Suspected phony debt collectors operating out of India

Employees at business process outsourcing company Aegis Communications are the most recent victims of an ongoing operation that attempts to collect debt from innocent people, WVNS-TV reports. The fake debt collectors have contacted certain employees - including human resources manager Linda Lemley - about debt that wasn't actually owed. "The gentleman on the other line informed me that our employee had done some fraudulent behavior and that I (needed to) get her on the phone, and get her on the phone right away," Lemley told the news source. She was told that she'd be "dragged through the courthouse doors" if she failed to comply with the scammer's request. State Assistant Attorney General Normal Googel notes that this scam has been used by multiple names over the years, and operates out of a call center in India. Complaints about debt collection agencies have risen nationwide in recent years. The Federal Trade Commission reports a 17 percent increase in grievances from 2009 to 2010, according to insideARM. However, new entities such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have been enacted to enforce stricter regulations and emphasize the need for honest policies.