Is ARS National Services, Inc. Harassing You?

by Paul Mankin

Is ARS National Services, Inc. Harassing You?

ARS National Services, Inc.

ARS National Services, Inc. (ARS) is a third-party debt collection agency that provides services to banks and credit card companies. ARS is located in Escondido, California.

ARS’ website states that “results matter most.” ARS puts these words into action when it attempts to collect debt through unlawful means. The Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) is a government agency charged with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive or abusive debt collection practices. The CFPB has received consumer complaints regarding ARS’ unlawful debt collection practices, which include complaints of:

• Attempting to collect a debt that is not owed by the consumer;
• Improperly discussing the consumer’s debt with a third party;
• Using profane, obscene and/or abusive language; and
• Refusing to validate or provide proof of a debt.

For example, ARS improperly contacted a consumer regarding an alleged debt of the consumer’s parents. ARS provided detailed personal information regarding the debt to the consumer. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RDCPA) regulate debt collectors’ communications with third parties. A debt collector is only permitted to contact a third party when the debt collector reasonably believes that person would have information regarding the consumer’s location or telephone number. Additionally, the debt collector cannot inform any third party, other than a consumer’s spouse or attorney, that the consumer owes a debt.

Creditors and debt collectors should be held accountable for these unethical and unlawful practices. If you are being harassed or subjected to any of these, deceptive, or abusive debt collection practices, it is time to hold ARS accountable. Please contact our office for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-219-3577.

by Paul Mankin

Is Bleier & Cox Harassing You?

Bleier & Cox is a law firm in Encino, California. It is has been in business for approximately 40 years and practices in the areas of Estate Planning & Probate, Family Law, and Collections.

Contact Information:

16130 Ventura Blvd # 620

Encino, CA 91436

(818) 784-8100

http://www.bleierandcox.com

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lists 23 complaints filed against Bleier & Cox since 2014. A large majority of the complaints allege that the law firm/debt collection agency attempted to collect on a debt that was paid or did not belong to the consumer. Other complaints allege the law firm violated the FDCPA by:

• Not providing verification of the debt
• Threatening to sue on a debt that was too old
• Attempting to collect more than what is owed
• Filing a law suit without providing proper notification/service

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has not received any formal complaints against Bleier & Cox, but one consumer did post a “complaint” as a review of the company. The consumer alleges that he was sued by Bleier & Cox and his bank account levied without any notice of the lawsuit or prior notice of the companies intent to levy his bank account. The reviewer also says that he made several attempts to contact the law firm but his calls went unanswered and messages unreturned. On the two occasions he was able to speak with someone at the company, he says the representative was rude, unprofessional, and dismissive.

The FDCPA defines a debt collector as any person who regularly collects, or attempts to collect,

consumer debts for another person or institution or uses some name other than its own when collecting its own consumer debts”. This means that even law firms, such as Bleier & Cox, who practice in the area of debt collection and regularly attempt to collect debts must follow the FDCPA when attempting to collect a debt. While Bleier & Cox is a law firm, and so are not violating the Act when claiming to be attorneys, they are violating it when refusing to provide verification of a debt, attempting to collect more than what is owed, threatening to sue when they have no legal right to do so, or harassing, annoying, or abusing a consumer in order to get them to pay a bill.

Attorneys are not only expected to know the law, but to follow it as well. It is unconscionable for a law firm to violate any law, especially those meant to protect consumers from unfair and unethical practices. If Bleier & Cox has refused to provide you with verification of a debt they are attempting to collect, sued you without providing proper notice, threatened to sue you, attempted to collect more than you owe on a debt, or harassed or abused you in any way, contact us now at 1-800-219-3577 for a free consultation.

by Paul Mankin

Is the debt collection agency Allen & Associates harassing you?

If you have a credit card of any sort, then you are well experienced with debt. Debts are not the most prized route to take when attempting to get money. However, sometimes they are necessary for certain emergencies. Things such as medical bills, housing payments, and other such problems can cause you to have to take on debt, and possibly thousands of dollars in debt.

