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LHR, Inc. - Lewis Hasties Recievables Do Not Deal With This Company Hamburg New York
LHR, Inc. contacted me on June 27,2008 regarding a debt that they had obviously purchased from another company for pennies on the dollar. A gentleman by the name of Jason Sherman called my cell phone for which I've had the same number for the past 5 years. The debt was from a Kay Jewelers Credit Card in which had been charged off back in 2002. Jason stated that I owed a total of $1034.00 after interest had been assessed to my account. He then proceeded to tell me that he would settle this debt for an "offer" of half of the total amount, and that once recieved he would mail a reciept to me and remove it from my credit reports.
So I went to research LHR, Inc. and also review my credit report. I found out 2 things.
#1. The statute of limitations had ran out already on this particular debt (or was about to expire), because the trade was no longer evident on my Credit Bureau.
#2. I discovered that LHR, Inc. is a junk debt collection agency that preys on innocent people who don't know enough about credit and how it works. Basically they buy old debt for next to nothing and try to settle the old accounts for profit.
Here's the Key:
***If you pay even $1 to them, they can ruin your credit. The payment allows them to re-open the trade on the credit bureau as an active debt and allows them to charge up even more debt in their so called "fees".***
They can harass you. They will harass you and call your family members.
If you do not pay them they can report the trade to the credit bureau's, however all you have to do is dispute them as duplicate trades and the CB's will remove them. Most of the time these types of agencies will not pursue this as it isn't profitable for them.
So in my situation, Jason Sherman proceeded to call me back again for the second time in as many hours, after he had called my mothers residence. I answered the phone and simply told him that I had been in touch with some of my attorney friends and that I would only deal with my original creditor and that I knew of the lawsuits and FTC/BBB infractions/complaints that had been filed against his company. I also explained to him that numerous accounts of violations of the FCRA had been conducted by his company. He proceeded to tell me that "all that means is that we can't sue you". I then told him that I knew he had a job to do and that if he needed to make phone calls to me, thats fine. I also told him that I would not be answering them and that there would be no money sent to him. But if it made him feel better to go ahead and call.
***Don't be afraid of these people, they will try to scare you into paying money. If you pay they can ruin your credit.***
Redsoxfan
Jeffersonville, Indiana
U.S.A.
9 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
10 Million Laughs
#10Consumer Suggestion
Tue, January 27, 2009
""This company is a complete joke !!!
The are calling my family and friends telling them that I owe i debt. Completely illegal !!!""
Indeed this is illegal and actionable. It is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (www.ftc.gov) and more importantly for YOU, is it is a violation (and a misdemeanor) of Article 29H of the NY State General Business Law. Each instance of violation is a separate violation and may be prosecuted by the NYS Attorney General OR ANY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
""The CC company long forgot about this and wrote it off in 2001.""
The SOL in NY for such consumer debt is 6 years. The SOL is expired.
""My lawyer tell me that I can sue them for about 10 million dollars.""
LMAO! Yes, you can sue and ask for 10 million-don't expect to WIN that amount or anything close to it. I suggest you consult with a different attorney and file a suit that requests a REASONABLE amount in damages.
Also, you should sue in District Court-DC allows for reasonable attorney fees, as well as actual and statutory damages.
""I am going to file the lawsuit this week. ""
Good for you. If your report is accurate and you can prove the violations you should prevail and be awarded REASONABLE damages (not 10 million.) Please note that in many such cases, the debt collector will offer you an out of court settlement.
""I might never collect from them but I can close them down so they don't harass anyone else.""
No, you will not shut them down. These outfits make too much money for the few provable FDCPA violation cases to have any lasting impact on them, much less such them down. The FDCPA was written in 1978 and allows for up to $1000 in statutory damages (per individual lawsuit.) These debt collectors merely consider this as an additional cost of doing business. For the FDCPA to be a REAL DETERRENT, the statutory damages should be increased to $5000 or more.
Your individual suit is NOT GOING TO SHUT THEM DOWN but you should walk away with some easy extra cash.
