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Joe Pezzuto LLC

Joe Pezzuto LLC review: Harrassment 20

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3:24 pm EST
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I recieve at least 4 - 5 calls a day from a company that calls themselves "the law offices of joe pezzuto". Do not be fooled or intimidated by these scam artists. This is not a law office, it is a collection agency. They use scare tactics and intimidation to persuade the uninformed consumer into making payments on unpaid debt. Their "agents" are extremely rude, use profanity and threaten their clients. This debt collection agency is affiliated with bank of america, chase and a few others. Please, do not be fooled by these thieves and liars. Do not give them any personal information. And don't do anything without getting it in writing! You cannot be arrested, taken to jail or have your wages garnished by a debt collection agency. There is no debtors prison in america! Be informed before you take any action. Research the fair debt collection act and you will realize the lengths to which these vultures will go, but you will also be aware of your rights. Everyone experiences a rough patch from time to time. There is no reason to feel ashamed or embarrassed. The law offices of joe pezzuto will use any tactic available to get you to pay, including shame and degredation. Do not fall for it! Pass this info along and maybe we can stop this from happening to anybody else.

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Joe Pezzuto LLC - Harassing and Abusive Behavior
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20 comments
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Through the Wringer
, US
Aug 05, 2016 9:20 am EDT
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I have been through the debt wringer due to a divorce and layoff. Here is what I have learned through my dealings with a now-defunct debt "consolidator" who basically left me on my own to deal with these people and others like them. I can't speak to other states, but Minnesota laws are slanted heavily in favor of creditor. In Minnesota, debt collectors can file a "hip pocket" lawsuit. They can file suit against you without filing it with the court. This is the state's way of trying to get cases resolved without using the court system. However, there are several problems. The collection agency must have made an attempt to collect the debt before filing suit. The only requirement is a letter sent to the address on the original account. Then they can serve you with a lawsuit and give you 60 days to respond. If you do not respond, they can then file with the court and receive a default judgment. This process takes about 30 - 60 days, depending on how bust the court calendar is. When they file with the court, a letter will be sent to the original address on the account notifying you of the date and time of the hearing. This is your last chance to avoid a judgment and garnishment. If the judgment is entered, they can apply with the court to garnish your wages or bank account. Once that happens, your only option to avoid the garnishment and more fees being added to your debt is bankruptcy.

Here is what you need to do. When you receive a collection letter, you need to respond with a certified letter (return receipt requested is the best way to go) asking for verification of the debt. They must send you a statement from the original creditor and a list of any fees or interest added. If they send a letter stating the debt amount, that is not sufficient and you can respond that they need to provide you with a statement or letter from the original creditor, including a bill of sale or other document showing that they have sold the debt or authorized the collection agency to collect the debt on their behalf. Keep all correspondence! If they sue you, this can be evidence that they have failed to verify the debt and that will help you in court. If you do get sued, respond as soon as possible within the time they give you to respond. If they only give you 30 days, respond within that time, but if you go to court you can argue that they did not give you sufficient time to respond to the Summons and Complaint. In the response, repeat your demand for debt verification. Be careful with what you say, because it will be entered into the court record if they actually file the suit with the court. Say things like "I do not recall this account" and not "I did not have this account", unless it is not actually yours.

If you respond, they know they will have to go to court and will be much more likely to negotiate. They are hoping for a quick judgment and garnishment, because it is cheaper for them. If it is a legitimate debt and they have provided the necessary documentation. contact them and negotiate. If they are a reputable firm (and, yes, there are some collection agencies that are reputable), explain the situation and see if you can work out a payment plan for less than the full amount. They don't want you to file bankruptcy because that means it will take a lot longer for them to collect, and they will probably get a lot less than if they reach a settlement with you. Use that. Say you are interviewing bankruptcy attorneys. Tell them you need a payment agreement in writing before you will make any payments. Make sure they don't add any extra charges. If they do, sent them a certified letter with a copy of the agreement stating that this is not the agreement you believe you reached on the phone. Highlight any extra charges on the copy of the agreement. Keep copies of everything you send them. This can all be used as evidence in your favor if you end up in court.

If the collection agency refuses to honor the agreement, changes it mid-stream, or demands extra fees, stand your ground and be ready to go to court. If you wind up in court, do hire a lawyer who specializes in debt resolution or bankruptcy if the amount is larger than the small claims court maximum, (I want to say it is $1, 000 in MN, but I am not certain) Unless you know court procedures, representing yourself will not help you with the judge.