In the instances that you are unable to pay back debts in a timely fashion, there is a fair chance that a debt collection agency will be sent out to collect the debt. This can be done in a number of ways, and there are often too many debt collection agencies to keep track of them all. With new companies entering the business every year, it can be difficult to figure out who is a real debt collection agency, and who is in it to try to scam you out of your money.

Allen & Associates is said to be a debt collection agency. Here are the things you need to know if you have been contacted by Allen & Associates.

What is Allen & Associates?

When talking about debt collection agencies, it is widely known that they usually collect on multiple different types of debts. These can range from medical debts, to credit card debts, and everything in between. However, Allen & Associates is not seen to be in that business at all.

Allen & Associates is listed as an employment counselor for multiple areas within the better business bureau database. They go by many different names, each extremely similar to the next. They go from Allen & Associates, to also Allen and Associates, and K P Allen and Associates. It is said that their main headquarters are located in Maitland, Florida. However, they do have other branches listed.

Is Allen & Associates a legit Debt Collection Agency?

At this time, it can be seen that Allen & Associates is an out of business debt collection agency. As stated, they are listed as an employment counselor, and have no ties to debt collection.

It is also stated on the BBB that Allen & Associates is believed to be out of business. This is because the BBB has attempted to contact Allen & Associates by means of calls, mail, and email as well, to no avail. This is a potential sign that the name Allen & Associates is being used in an attempt at a scam, utilizing an old business’ name to aid with cover.

Allen & Associates Contact Information

The information below is suspected to be out of date information. All numbers and mailing addresses should be taken as disconnected and unverified. If you have been contacted by a company attempting to use the contact information listed below, it is important to report it to the proper authorities.

Address: 485 N. Keller Road Suite 500 Maitland, Florida 32751

Other Address: 2600 Lake Lucien Drive, Suite 410 Maitland, Florida 32751

Other Address: 151 S Wymore Rd, Suite 100 Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714

Other Address: 6600 France Ave S Ste 204 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435-1800

Other Address: 6506 North Oak Traffic Way Kansas City, Missouri 64118

Other Address: 1300 E Woodfield Rd Ste 300 Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4984

Other Address: 3001 N Rocky Point Dr Ste 200 Rocky Point, Florida 33607-5802

Phone Number: 1-407-475-5500

Other Phone: 1-407-660-8899

Other Phone: 1-866-953-8800

Fax Number: 1-407-475-5517

Other Fax: 1-407-660-8188

Other Fax: 1-407-475-5505

How can I protect myself and fight back against Allen & Associates?

As the so-called debt collectors from Allen and Associates may be running a scam, there are many ways that you can protect yourself against such attempts and threats. If there is an attempt to collect on a debt that you do not recognize, you are within your rights to ask for a verification notice or letter with proper identification. This can be in many forms, such as a letter sent to your mail, or internet identification numbers and registry information.

If the harassment continues even after asking for verification, you may be well off getting yourself a dedicated and experienced debt collection harassment attorney who can potentially assert a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claim on your behalf. These trained attorneys and lawyers have a plethora of knowledge and information that can help you combat the growing threats and attempts of the debt collectors, or scammers, at getting your money. This can be done by assisting you in gathering information, identifying what is harassment and against the laws, all while stopping and reporting the debt collector harassment to the proper authorities.

Not only can we help you to defend against collection harassment, we can also help to build a case under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and assist you in understanding where the illegal collection patterns are for debt collectors. We are also able to help facilitate any communications or discussions between the parties, ensuring that nothing you say can be used against you.

The most important bit of information in your fight is to always remain vigilant. No matter who you have at your side, it can seem like a daunting battle against such a large company and agency. If you have ever been the subject of:

• Multiple calls per week from a third party collection agency
• Multiple calls in the early morning or late night from debt collectors.
• Violent and belligerent language and harassment from debt collectors.
• Threats of arrests or poor credit due to outstanding debts.
• Having your friends, family, and coworkers harassed by debt collectors.
• Automated robocalls from third party collection agencies.

