06/03/2026
Hey, friends.Just so you know, I had a real life scam/extortion thing here in Winfield, try to get me to pay them money posing as a debt collection agency.
Just posting this, so people can be aware and be careful.
A company called me saying they were a collection agency totally sounded legit, even saying that "this call is being recorded in an attempt to collect a debt." Anyway, I recognized who they said the bill was from, but I had thought that I had paid it... so I was questioning the charge they even told me the date of service and I totally thought they were legit!
I asked them why I was just now hearing about a past due bill.
I had a bad feeling about it, so I told them I would contact the provider myself to discuss it.And the guy said, "well, they're just going to refer you right back to us because now we are the collection agency." They wanted to verify my address, and I told them that I had moved which was true. And they said, oh, that's why you didn't get the bill. "Then, what is your address?"
And I did not want to give them my address. I had a bad feeling. So I said again, I would contact the provider. They kept repeating the same thing over that I was just gonna "have to deal with them, eventually, anyway, to settle the bill". And I said, I would call the provider, they said, "so we will wait to hear back from them by tomorrow. Will you pay the bill by tomorrow?"
And I said, yes. So I got off the phone with them (the collector?) and today I called the provider here in Winfield, and they said I did NOT have a bill...that the last known amount was ???.?? and they gave me the exact amount that the bill collector guy had said! But that it had been paid.And I told them that there was somebody out there representing a collection agency, wanting me to pay them. "They had my information".
I can't remember who the bill collector company was now--- but just so that you know, call your provider if this happens to you--- because there is a company out there posing, and they have your information! in order to extort money from you.
My medical provider said that they would contact that company and tell them to stop it.And I told them that I felt something more drastic needs to happen like prosecution, because this flat out was a sincere attempt to steal money from me, and they had my information which they could only have gotten from my medical provider.
