct number is 888-314-7131. You got that? 888-314-7131. I need to hear from you immediately. Good day.
He actually says, “You got that?” in a condescending voice.
April 29, 2013 Update
We received another voice mail update from a reader today. Oddly, this was the same voice we’ve always heard from CSIR, but it appears to have been manipulated to sound deeper, perhaps in a pathetic attempt to sound more intimidating. As usual, the name is slurred and unintelligible. They called from 202-599-8456, but left a different number to call back.
Hello this is Roger (or Brad?) Hampton(?). There is an important tax matter that I need to discuss with you immediately. Call me at 657-999-6075. It is in your best interest to contact me.
There is no tax matter here. It is simply a desperate bill collector lying about who he really is.
What to do?
Some people choose to ignore debt collectors, while others prefer to try and clear things up. That’s up to you. Chances are this is an old debt that someone has already attempted to collect and failed. If you choose to talk to them, tell them that under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) section 809, you request validation of the debt (this should be done in writing), and give them no other information until they comply. If you choose not to talk to them, watch your mail carefully. Should they decide it’s in their best interest to sue you, you may receive a letter to that effect. Should you receive such a letter, you will want to send a certified letter to them requesting validation of the debt, as required by section 809 of the FDCPA. Below is a link to a much more in-depth article about how to deal with debt collectors.
A good option is to invoke section 805 of the FDCPA, notifying the collector that they are to cease all communications regarding this debt, outside of any legal notifications, such as a lawsuit.
Further Reading
Article updated April 29, 2013
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