Then you may have a case available. So do not wait, make sure to give us a call, and get started fighting back against the debt collection harassment.  We are experienced debt collection harassment attorneys.

by Paul Mankin

Is the debt collection agency American Credit Bureau harassing you?

Debt collectors can be terrifying. The thought of someone coming to hurt or harm you over money can put many into shock, and easily scare a consumer into paying for a debt. But what if the debt is not yours? What if they are just attempting to scam you out of some money?

This is the reality for many that have debts that are owed. Debt collection agencies working on the behalf of credit card companies will use just about any trick, method, or practice in hopes of getting you to cough up the dough. So what happens if they say they are representing a company that is supposed to be out of business, like American Credit Bureau? This is what you should know in these instances and cases.

What is American Credit Bureau?

American Credit Bureau is listed as a credit card and plans business. They engage in mail order work that lists and states that they help people get visas and mastercards approved. They also work to help clean up people’s credit scores, and much more. They do this by selling the information to clear up the credit debt.

Is American Credit Bureau a legit Debt Collection Agency?

American Credit Bureau was a legitimate debt collection business, as well as an assistant to getting Visa and Mastercard credit cards approved. However, it is stated on the Better Business Bureau that they are currently not in business anymore.

They were in business for over 34 years, having started in 1986. While they were in business, they held two different offices within Vermont. They currently have no complaints or reviews on the BBB database, and are not accredited by the BBB either. They have a current A+ rating with the BBB, even though they are not in business anymore.

American Credit Bureau Contact Information

All information pertains to the company before they were said to be out of business. All information and addresses should be seen as outdated information.

Address: 224 Silby Avenue Montpelier, VT 05602

Other Address: 12 Crescent Ln Barre, VT 05641-9730

Phone number: 1-800-423-4551

Does American Credit Bureau have Complaints against them?

The BBB has no listed complaints against them on their database. This may be due to the fact that the business is no longer in business, and that there is no need to keep the information relevant.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database does not have any information or complaints registered in their database for American Credit Bureau. There is a listed set of complaints for American Credit Bureau, Inc., however it is assumed that these complaints are not correlated, as the complaints come mostly out of Florida, Connecticut, and Georgia.

Are the Practices of American Credit Bureau Legal?

Since the business has shut down, it is safe to assume that any and all contact made in the name of American Credit Bureau is assumed to be illegal, false, and misleading. Those that are attempting to contact you under this name, and give you information such as the ones listed above, can be considered scammers, or fleecers.

Even if they do seem legitimate, understand that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RFDCPA) protects you from many of these harassment suits. Debt collection agencies tend to use any and all means to try and extort consumers such as yourself into paying for a debt. Whether this means using a shell company, or dead company, in an attempt to harass you freely about your debt, you do have rights and laws on your side.

How can I protect myself and fight back against American Credit Bureau?

There are plenty of ways for you to protect yourself against scammers and debt collection harassment. The first way to stop the harassment is to ask for verification of the debt. With many people calling about debts, make sure to get authorization and proof of the debt that you must pay. This can be in many forms, such as a written letter, a statement, or online code to access a database. If the representative is not able to fulfill this requirement, you are not required to pay a dime to them.

Another way to stop the debt collector harassment is to contact an experienced debt collection harassment attorney or consumer protection lawyer. We here at the Law Office of Paul Mankin, APC are well-versed in the area of debt collection practices, and have many attorneys that have experience and understanding under their belts. We are able to help you understand what is considered debt collection harassment, as well as identify scammers and potentially harmful scenarios. We can also help to identify legitimate debts, and get you on the road to repaying those.

Not only can we help you to defend against debt collection harassment, we can also help to build a case, and assist you in understanding where the illegal collection patterns are for debt collectors. We are also able to help facilitate any communications or discussions between the parties, ensuring that nothing you say can be used against you.

