There are many legitimate reasons to hide or mask your Caller ID information but there are an increasing number of people who abuse this ability, not just for prank calls or telemarketing, but to phone in bomb threats or make other menacing calls — particularly to schools and religious centers. In an effort to make it easier for law enforcement respond to these threats, the Federal Communications Commission has approved a proposal that will allow phone companies to share certain Caller ID information with the police. [More]
threats
Debt Collector Allegedly Threatened Lawsuits, Arrests Against People Who Didn’t Owe Anything
By 7.17.17
Once again, federal regulators are cracking down on companies running “phantom” debt collection schemes that go after individuals for money they did not actually owe. This time, the Federal Trade Commission shut down an operation that collected more than $690,000 in fake debts by threatening consumers with lawsuits or arrests. [More]
1-In-4 Consumers Contacted By Debt Collectors Feel Threatened
By 1.12.17
More than 70 million Americans are contacted by a debt collector or creditor each year. While those debt collectors have a job — to get borrowers to repay on their overdue debts — some have used illegal tactics, such as threatening lawsuits, arrests, or contacting consumers’ employers or family members. Now, a new report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finds that harassment by these collectors is all too common. [More]
Medical Debt Collection Firms Must Refund $577K For Threatening Consumers
By 1.9.17 — Updated: 1.10.17
In this latest episode of Debt Collectors Behaving Badly, we bring you the tale of two medical debt collection law firms who must now refund hundreds of thousands of dollars after they were caught falsely claiming that attorneys were involved in collection actions. [More]
Navy Federal Credit Union Ordered To Pay $28.5M Over Bad Debt Collection Practices
By 10.11.16
Navy Federal Credit Union offers customers — current and former military servicemembers and their families — a wide range of financial products and services, including loans that must be repaid. But when those customers fell behind on those payments, federal regulators allege that NFCU illegally threatened borrowers and restricted access to their accounts. To resolve these allegations, the company must now pay $28.5 million in refunds and penalties. [More]
Man Charged With Operating Debt Collection Scheme That Targeted, Defrauded Spanish-Speaking Consumers
By 8.28.15
Deceiving consumers is a trademark for most unscrupulous operations attempting to collect debts that aren’t actually owed. Shady collectors have been known to lie about debts, misrepresent themselves as officers of the law, threaten lawsuits and, in the case of one operator, threaten Spanish-speaking residents with deportation. [More]
Court Sides With Consumer In Suit Against Retailer That Charges $250 When Customers Threaten To Complain
By 8.26.15
Last summer, a consumer in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against online retailer Accessory Outlet over what she called a bogus $250 fine the company imposed, claiming she breached the terms of sale when she threatened to have the charge canceled after the iPhone case she ordered never shipped. Today, a New York court sided with the consumer by granting a default judgement in the case, essentially agreeing that Accessory Outlet’s “terms of sale” and the debt it alleged the woman owed were void. [More]
Senate Advances Bill That Would Require Social Media Sites To Report “Terrorist Activities”
By 7.9.15
If it seems like everyone uses social media, well, that’s because basically everyone does. But it’s not just cake recipes and birthday party meet-ups people plan online; plenty of illegal activity gets talked about in digital space, too. And now members of the Senate want to make sure that when certain kinds of no-no topics pop up, the platform owners let the feds know. [More]
Supreme Court Rules That You Have To Intend A Threat For It To Be A Real Threat
By 6.1.15
Lots of people have ill-will and mountains of unflattering things to say about their exes. Many of those people say those things online. But if your rant happens to be filled with violent language that makes your former partner afraid for their safety, even if you say you had no intention of ever following through, is it still a real threat? [More]
‘Microsoft Tech Support’ Phone Scammer Threatens To Cut Man Into Little Pieces & Throw Them Into River
By 3.4.15
We already know that scammers use a variety of unsavory tactics when trying to take advantage of consumers; from impersonating federal agents to threatening jail time. But an alleged fraudster of the so-called “Microsoft Tech Support” scam took things to a decidedly nastier level when his hustle began to unravel. [More]
Verizon: We Will Sue FCC Again If “Hybrid” Net Neutrality Happens
By 11.5.14
Verizon really does not care for net neutrality rules. They successfully sued to get net neutrality overturned, but it just won’t stay dead enough for them. They’ve tried firmly insisting that everything is fine as is, and yet the FCC keeps actually moving toward enacting some new regulation in the few remaining weeks of the year. So now Verizon is making it very clear: if the FCC tries to make any part of the internet a common carrier, Verizon will drag them through court. Again. [More]
Supreme Court To Decide When Online Rants Cross Line Into Criminal Threats
By 6.16.14
If I go on Facebook and tell someone in Florida that I am going to beat him into a bloody pulp and maybe kidnap his kid for good measure, I’m in violation of federal law. But does it matter whether I actually intend to do any of these things or if I’m just ranting with no intention of getting up from my comfy couch to do anyone any harm? That’s the question the Supreme Court will soon have to decide. [More]
Former TSA Screener Not Fit To Stand Trial For Allegedly Making 9/11-Related Threats
By 5.20.14
A former TSA screener who worked at Los Angeles International Airport won’t stand trial for allegedly sending a series of 9/11-related threats to the airport last fall. [More]
How Does A Negative Amazon Review Result In Threats Of A Lawsuit?
By 5.8.14
UPDATE: While neither Medialink nor its lawyer have responded to our request for comment on this story, the company has posted a lengthy note on its Facebook page in which explains the motives behind the cease-and-desist letter and says that its Amazon seller account has been suspended. [More]
United Flight From NYC To D.C. Grounded After Security Finds Bomb Threat On Twitter
By 4.17.14
Earlier this week a Dutch teenager landed in hot water after sending a threatening tweet to American Airlines. While the teen says she was joking, the airline took the threat seriously, as it should have. After a number of copycat tweets, nearly all airlines have been keeping a close eye on social media. That vigilance resulted in a temporarily grounded United Airlines flight Wednesday evening. [More]
Teenagers Decide New Cool Thing To Do Is Make Copycat Airline Bomb Threats On Twitter
By 4.15.14
I don’t envy teenagers — it’s just so hard to keep up with the coolest trends. Like are we still saying “for shizzle?” Are high fives acceptable? But if all your friends started tweeted fake bomb threats to American Airlines just because one Dutch girl did, would you throw yourself off that cliff, too? [More]
Yes, Tweeting “Jokes” To An Airline About “Doing Something Big” Can Get You Arrested
By 4.14.14
Although sometimes it can feel like engaging in social media is akin to shouting into a bottomless pit and no one is really listening, you better be sure that if you claim to be part of a terrorist group planning “something” big and tweet that to a major airline, well, someone’s going to hear you. And maybe put you in jail. [More]
Teen Arrested For Sending Out School Threat Via Xbox Live
By 2.11.11
Authorities arrested a Maryland teenager who is charged with making threats of a mass shooting at a high school. He’s accused of impersonating another student while sending a threatening message to more than 100 people via Xbox Live. [More]
