NY Attorney General Shuts Down Abusive Debt Collection Operation, Puts Owner's Rap Career On Hold
The New York Attorney General shut down a network of debt collection agencies today that were run by convicted felon Tobias Boyland, who along with his colleagues impersonated police officers, threatened debtors with arrest, and told them they were being sued in civil court. Boyland is also an author and a musician, and he has an awesome website, bagsofmoney.us, which—warning—launches into a street-friendly rap song as soon as it loads.
But back to his collection agency side business. According to the Associated Press,
During one call recorded by a debtor, a man who vaguely identified himself as an investigator from "the warrant division" said one victim was about to be "picked up."
"Make sure you have somewhere for your kids to go. Lock up your house. Get some clean clothes, because you're not coming home anytime soon," the caller said.
In reality, authorities said, the business was run not by lawmen, but convicted felons. Its owner was former drug dealer who goes by the nickname "Bags of Money" and served 13 years for attempted robbery.
According to the Buffalo newspaper Business First, Boyland's debt collection agencies included:
Central Resource Management, Final Claims Asset Locators, Final Control Asset Locators, Interchange Payment Solutions, Next Step Services, Portfolio Asset Assurance, Silverbay Services, and Teleport.
"NY shuts down debt collection company run by felon" [Associated Press]
"AG shuts door on collection operation" [Business First of Buffalo]
RELATED
WhoCallsMe thread on Boyland [whocallsme.com]
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Comments:
"Tobias Boyland" ?
Tobias Fünke will be crushed that the name is taken.
If you owe money , remember this ,if nothing else :
1) You cannot be put in jail. No matter what the collectors may say. Never. Debtors prison is so 1700.
2) No judge will issue a criminal warrant for a debt. It is a civil matter. Period. It is between you and the creditor.
3) Sheriffs deputies will serve civil warrants in most districts ,BUT THEY ARE NOT THERE TO ARREST YOU. GIVE THEM NO TROUBLE. They are just doing their job. You can't argue your case then and there. Just sign and they will be on their way.
4) Off duty , retired former or furloughed police officers cannot force you to pay a debt under color of law.They are criminal law enforcement. To do so is probably against the law in that locality and almost certainly against department policy. Stay calm , get their badge number and request an internal affairs investigation.
5) Threatening criminal action to enforce a cvil matter is extortion. It is illegal. Get names. Take notes. Record calls and conversations.
6) Familiarize yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
He'll never be another L.L. Blue Jay now.
"Its owner was former drug dealer who goes by the nickname "Bags of Money" and served 13 years for attempted robbery."
So... apparently he stayed in the same general career field. Kind of a lateral move though.
Yet one more tool for the collective toolbox. Why oh why can't people like that just catch on fire.
One thing the articles didn't answer - who placed the debts for collection with Mr. Thug's companies? Or was it just him trying to extort money from non-debtors?
I thought Tobias was in the 100% Natural Good Time Family Band Solution?
How the f*** can convicted felons be running a company that routinely deals with a lot of sensitive, private, personal data????
Jesus mfing God!
In Baltimore, street-friendly rap includes swearing.
Good 'ol Buffalo... We sure get all the winners around here.
I wonder if Tobias in a Analrapist?
That site, though, is pure freakin' gold. Holy crap. People like this actually exist in real life. They walk around and live. Hard to believe, Harry.
Good advice, but make sure you know what the laws are regarding recording "conversations" in your state/county/municipality.
Just went to his website. On the front page: "Born in Memphis, Tennesee, a "tru" bastard, being the offspring of a violent rape. At four years old, he found himself in the streets of Buffalo, New York with his teenage mom in search of other family." ... "From the hood like u, comes up like u, survives like u, thinks like u"
A "come up" means to rob someone. "From the hood like you... THINKS like you"??? Didn't this throw up any red flags with the businesses he was dealing with?
@dragonfire81: This all could've been avoided if someone had just smiled and gave Tobias Boyland a Vegemite sandwich.
@Trick: In Mr. Money's defense he became an analrapist during his imprisonment.
What I wonder is how the rap and debt collection communities will survive without his numerous contributions to their fields.
