On January 30, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) announced it issued enforcement actions and levied fines against five separate entities. Though the DFPI referred to each of these entities as "debt collectors," it is unclear whether these businesses are actual debt collectors or fraudsters posing as debt collectors.

The entities fined by the DFPI for violations of California's Debt Collection Licensing Act and the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) include:

• Amherst and Associates. The Order Assessing Penalties attached to the press release states, "Amherst and Associates was a business entity of unknown type with an unknown principal place of business and several different telephone numbers, including 1877-792-1946."

• Clayton Banner and Associates. The Order Assessing Penalties attached to the press release states, "Clayton Banner and Associates (CBA) is a business entity of unknown form with a telephone number of (941) 444-8855 and an unknown principal place of business."
  
  
• SARS Solutions. The Order Assessing Penalties attached to the press release states, "SARS Solutions (SARS) is a business entity of unknown form with a telephone number of (866) 575-2402 and an unknown principal place of business."
  
  
• Marvin, McCall and Associates. The Order Assessing Penalties attached to the press release states, "business entity of unknown form, with a purported mailing address at 3281 E. Guasti Road, Suite 700,...

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