Good luck.
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
10 Million Laughs
#10Consumer Suggestion
Tue, January 27, 2009
""This company is a complete joke !!!
The are calling my family and friends telling them that I owe i debt. Completely illegal !!!""
Indeed this is illegal and actionable. It is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (www.ftc.gov) and more importantly for YOU, is it is a violation (and a misdemeanor) of Article 29H of the NY State General Business Law. Each instance of violation is a separate violation and may be prosecuted by the NYS Attorney General OR ANY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
""The CC company long forgot about this and wrote it off in 2001.""
The SOL in NY for such consumer debt is 6 years. The SOL is expired.
""My lawyer tell me that I can sue them for about 10 million dollars.""
LMAO! Yes, you can sue and ask for 10 million-don't expect to WIN that amount or anything close to it. I suggest you consult with a different attorney and file a suit that requests a REASONABLE amount in damages.
Also, you should sue in District Court-DC allows for reasonable attorney fees, as well as actual and statutory damages.
""I am going to file the lawsuit this week. ""
Good for you. If your report is accurate and you can prove the violations you should prevail and be awarded REASONABLE damages (not 10 million.) Please note that in many such cases, the debt collector will offer you an out of court settlement.
""I might never collect from them but I can close them down so they don't harass anyone else.""
No, you will not shut them down. These outfits make too much money for the few provable FDCPA violation cases to have any lasting impact on them, much less such them down. The FDCPA was written in 1978 and allows for up to $1000 in statutory damages (per individual lawsuit.) These debt collectors merely consider this as an additional cost of doing business. For the FDCPA to be a REAL DETERRENT, the statutory damages should be increased to $5000 or more.
Your individual suit is NOT GOING TO SHUT THEM DOWN but you should walk away with some easy extra cash.
Good luck.
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
10 Million Laughs
#10Consumer Suggestion
Tue, January 27, 2009
""This company is a complete joke !!!
The are calling my family and friends telling them that I owe i debt. Completely illegal !!!""
Indeed this is illegal and actionable. It is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (www.ftc.gov) and more importantly for YOU, is it is a violation (and a misdemeanor) of Article 29H of the NY State General Business Law. Each instance of violation is a separate violation and may be prosecuted by the NYS Attorney General OR ANY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
""The CC company long forgot about this and wrote it off in 2001.""
The SOL in NY for such consumer debt is 6 years. The SOL is expired.
""My lawyer tell me that I can sue them for about 10 million dollars.""
LMAO! Yes, you can sue and ask for 10 million-don't expect to WIN that amount or anything close to it. I suggest you consult with a different attorney and file a suit that requests a REASONABLE amount in damages.
Also, you should sue in District Court-DC allows for reasonable attorney fees, as well as actual and statutory damages.
""I am going to file the lawsuit this week. ""
Good for you. If your report is accurate and you can prove the violations you should prevail and be awarded REASONABLE damages (not 10 million.) Please note that in many such cases, the debt collector will offer you an out of court settlement.
""I might never collect from them but I can close them down so they don't harass anyone else.""
No, you will not shut them down. These outfits make too much money for the few provable FDCPA violation cases to have any lasting impact on them, much less such them down. The FDCPA was written in 1978 and allows for up to $1000 in statutory damages (per individual lawsuit.) These debt collectors merely consider this as an additional cost of doing business. For the FDCPA to be a REAL DETERRENT, the statutory damages should be increased to $5000 or more.
Your individual suit is NOT GOING TO SHUT THEM DOWN but you should walk away with some easy extra cash.
Good luck.
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
10 Million Laughs
#10Consumer Suggestion
Tue, January 27, 2009
""This company is a complete joke !!!
The are calling my family and friends telling them that I owe i debt. Completely illegal !!!""
Indeed this is illegal and actionable. It is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (www.ftc.gov) and more importantly for YOU, is it is a violation (and a misdemeanor) of Article 29H of the NY State General Business Law. Each instance of violation is a separate violation and may be prosecuted by the NYS Attorney General OR ANY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
""The CC company long forgot about this and wrote it off in 2001.""