The most important bit of information in your fight is to always remain vigilant. No matter who you have at your side, it can seem like a daunting battle against such a large company and agency. If you have ever been the subject of:

• Multiple calls per week from a third party collection agency
• Multiple calls in the early morning or late night from debt collectors.
• Violent and belligerent language and harassment from debt collectors.
• Threats of arrests or poor credit due to outstanding debts.
• Having your friends, family, and coworkers harassed by debt collectors.
• Automated robocalls from third party collection agencies.

Then you may have a case available. So do not wait, make sure to give us a call, and get started fighting back against the debt collection harassment.

by Paul Mankin

Is the collection agency Advance Recovery Systems, Inc. harassing you?

Debt collection and debt collector harassment is a very real thing. Being harassed daily, and tormented with calls and robocalls from various numbers can cause anxiety, stress, and physical health deterioration.

Because of this, it is important to note that some debt collection agencies are legal and legitimate, and some are scams that just attempt to scam you out of your precious time and money. One such company is known as Advance Recovery Systems Inc. Are they legitimate, or a scam? Here are the things you need to know if you have been contacted by Advance recovery Systems Inc.

What is Advance Recovery Systems Inc?

Advance Recovery Systems Inc is a company known as a Collections Agency based out of Pennsylvania. They operate under a few different names, such as ARS, and AR Systems. Their executive Vice President listed on the Better Business Bureau is currently Mitchell Sharp.

Is Advance Recovery Systems Inc a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Advance Recovery Systems inc is a legitimate debt collection agency. They have been in business for close to 23 years, having started in 1996. The BBB file was opened in 1998. They currently hold an A+ rating with the BBB. However, this does not take into account customer reviews on the BBB.

Advance Recovery Systems Inc is not currently accredited through the BBB.

Advance Recovery Systems Inc Contact Information

Address: PO Box 80766 Valley Forge, PA 19484-0766

Phone Number: 1-(888)-354-0990

Other Phone: 1-(610)-354-0990

Of note, the website closest to the original name of Advance Recovery Systems Inc redirects to Advanced Recovery Systems. This website is specifically for drug and substance abuse treatment and recovery. There is no known correlation with this company, as they are located in Florida.

How can I protect myself and fight back against Advance Recovery Systems Inc?

Another way to protect yourself and fight back is to hire an experienced and well-versed debt collector harassment lawyer that will be able to help you. Here at the Law Office of Paul Mankin, APC, we have plenty of lawyers and attorneys that can help to get you on the right path to fighting back against debt collection harassment.

Our attorneys are able to help you understand how long debt collectors are able to harass you for, as well as how to stop their harassment, and how to report their debt collection practices if they are illegal. They can assist you in understanding what is considered to be harassed by a debt collector, as well as help build a case against the debt collectors to help you get compensation in the case of illegal activities.

Remember, there is always a way to fight back. So don’t wait. If you feel you have been a victim of:

• Robocalls
• Harassment by Debt collectors
• Abusive or threatening language from debt collectors
• Threatening letters
• Improper or misinformation with regards to debts

Then you may have a case that can get you compensation for the harassment. Give us a call now, and start the fight back.

by Paul Mankin

Is the debt collection agency Alliance Collection Agency harassing you?

What is Alliance Collection Agency?

Founded in 2004, Alliance Collection Agency is a debt collection agency that reportedly operates out of Long Grove, Illinois. The company is managed by its president, Mr. Robert Pinzur, and its general manager, Mr. Joseph Ross. The company does not appear to conduct business outside of Illinois, at least not under the trade name Alliance Collection Agency.

Is Alliance Collection Agency a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Alliance Collection Agency has been recognized by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2005 but is not BBB-accredited and has no BBB rating. The BBB listing has not been claimed by the business owner. It questionable whether the business operates legitimately under the name Alliance Collection Agency. Two known aliases include ‘A Alliance Collection Agency Inc’ and ‘Alliance Collection Agency Inc.’

