This lawyer sent me a letter that they were offering me a "chance" to pay 50% - 90% of the actual debt. The amount of the debt was NOT inlcuded on the letter. It is required by LAW that the amount be onb the letter. I'ne never heard of them, nor do I owe anybody any money, they claimed it to be $2,200.
If thiw was true, I'm thinking, why havent they requested payment before? I responded with a request for "validation of debt" by fax. I called the lawyers' office the next day and they said they had not received it. One woman (Robin) was screaming at me. The only way I found out it was $2,200 was by being told so by (Roger). I refaxed the request for "vaildation of debt" and was told by (Luz) that she would call me back when she had the fax.
She has never, it's been 19 days since this fax , called me back. I left 3 messages for herr to call me back that day and 2 messages for Roger to call me back. I hgave not heard from any one from that law office since. I also mailed a copy of the request the same day. Well..the day I faxed that in, when I got home a summons was on my door - they were suing me.
I started to research the company on-line. Very nice 'fake' web-site. Click on contact and instead of an e-mail form a box popped up to type in your words. Very strange I thought. I called the phone number expecting a recptionist but the phone was the owners (Robert Russo) cell phone. Shady ! Then I found complaints against them on Better Business Bureau . com
I was nearly nuts by this. Checked my credit report just in case I did have something unpaid and forgot but that would've been ubsurd for me to have done that. I lost much sleep over this
Went to talk to a lawyer. We're required to respond to the summons, then they have 60 days ro respond with documents. Then to further bury them in paper work.....well,we had a great plan on gettin even with theese dolts.
The day after I spoke to my lawyer a letter came from the attorneys office. They had voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit...for no reason? I doubt it 'cause I did my homework.
I read a law, Fair Credit Reporting Act or something like that, i'm sorry I cant remember the name but it was easy to find on-line. It states four requirements that attorneys have to include in a debt collection demand. One of them is the amount they are suing you for and it was not in the letter. Like I said earlier, I was told by Roger at the law office that it was $2,200.
In the request for the validation of debt, I stated ... a copy of the "vaildation of debt" and that you're wasting my time, you didn't even include the amount of the bill in your letter. Maybe ? some one at the law office was actually on their toes when they read my request and realized that they had broke a Commerce Statute.
So, now i'm in the clear. How ever I would like your feed back on whether and if, how much I should sue them for ??
Cafe Guy
Western, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
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