KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville woman is resting easier after she avoided a call from scammers claiming to be debt collectors.
Lisa is a lifelong Knoxville area resident and she lives not too far from her parents. She pays her bills, has a car loan, but otherwise no other outstanding debt. Then last week, she gets a call from a guy claiming he was from a collection agency.
“He told me that I owed Freedom Communications $493. I was scared. I didn’t know. It was weird that they had real true information,” said Lisa, who chose not to share her last name. “They knew my name and my social security number.”
She said the caller also knew her mother’s phone number, her dad’s number, and even the bank she uses. Having all that correct information, Lisa believed the caller was legitimate. But a debt incurred in 2013 from a business she can’t remember? That didn’t seem right.
“I told him that I did not own anything. I did not know who this was, had never heard of it. He said, well you do owe it and you will have to pay it. And, if we don’t get back the money tonight, then tomorrow you are going to go to court. You’ll have to pay lawyer’s fees and it’s going to go up to $3,000,” said Lisa.
At that point Lisa said she was really worried, there was no way she could pay $3,000, let…
