Nov 11, 2016
This is just an attempt to scare money out of you.
If you are in possession of an item that you rented, you ought to take a look at the rental agreement. That should spell out what the remedies are in this kind of situation. I'd simply contact the owner of the item and see if it can be returned. As I say, it depends on the rental agreement.
In some places the owner has the option of making a police complaint. But in most cases they simply turn the matter over to a debt collection agency.
However, no debt collector has anything to do with the criminal justice system. No debt collector can get a warrant issued, period. Onlly judges can issue arrest warrants and they are only issued to duly constituted officers of the law and are only used in criminal cases.
As a general rule, being in ordinary civil debt is NOT a crime and you cannot be arrested for it.
Debt collectors who threaten criminal prosecution over a civil debt are scammers and in violation of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
In any event, see if you can simply return the item.
As to the person calling you and making threats of arrest:
Report them:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0149-debt-collection (Threatening civil proceedings with no intent to follow through, or threatening criminal process in order to collect a civil debt is a violation of the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.) The same goes for endless telephone harassment
Also contact your local attorney general
Otherwise, simply block and ignore the call.