r/Scams • u/InitialSeries6652 • 46m ago
Is this a scam? First Financial Asset Management (https://payffam.com/guest/lookup?s=SMS)
Hi all,
I have received the following message last week and today from the number ‘96561’:
“We need to speak with you regarding your account. Call the ‘the number that starts with 877’ or click the website link for self-service. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
First Financial Asset Management, Inc. This communication is from a debt collector and is an attempt to collect a debt; any information obtained will be used for that purpose.”
Has anyone received this message before? I don’t owe anyone. Thank you for your time!
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u/Jealous_Raspberry536 31m ago
!debt
Just ignore/block. There are legal requirements for how legitimate debt collectors need to behave and this is not it.
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u/AutoModerator 31m ago
/u/Jealous_Raspberry536 called AutoModerator to explain the Debt collection scam:
Scammers target individuals with existing credit history to collect on "phantom" debts that never existed or were already settled. Because debts are frequently sold and companies change names, not recognizing a collector isn't definitive proof of a scam; however, it is vital to verify the debt with the original creditor before paying. Be extremely cautious before engaging in conversation, as in many jurisdictions, admitting to a debt or making a partial payment can inadvertently restart the statute of limitations on an expired debt. We encourage you to ask debt related questions in in subreddits such as r/debt
Using information obtained from data breaches, these scammers may possess your SSN, address, and contact list to appear legitimate. They often harass your family and employer or send threatening messages claiming you will be sued or arrested—tactics designed to spark a panic response. It is important to remember that legitimate collectors must provide written validation of a debt and cannot have you arrested. If you suspect fraud, notify your contacts to block the numbers and treat the situation as a data breach.
Here's a guide from r/identityTheft that covers the basics of credit freeze, IRS pins, even replacement SSN and police reports. Everyone reading this should freeze their credit through the credit bureaus following this guide and also freeze their debit line with Chex Systems.
You can learn about this scam and many others visiting our wiki of common scams. You can also call AutoModerator to explain these scams leaving a comment with the different !commands listed in this wiki page.
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u/AngelOfLight 6m ago
The short code is registered to First Financial Asset Management. This is very likely a real text from a real debt collector.
However, that doesn't mean you actually owe a debt. It's very common for debt collectors to have wrong or outdated information. If you can't think of any debt that you owe, and nothing shows up on your credit reports, then there is a good chance they simply have the wrong number.
You aren't obligated to respond to a text. A real collector is legally required to also send you documents by mail. I would wait and see if that happens. Most likely, you never will receive anything. But, if you do, make sure you follow the FDCPA procedures for debt verification. Ask in r/debt for advice.
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u/InitialSeries6652 3m ago
Wow thank you so much for sharing all this. Yeah I wasn’t sure how I should feel about getting that from the short code. I’ve had my phone number for years, and nothing shows up on my credit reports.
Thank you again for your time and guidance. I really appreciate your insight
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u/AutoModerator 46m ago
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