Nanlisa
Upper Darby,#2Consumer Suggestion
Mon, January 18, 2010
That same day (Tuesday, September 15), a message was left on my voice mail at home from Mr. Fontana of the Rephen Law firm regarding a so-called legal matter. I called him to back to find out it was about overdraft charges on a check that I wrote on my account at TD Bank (They have branches here in the Philadelphia area.). The check in question was written back in December of last year (2008) for $17.29 to the Super Fresh in nearby Havertown, PA for purchases.
What upset me the most was when Mr. Fontana was going to report this matter to the State Police, and charge me $1800 in legal fees. I spent the rest of the day trying to find out some information on this so-called law firm on the Internet. I even contacted both the Public Defender's and Legal Aid office here in Delaware County (PA) to find out how I could handle this matter. Since Mr. Fontana had a heavy New York City accent, and the area code was 845, I assumed that the office was in Brooklyn, but it's not. It's in Rockland County.
At least I was not alone. While doing some research on the Internet on this so-called law firm I found out that other people were getting calls from this place regarding bounced checks going back a few years ago.
I believe that this so-called law firm is violating the collection laws. In my previous experience in dealing with debt collectors, no one has ever, ever, ever threatened to send the State Police out after me on an uncollected debt! This threat severely damages, if not, destroys, my reputation as decent law-abiding American citizen. If any legal action was going to be taken against me, papers would have to be filed with the courts, and I would have to have a hearing as well. In the case of bad checks where I live at, the local police have to be notifiedl; not some out-of-state law firm.
I filed complaints with the New York State Bar Association, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett and the Consumer Affairs Office, New York State Attorney Andrew Cuomo (Mario Cuomo's son), the Federal Trade Commission, the Rockland County District Attorney, and the Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection. I also wrote a letter to the collection agency that had my account. They wrote me back and told me how much I owed them, which was $57. I was out of work in September, but I found my present job back in October, and I paid this debt off in full!
And as far as checks with my bank go, they are only good for six months. After that, they are no good. If I do have a bounced check, my bank charges me a $35 overdraft fee, and I try my very best to avoid bounced checks and overdraft fees.
Do yourselves a big favor. If you ever receive a call from this Rephen Law Firm, tell them that you won't send them a dime! Contact the original creditor or the debt collection agency in writing to find out how much you owe, and make them payments to them. And report this Rephen Law Firm big time. I don't want anything to do with this Rephen Law Firm again for as long as I live!
Thank you.