Jbc Legal Group refused to provide proof of debt Bloomfield New Jersey
I was contacted by this company on presidents day feb 16, 2004 stating that i owed for a bad check written to a now bankrupt ames dept store that was from 2001. when i had asked the lady to mail me proof of debt she said that she couldnt because they mailed me something in january to and address i didnt live at the time. i asked her many times that i needed proof of this documentation and then got really rude and then threatened to see me in court and then hung up. i took this matter to the bank and they didnt have anything on file at that time of the check. then on wednesday feb 18, 2004 she called back again trying to get me to pay this check. i told her that i wasnt trying to get out of paying it if however it was my error could she please send something by mail. again she refused stating again that they mailed domething in january. when i told her again that my address was different she stated that she could not believe that my relatives dont give me my mail. well at that point i figured i wasnt getting any where so i got there phone number and information before she hung up again she threatened to see me in court. now for anyone with problems with this company i suggest doing what i did. i contacted the ftc (1877-382-4357) and told them what happened . He also referred me to there website (ftc.gov) where i found that within five days of contact they must provide written proof of debt. he also told me to contact my state attorney general regarding this issue. when i recieved all that information i politly called the company back and got that same lady. i told her that i had contacted the ftc and by law she has to sent me out written proof, she then of coarse didnt refuse to mail anything and didnt threaten me again. near the end of the phone conversation i also told her i would be contacting my state attorney general about how i had been treated. never once when she contacted me for the first time did i refuse that i owed this, all i wanted was proof because it was the first time i was hearing about it in three years. i also found out that i could sue and i just may because these collectors have to realize that just because we may owe a debt we still do have rights.
Robert
albion, New York
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Memphis,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Extortion Is A Felony
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, March 07, 2004
Robert, what the JBC employee did to you was EXTORTION, plain and simple. You were threatened with court action in order to coerce your payment. Since she used the telephone and the call went across state lines it became a federal violation. Just file a criminal complaint with your local police department. Don't be embarrassed to, you'll be helping yourself and many others. They will investigate and pass it up to the feds if necessary. Granted, it will probably boil down to your word against theirs but the feds will be suspicious that JBC doesn't tape all their calls. The feds may decide to do it for them. If enough people file criminal complaints I believe they will.
Providing a photocopy of the original 'bad' check should not be an issue for JBC. That's assuming they even HAVE it. Their repeated reluctance indicates they do not. What could they ever present in court???
Robert
albion,New York,
U.S.A.
jbc group, read the federal trade commissins info a little more before filing a rebuttle
#4Author of original report
Sat, March 06, 2004
i think the jbc legal group needs to read the federal trade commissins info a little more before filing a rebuttle. it states that within fives days of there initial contact they have to provide proof and im soory but yes one of your employees did act that way with me both times she contacted me. and what i ment about not denying the issue with the check is first i want to see proof then i will decide whether or not that check was mine to begin with. im not going to say its mine or not if i dont have a paper in my hand so i can either dispute the issue or settle with payment. and another fact since she contacted me feb 16 i still have not recieved anything about this matter and it is now march 6th. its well past the five days and i was even nice to allow a few weeks for mail delivery. is it such a problem that this company cant even send out a peice of paper so i can see if this debt is mine . if it is i will gladly pay it. but they have to take the initiative to firnish the proof. they lady i spoke with on the phone twice that refused mailing this documentation her name is eyvonne. she should be talked to about her performance as a representative of your company because she already 1 refused to send the info and 2 threatened to see me in court.
Joel
Bloomfield,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Ames Dept Store is bankrupt
#4UPDATE Employee
Fri, March 05, 2004
To begin, the facts that Ames Dept Store is bankrupt, and that you were contacted on Presidents Day, are irrelevant.
Your interpretation of the "five day rule" refers to being required to write to the consumer IF you called before writing initially(which we do not).
The alleged treatment you received is not policy here, and any individual behaving in the manner you describe would be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination.
I must note that you do not deny having shopped at Ames, nor paying for merchandise there by check.