Alliance Collection Agency Contact Information:

4180 Il Route 83 #208

Long Grove, IL 60047-9563

https://aalliancecollects.com/services/

(847) 821-7029 (phone)

(847) 821-5293 (fax)

What kind of complaints does Alliance Collection Agency have Complaints against them

Alliance Collection Agency has received no BBB complaints or reviews and does not appear to have any registered CFPB complaints.

Are Alliance Collection Agency’s Practices Legal?

The FTC enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which makes it illegal for debt collectors to use abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices when they collect personal debts, including credit card debt, auto loans, medical bills, student loans, mortgage, and other household debts. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors are, generally, allowed to call, send letters, send emails, or even send text messages to collect on debts, but they are not allowed to bother consumers at inconvenient times without the debtor’s permission or at locations such as a debtor’s place of employment unless personal calls are permitted by the employer.

Debt collectors like Alliance, whose identity is difficult to pin down and/or who is known to do business under similar aliases, tend to be involved in complaint-generating activity that might well violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. These companies often target individuals with little ability to protect themselves or to obtain assistance from an attorney. The individuals they target are often ones without reasonable access to the internet or the sophistication to make a meaningful complaint with an appropriate agency, but that is all the more reason to hold these kinds of collectors to the letter of the law. In addition to state remedies, each violation could mean a $1,000 penalty under federal law.

How can I defend myself against a debt collector like Alliance Collection Agency?

Complaints regarding a collector in any state may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or (877) FTC-HELP (877-382-4357), and complaints regarding any collector or other business can be made at BBB complaints. To learn more about how the federal government regulates debt collection and protects debtors and other individuals from collection harassment under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, see FTC Debt Collection pamphlet. Complaints regarding Illinois–based collectors can be made to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Questions or complaints regarding Springfield-based collectors specifically can be directed to 1-800-243-0618.

If you believe you have a claim for collection harassment or are a victim of another violation of state or federal debtor’s rights, you should speak with a collection harassment attorney or debt collector harassment lawyer immediately. Contact us today to discuss your matter and see how we can help at no cost to you.

by Paul Mankin

Is the debt collection agency Apex Financial Management, LLC harassing you?

What is Apex Financial Management, LLC?

Established May 1, 2004 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Apex Financial Management, LLC is a debt collection agency run by its president, Mr. Randy Zankl. The debt collector facilitates collection of both consumer and commercial debt on a contingent fee basis, serving financial institutions and others. Apex Financial Management, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hilco Receivables, LLC, which specializes in accounts receivable portfolio acquisitions, receivables appraisals and collection services.

Is Apex Financial Management, LLC a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Yes, Apex Financial Management, LLC is legitimate debt collector. The company has been recognized by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since April 2006 but is not BBB-accredited and the BBB listing has not been claimed by the business owner. Even though it operates as a subsidiary of the Hilco Organization, Apex Financial Management, LLC does appear to be a legitimate debt collection agency.

Apex Financial Management, LLC Contact Information:

1120 W. Lake Cook Rd., Ste. A

Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

www.hilcoreceivables.com

(866) 876-2739 (phone)

What kind of complaints does Apex Financial Management, LLC have against them?

There are no public complaints against Apex Financial Management, LLC on the popular consumer forums, including the BBB. Since Apex Financial Management, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a much larger finance-related company, the absence of complaints could imply that the debt collector uses a different alias in communications with alleged debtors.

Are Apex Financial Management, LLC‘s Practices Legal?

It is against federal debt collection regulations to engage in certain annoying and unkind acts in furtherance of pursuing repayment of a debt, including: calling before 8:00AM or after 9:00PM, calling repeatedly or even just a few times per week (no matter how many different phone numbers they use), calling your place of work if you are not permitted personal calls, calling you after you have made an unmistakable request for them to stop calling, using profanity or other threatening language, and other intimidating actions. It is also unlawful for collectors to misrepresents who they are and what the purpose of their communication is, as well as for them to attempt collection on an amount more than you owe or to collect from someone who is not legally responsible for the debt. These actions amount to debt collection harassment, and you have the right to be free of this behavior. Moreover, these actions, if true, violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RFDCPA).

