Astra Business Services - Collection agency

All I know for sure is the phone number 866-823-1670. A web search says it is Astra Business Services, a collection agency in Florida and India.

They have called my home repeatedly over the back several weeks. As early as 7:00 a.m. and last 9:30 a.m. Weekend, weekdays, even over the labor day holiday. I only answered one of the early ones. The caller refused to state the purpose of the call unless I confirmed who they had reached. Return phone calls where hung up on. On several other calls I did answer and told them to place me on a do not call list.

At no time have they stated they were a collection agency. (by the way, I have not received an over due message in 10+ years. My credit ratings as of last year were perfect.)

I have received no mailings from them of any kind.

My refusal to put the call through to the party they were calling without information on the purpose of the call has resulted in additional calls all hours of the day. My requests to stop the calls have resulted in additional calls.

At best these people are unethical.

At worst they are criminal, if what they are doing is not criminal, it should be.

Herbert E. Smith

Comment On This

1. an agency cannot reveal the existence of a debt to a third party, so they must (under FDCPA) confirm the identity of the party they are trying to reach.

2. Dialers are programmed not to call any party in their time zone prior to 8am and after 9pm in their time zone. There are no exceptions, as far as I know and I have managed all the major dialers in the industry.

3. Inbound (Return calls) are the life blood of any agency, since it usually results in a payment, I doubt you were hung up on.

4. Do Not Call lists apply to telemarketing companies that have joined the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) only, they do not apply to collection agencies.

5. After a web search, Astra has call centers in India, offices in Boston, San Francisco and Dallas.

6. They are ISO 27001 certified, which means they take their debtor's privacy very seriously indeed.

Comment On This

I am TERRIFIED to respond to the barrage of fraudulent mail from numerous arms of CACV concerning a FLEET credit card that was paid off in full in 2003.

This is the SECOND time they have attempted to get hte SAME

FRAUDULENT FAKE BILL.

I am receiving mail from numerous attorneys and credit agencies - and the amounts are all diffferent!!! I am PETRIFIED to respond because of the possible onslaught of telephone calls.

There are many complaints posted on the web, these sights were helpfull: