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SCAM Alert!

Local residents are receiving letters from a collection company demanding money for items they never purchased. Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal says residents are receiving letters from the Umbrella Recovery Team demanding payment for magazines in the amount of fourteen dollars and ninety-five cents. The Sheriff says the letter threatens several action that will be taken unless payment is received. Royal says its a scam.
Click here to listen to Sheriff Keith Royal

Sheriff Royal tried each of the telephone numbers on the letter and only received voice mail.  The letter even makes a threat to add a additional fee of over a hundred and fifty dollars to the amount owed. Anyone who may already have been the victim of this scam is urged to contact law enforcement.

15 Comments

August 13, 2013

Laura

Our family was also contacted by Umbrella Recovery Team on 8/9/13. I found this article while looking up scam information about the company. We ourselves are pretty level-headed, but the wording on the letter did have us panicked, since they had so much of our personal data. We have sent them a cease and desist letter. Thanks for posting this.

September 8, 2013

Darlene

Thanks for posting this. I also saw an article about this in NJ. I received a letter from Umbrella Recovery Team about what they say was a magazine subscription from 10 years ago. I have never received any magazines in years. I have also sent the co a cease and desist letter. The letter they sent me was addressed to "resident" at my address.

September 24, 2013

Peggy

I also received a very threatening letter from Umbrella Recovery for Magazines I did not order two years ago. They threatened to turn it in as income to the IRS. I am going to turn this over to my son-in-law who is a tax attorney.

October 13, 2013

Ryan

What do you mean by Scam? I feel the federal government are scammers but I still pay my taxes...

February 2, 2014

Justin

Umbrella Recovery just called me on Jan 31, 2014. Stating that they are a collection agency and that I owe money to Family Reader's Club/Preferred Customer's Corporation. He also said that if I do not pay that they will damage my credit.

February 8, 2014

Lauren coffman

I also got a letter with sand threats sent to my previous address from 4 years ago with my name spelled I correcting claiming I owed $1000 + for magicians I never paid. Best thing got everyone to do is report them on the CFPB website

March 3, 2014

Alyssa

Umbrella recovery called me on January 29th 2014 stating I owed $1,100.00 for magazines I did not order. The company I owed the debt to was Family Reader's Club/Preferred Customer's Corporations. They did also say it would effect my credit if I did not pay. After paying $200 to them I spoke with my attorney who said it was a scam.

April 3, 2014

Dianne

I also have received a letter from Umbrella recovery
stating I owe money for magazines I did not order from them. If they are a scam, why can't something be done about this instead of scaring people?

May 10, 2014

Merilee

I too received a letter from Umbrella Recovery Team stating I owed $1,148.85 but they would accept a one-time settlement of $599.95 if paid in 30-days. I never ordered anything from Readers Club in 2010. However they did have some of my personal information, which upsets me very much.

May 28, 2014

Brenda

I also received a letter stating that I owe $1,148.95 for magazines ordered. If paid in 30 days it would only be $599.95. I don't order magazines because I don't read them. I read books. I live in NC so they are expanding their business.

June 30, 2014

Barb Adelmeyer

I received a letter from Umbrella Recovery Team stating I owe 1,148.85. They would settle for a one time payment of $599.95. They also have my bank card number. The guy I talked to on the phone was a real jerk. How can I get my credit cleared.

July 6, 2014

Jan

I received a letter from Umbrella recovery team, stating I owed the same amount as the last 3 people who wrote letter. I was told that collect letters should come as a register letter and have an invoice number. This letter don't have either.

August 8, 2014

Beckie

I also received this later today claiming I owe the exact same amounts as recently posted to the Readers Club. I'm located in Alberta, Canada.

December 21, 2015

Linda Cole

I have received 6 phone calls stating I owe at first over
$600.00 dollars for magazines. Now " Mr Harper " wants a certified check for $ 400.00. Mailed by tomorrow to Preferred Customer Corporation at 35 A Smithfield Blvd Unit 150 Platsburg Ny 12901. Phone 1-800-997-2101. I owe
Nothing for any magazine sub. This is a rip off

December 21, 2015

Linda Cole

Preferred Customer Copperation is calling claiming that people owe money for magazines they don't receive.

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