How can I defend myself against a debt collector like Apex Financial Management, LLC?

Complaints regarding Illinois–based collectors can be made to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Questions or complaints regarding Springfield-based collectors specifically can be directed to 1-800-243-0618. Complaints regarding a collector in any state may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or (877) FTC-HELP (877-382-4357), and complaints regarding any debt collector or other business can be made at BBB complaints.

If you believe you have a claim for collection harassment or are a victim of another violation of state or federal debtor’s rights, you should speak with a consumer rights lawyer or debt collector harassment attorney immediately. Contact us today to discuss your matter and see how we can help at no cost to you.

by Paul Mankin

Is First Premier Bank harassing you?

FIRST PREMIER BANK COMPANY PROFILE:

Name: First PREMIER Bank

Headquarters:  601 S. Minnesota Avenue, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104.

Phone Number(s): 800-501-6535; 800-501-6535; (605) 357-3000, 605-333-6132, 605-367-1365, 678-212-3004, 800-987-5521, 877-635-2563. 

CEO: Mike Beacom

Annual Revenue: US$ 87.65 million (2016)

Website: https://www.firstpremier.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/premier-bankcard/

INTRODUCTION:

Founded in 1999,  First PREMIER Bank is a privately owned commercial bank with 17 branches in South Dakota and, together with affiliate PREMIER Bankcard, over 2,300 employees. First PREMIER Bank handles a full range of banking and financial services, including the issuance of credit cards.

PREMIER Bankcard, an affiliate of PREMIER Bank (both companies are owned by the same holding company)  is the service provider for First PREMIER Bank credit cards. PREMIER is one of the top 20 issuers of Mastercard® credit cards in the US. It focuses on providing Mastercards to people with shaky credit, which likely explains why it is so often involved in debt disputes with its customers.

All told, First PREMIER Bank  and PREMIER Bankcard have issued millions of credit cards to consumers throughout the US.  

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS:

First PREMIER Bank has received complaints from a great many consumers. The Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs are two online repositories that offer a reasonably accurate cross-section of the nature of these complaints. 

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU (BBB) COMPLAINTS:

The First PREMIER Bank BBB profile displays an “A+” rating — which can be safely ignored, given how many businesses with overwhelmingly negative consumer reviews also receive A+ BBB ratings. More tellingly, it received only one star out of five possible stars through customer reviews. The BBB has resolved 1,057 complaints concerning First PREMIER Bank over the last three years, with 409 of these being resolved during the last 12 months. First PREMIER Bank is not BBB accredited.

Following is a synopsis of the content of a few of the above-mentioned complaints, the truth of which this office is not necessarily in a position to confirm or refute:

• Charging too many fees — an activation fee, an annual fee, a fee for raising the credit limit, etc. This was the single most frequent complaint.
• Targeting minority credit profiles.
• Ruining someone’s credit due to a bank billing error.
• Billing errors (perhaps due to identity theft) leading to multiple overdraft fees being assessed against the consumer.
• Contradictory advice from customer care staff.
• Failure to answer customer care phones.
• Placement of false, derogatory claims on customer credit records.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMPLAINTS:

Consumer Affairs, like the BBB, is a private consumer watchdog, albeit a less well-known one. Consumer Affairs has collected a variety of complaints about First PREMIER Bank, including:

• Placing false debts on customer accounts;
• Calling a customer several times a day, and hanging up whenever she answered.
• Calling late at night and early in the morning;
• Failing to post payments on time, and then penalizing the customer (and her credit score) for the resulting delay.
• Committing credit card fraud against a customer;
• Charging the customer late fees because their own app crashed, which made it impossible for the customer to pay on time. 

LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FIRST PREMIER BANK:

It is important to note that since First PREMIER Bank is a bank rather than a debt collection agency, it is a first-party creditor, rather than a third-party creditor, with respect to disputes with most consumers. In other words, First PREMIER Bank is typically the party that loaned money or extended credit to the consumer, rather than a third party hired merely to collect the debt.