@varro:
They were legitimate debts at some point at least & you ask a most important question with regard to who placed the debts with them. I am of the opinion that with things such as this that the original party/lender should be held fully accountable for what occurs downstream if they sell or hand off the debt. For example, here in WV, we have tried to stop coal compay giants from avoiding workers' compensation premiums with the use of shell companies & subs that quickly disappear & go bankrupt: make the giants liable & the premiums get paid. The concept is also similar to liens subcontractors & suppliers can place on your home if the contractor fails to pay them, regardless of you paying the contractor. It creates an amazing degree of oversite & due diligence by the first party to ensure compliance.
@Rugbydan:
That ste is a hoot! He must be some really insecure bitch boy with all that bravado shit. What a semi-functioning mess he is.
@wvFrugan: Excellent point. I believe you are who you hire. If you hire thugs, you are a thug company, no matter how legitimate the debt was. Do laws allow the company contacting this collector to be held liable? They should.
I mean contemporaneous notes as to when/where/who so that you have something to reconstruct what was said/done.
Further , that song is now stuck in my head ,also. Thanks ,guys.
They did a special on this, I don't remember what channel it was on, but they followed debt collection calls that were considered harassment. They managed to get cameras into his office at one point. The guy they claimed was their lawyer was really the runner who went to the local grocery store to pick up the checks from Western Union when the terrified people wired money to them.
It was crazy, even with the cameras there, this woman sitting at a computer continued with a phone call where she was telling someone that she was a police officer who was about to arrest them in their home.
Quite a few of these people who were receiving the calls didn't have real debt, it was something that had been paid off years ago.
How they get away with this: The company's you originally owe money to have the right to sell that debt to any collector that they choose. This includes the sale of any personal information that goes along with it. Because of the debt the collection agency now owns your information because they have paid the original company a certian percentage of the money you owed.
It's absolute crap because you obviously don't have to have a good background to become a collector.
@Snarkysnake: "5) Threatening criminal action to enforce a cvil matter is extortion. It is illegal. Get names. Take notes. Record calls and conversations."
Someone needs to tell this to the MPAA and RIAA (just look at the notices at start of films)
@Andrew Norton: I think that's different. Stealing music/movies (or infringing on copyright) isn't the same as being in debt.
@starzshine: Chris Hanson did the special on Dateline.
Where would we be without Chris's nonchalant mannerisms?
Tobias. Sounds like I heard that name somewhere. Maybe from the Boondocks. Anyways Tobias please don't pick up soap but I'm sure you already know this since you are a convicted felon. One wonders how in heavens name did this guy even get a license to run this business dealing with sensitive information with his record. I'm sure it want be long before they are sticking on charges for identity theft and fraud.
I totally wish I were like this guy.
"Born in Memphis, Tennesee, a "tru" bastard, being the offspring of a violent rape. At four years old, he found himself in the streets of Buffalo, New York with his teenage mom in search of other family."
Ugh, and on top of all that, the first few lines are jacked from Eminem's "I'm Back".
So he's a douchebag AND a biter.
@xredgambit:
I LOVE that song!
It's better than the commercial that was stuck in there all morning anyway. I won't mention which one it was because you'll all kill me.
@Rugbydan:
So no matter HOW over the top any character I write is, there's someone out there that is more so.
I love it.
Another scummy collection agency is Palisades Collection out of New Jersey. They work the AT&T collection route and will put collections on your credit report without ever contacting you.
@wvFrugan: No duh, we need someone like him in Illinois.
Dateline did a whole episode on this guy and his business, and Chris Hansen confronted him. It was pretty disturbing the lengths him and his agents were going to get money out of people.
Posing as cops and attorneys, and threatening with arrest and violence. I used to have a debt collector call me, and he was a total scumbag. BEFORE all the self riteous crap comes my way, it was for a Gap card my girlfriend had. Not mine, so keep your comments to yourself.
You know, the part that bothers me most about his bio is that the subject is missing from the first sentence (Tobias), and thus, it's a sentence fragment.
Yeah, THAT'S what bothers me.
Jail life has got to really suck for someone named Boyland.
you guys have really got to read the credit report pdf...link on top of page...PURE GOLD
God, I love Cuomo.