The SOL in NY for such consumer debt is 6 years. The SOL is expired.
""My lawyer tell me that I can sue them for about 10 million dollars.""
LMAO! Yes, you can sue and ask for 10 million-don't expect to WIN that amount or anything close to it. I suggest you consult with a different attorney and file a suit that requests a REASONABLE amount in damages.
Also, you should sue in District Court-DC allows for reasonable attorney fees, as well as actual and statutory damages.
""I am going to file the lawsuit this week. ""
Good for you. If your report is accurate and you can prove the violations you should prevail and be awarded REASONABLE damages (not 10 million.) Please note that in many such cases, the debt collector will offer you an out of court settlement.
""I might never collect from them but I can close them down so they don't harass anyone else.""
No, you will not shut them down. These outfits make too much money for the few provable FDCPA violation cases to have any lasting impact on them, much less such them down. The FDCPA was written in 1978 and allows for up to $1000 in statutory damages (per individual lawsuit.) These debt collectors merely consider this as an additional cost of doing business. For the FDCPA to be a REAL DETERRENT, the statutory damages should be increased to $5000 or more.
Your individual suit is NOT GOING TO SHUT THEM DOWN but you should walk away with some easy extra cash.
Good luck.
Me
Saratoga Springs,New York,
U.S.A.
This company is a complete joke !!!
#10Consumer Comment
Tue, January 27, 2009
The are calling my family and friends telling them that I owe i debt. Completely illegal !!! The SOL is past on my unsecured credit card debt. The CC company long forgot about this and wrote it off in 2001. My lawyer tell me that I can sue them for about 10 million dollars. I am going to file the lawsuit this week. I might never collect from them but I can close them down so they don't harass anyone else.
Inspector
Tobyhanna,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
Ignore them
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, September 17, 2008
You cannot be touched especially if the loan was unsecured. Don't let these employees intimidate you. You can sue them. They are bottomfeeders. The lady that had a car repo'd was obviously delequent on her car payment, this loan is secured. The other guy that had his wages garnished, is not telling you the whole story and probably a deadbeat on all his bills.
People get into financial difficulties and in this economy it is understandably so. Don't be intimadated. I have been in this situation and know many others that have been there also. Stand your gound, give them nothing.
Charles
Jean
Hamburg,New York,
U.S.A.
You think you cant be touched....
#10UPDATE Employee
Tue, September 16, 2008
If you think you cant be touched and the people who work at lhr cant really do anything about the fact that you are refusing to pay your bill, read the post about the woman who just had her car repo'd by her county sheriff for failure to pay her bill. Also, the statue to limitations varies by state. In some states companies have up to 15 years to file suit against you. Another point, just because something has been charged off on your credit report, doesn't mean you're no longer responsible for it. Most original creditor contracts have a clause in them that allows them to sell your accounts, while maintaining your responsibility to pay it. One last point for now...we are all living in the same place while dealing with the same economy, IT IS NOT AN EXCUSE!!!!
John
Louisville,Kentucky,
U.S.A.
Statute Of Limitations
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, July 03, 2008
Once the statute of limitations has passed on credit card debt (this varies for each state, but is normally in the 4-5 year range), the collection agency has lost any real power over you because they cannot take you to court. All they can do is to scare/annoy you into paying. If you know that the debt is outside the SOL, you don't have to be afraid of anything.....send them a cease communications letter and tell them to get lost.
Making just one tiny payment will reset the SOL.....so be careful.
Collector1
Indie,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
your wrong!
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, July 03, 2008
you should be scared of this company. i had a del credit card and failed to make payment. lhr sued me they are now currently garnishing my wages so anybody that says not to be afraid is wrong im paying for it now. i wish i would of settled the account when they were offering to knock of the lates fees, now i have to pay the full balnce and i have no choice, unless i want to quit my job.