The significance of this fact is that loan or credit agreements between banks and consumers typically include arbitration clauses that prevent disputes from going to court. This is why a bank, rather than a debt collector, could be expected to be named as a defendant in fewer lawsuits than a debt collection agency. When a lawsuit is filed, it often seeks to invalidate an arbitration clause. Typically, arbitration cases are not a matter of public record.

Despite the obstacles to filing a lawsuit against a first-party commercial creditor such as a bank, the following lawsuits (among others) have been filed against FIrst PREMIER Bank:

Moss v. First Premier Bank

Lisa Flagg v. First Premier Bank

Perales v. First Premier Bank et al.

Garrett v. First Premier Bank et al

Evans v. First Premier Bank et al

Heryford v. First Premier Bank, et al 

Start Fighting Back Today! Call Paul.

It may seem to you that your creditors hold all the cards. But they don’t — they just want you to think they do. If you are having creditor harassment/abuse problems with First PREMIER Bank, or with another creditor or debt collection agency, call consumer rights lawyer Paul Mankin by calling 1-800-219-3577 or by filling out the online contact form at the bottom of the page, and start fighting back today! You owe it to yourself to fight back against creditor abuse.

by Paul Mankin

Is Citibank Calling or Harassing You?

DEBT COLLECTOR PROFILE: CITIBANK, N.A.

Name: Citibank

Headquarters: 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013 

Phone Numbers: (212) 559-1000 (Citigroup, Inc.).  

CEO: Michael Corbat 

Annual Revenue: $74.3 billion 

Website: https://www.citigroup.com/citi/ 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/citi/ 

Number of Employees: About 200,000 (Citigroup, Inc.) 

INTRODUCTION:

Founded in 1812, Citibank is headquartered in New York City and maintains over 2,500 branches throughout the world, including more than 700 in the United States alone. It is one of the largest full-service banks in the world. Most of these branches are located in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Miami, Mexico, Poland, Russia, India and the United Arab Emirates.   

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINTS:

The Citbank BBB profile displays an “F” rating, which is extraordinary when you consider that the BBB regularly confers “A+” ratings on businesses whose customer reviews are overwhelmingly negative. Citibank has had 4,642 BBB complaints closed in the last 3 years (about 1,200 of which were related to billings and collections) and has had 2,041 complaints closed in the last 12 months. 225 customer reviews appear on the BBB site, most of which are negative. Citibank is not BBB accredited. 

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU REGULATORY ACTIONS AGAINST CITIBANK:

Citibank is no stranger to administrative sanctions. Following are three examples of occasions when regulatory agencies found Citibank’s activities sufficiently inappropriate as to merit civil sanctions and consumer compensation: 

2015: DECEPTIVE MARKETING PRACTICES:

In 2015 it was ordered to pay $700 million in compensation to nearly 9 million customers who were harmed by its illegal credit card practices. It was also subjected to civil penalties of $70 million — $35 million to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and $35 million to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The Citibank sanctions were imposed because the company was found to have engaged in deceptive marketing practices, such as misrepresenting the amount of costs and fees and charging customers for services they did not receive. Citibank also charged nearly two million consumer accounts “same-day payment fees” that were often completely unnecessary. 

2016: ILLEGAL DEBT SALES:

The CFPB reached a settlement with Citibank in the form of a consent order that required Citibank to pay a $3 million penalty and return nearly $5 million to consumers in compensation for (i) illegal debt sales (ii) illegal debt collection practices and (iii) failure to promptly forward consumer payments to the buyers of the debt. 

The debt sales that triggered the sanctions included charged-off credit card accounts that Citibank had sold to customers between 2010 and 2013. After Citibank designated some of these debts as unlikely to be repaid, it sold these debts to debt collection agencies, who then attempted to collect on the debts. Specifically, Citibank’s improper behavior included the following: 

• It exaggerated the annual percentage rate applicable to the accounts by more than one percent, presumably to render the accounts more attractive to debt buyers. Consumers paid nearly $5 million based on this overstated annual percentage rate. 
   
• It delayed forwarding nearly 14,000 consumer payments, totaling nearly $1 million, to the debt collectors it sold its consumer accounts to. Because of this delay, consumers were subjected to debt collection efforts even after they had paid their accounts in full. 

2016: FALSIFICATION OF COURT RECORDS:

Citibank and two debt collection law firms it hired were also sanctioned for falsifying court records in certain New Jersey debt collection cases. The falsifications involved altering changing dates and debt amounts on affidavits. In response, the CFPB ordered Citibank and the law firms it hired to refund $11 million to customers, and to cease collection activities on $34 million in debt affecting 7,000 customers.  

EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST CITIBANK:

Most consumer debt disputes involving Citibank never make it to court. The reason for this is simple — Citibank includes arbitration clauses in its credit agreements, on a “take it or leave it” basis. Once a customer has signed this agreement, under most circumstances he is barred from filing a lawsuit against Citibank and must resort to arbitration (a private “rent-a-judge” proceeding) instead. Nevertheless, some lawsuits have proceeded against CItibank, including:.

• McGill v. Citibank, N.A. 

• Arleamon Sadler, Jr., Plaintiff-appellant, v. Citibank, N.A., Defendant 
   
• Wells Fargo Asia Limited, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Citibank, N.A. 

• New York Yellow Pages, Inc. v. CITIBANK, N.A.
   
• Bridgeway Corp. v. Citibank, N.A.
   
• Ngoc Quang Trinh, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Citibank, N.A.
   
• Indasu International, C.a., Plaintiff-appellee, v. Citibank, N.A.
   
• Wells Fargo Asia Limited, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Citibank, N.A.. 

Call Paul Mankin Whenever You Decide It’s Time to Start Fighting Back 

The biggest problem with consumers enforcing their legal rights against creditors and would-be creditors is that they are unaware of their legal rights. In fact, if the debt is legitimately owed, they might not be aware that they have any rights at all. Paul Mankin knows your rights, however, and he possesses rich experience in defending them.. In some cases you may even be able to turn the tables and demand money from your creditor for abusive behavior.

If you are the victim of debt collection abuse, or suspect that you might be, contact the Law Office of L. Paul Mankin, APC for a free consultation. We can be reached by telephone at 1-800-219-3577, or online by filling out our online contact form. 

by Paul Mankin

Is TSC Accounts Receivable Solutions Harassing You?

TSC Accounts Receivable Solutions

TSC Accounts Receivable Solutions (TSC) provides collection and accounts receivable management services, including debt collection, accounts receivable clean-up and consulting, pre-collection, and medical billing services. TSC specializes in healthcare, childcare, dentistry, education, health and fitness, property management, retail, and telecommunications sectors. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Carlsbad, California.

TSC markets itself as a family-owned debt collection agency that takes a more positive approach to debt collection. Its website states that all TSC employees are required to sign a pledge to treat every consumer with dignity and respect. While TSC may have this pledge in place, consumers have filed numerous complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a government agency charged with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive or abusive debt collection practices. The CFPB has received complaints alleging that TSC engages in the following unlawful practices:

• Attempting to collect debts not owed;
• Continuing to contact consumers after being asked to cease communication; and
• Refusing to validate or provide proof of a debt.

After being contacted by TSC, a consumer sent a letter demanding that TSC cease further communication. Despite receiving this letter, TSC continued to call the consumer. The consumer filed a complaint with the CFPB and the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of the consumer.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RDCPA) prohibit debt collectors and creditors from communicating with you after you have informed them in writing to stop communication. Once the debt collector has received a letter from you requesting that all communication stop, the debt collector may only contact you again to either inform you that the debt collector is no longer seeking to collect the debt or to inform you that the debt collector will be filing a lawsuit. Any other forms of communication are a direct violation of the law.

Creditors and debt collectors should be held accountable for these unethical and unlawful practices. If you are being harassed or subjected to any of these, deceptive, or abusive debt collection practices, it is time to hold TSC accountable. Please contact our office for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-219-3577.