One more thing, document every collection call (time, whether you spoke to them, who you spoke to, and where the call was made to). If they call you at work, you can tell them you are not allowed to receive personal calls at work. They may NOT call you at a work number again unless you give them permission. If they do, be certain you make a note - and if the call ran through a switchboard, have your receptionist/operator document the call, as well. Also note any threats, especially threats of prison, asset seizure, or showing up at your door. If they do any of these things, or continue to try to collect without validating the debt properly, they are in violation of the FDCPA and you can sue them. I believe the penalty (paid to you) is up to $1, 000 per incident. While the courts in MN are slanted in favor of the creditors, they do not like violations of the FDCPA and are sympathetic to these kinds of violations. Good luck!

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aruth
Kingman, US
Feb 09, 2015 5:14 pm EST

First off they can garnish your wages. Any collection agency trying to collect a legitimate debt can garnish your wages! I know I am a paralegal. No you cannot go to jail over a debt.

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SSSSNNNNN
Los Angeles, US
Oct 13, 2014 1:30 am EDT
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On 09-14-2014 this company accesses my credit report without my authorization or without contacting me and placed a hard inquiry on my credit report and lowered my credit rating.

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gofear01
st. charles, US
May 14, 2014 4:08 pm EDT

first off i believe all lawyers are ### they get paid way to much for little work they do and half the time they dont even do it in the first place. Second who says all these people who are recieving these scam calls owe money, i dont even own a credit card and i dont have any debt in my name but yet im getting the same phone calls around the same time everyday but its not even for me its for someone else who i have never even heard of. Before even telling people to get another job or anything like that because of the bills people owe, try living like we do and see how it feels. I guarentee you dont have to worry since you make to much money and all these other people barely make a living in the first place.

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scarlettsc27
Charleston, US
Jan 06, 2014 10:58 am EST

Wow, I just had to respond to the "attorney" who commented here. You are correct, people DO owe the money they borrowed however in this economy there are MANY suffering and not able to pay debts they truly would love to pay. I am one of those " whining victims" myself. At age 54 I have NEVER EVER been late on any payments until two years ago when my husband lost his job, had to have open heart surgery that cost us over 200 thousand dollars so there went most of our savings. We did get other jobs, and I work too but the overwhelming medical bills for that and a medical issue for our daughter all but destroyed us. I do not fault people for calling, I do fault them for how they do it. If you look at a person's payment history and for 12+ years they NEVER once were late one day then all of a sudden they are it is pretty obvious that something unusual has happened. So no need to talk to them like garbage, which I have experienced. Your attitude in your letter shows exactly why people tend to think attorneys are ###. I have never seen it like this, people losing homes, etc. So stop wagging your finger, because there but the grace of God goes you.

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TammyDHU
St Cloud, US
Oct 23, 2013 10:59 pm EDT
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The a holes had the nerve to send someone to knock on my door one Saturday afternoon! This is a copy, word for word, of the complaint I made to the FTC among other agencies also:

On Saturday October 12, 2013 there was a knock at my apartment door. No unauthorized person may enter the building without being admitted by the tenant, unauthorized access inside the building is prohibited as we have a locked entry access. However when I answered the door it was a young man who delivered papers to me informing me of a so-called "lawsuit" against me being filed in the State of Minnesota in the County of Stearns: the papers appear to be a "summons" although there is no court file number on these papers. I have never in my life before heard of this agency, nor have I any knowledge of this alleged "debt" I supposedly owe, of which they do not provide any proof of whatsoever.

I want to either be provided by this company with documentation bearing the validity of whatever debt this is supposed to be or the company shall stop all collection efforts. I wish further to be notified of any legal action that can be taken against them as far as criminal activity violating FDCPA.

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Edgar75
San Francisco, US
Oct 21, 2013 12:53 pm EDT

What's funny is that all of you making comments are basing them on emotion AND not understanding the consumer and debtor laws in this country. I am an attorney and can understand your frustrations, but the bottom line here is ANYONE being contacted is being called because YOU have DEFAULTED on YOUR debt obligations. You call lawyers ### but yet you are not paying your bills FOR YEARS and still play the victim card when you start getting calls about your debt ... seriously?! Get a job or another job & pay your debt or don't buy things you know you cannot afford. Yes, to those of you who have debts due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e., health issues, accidents, being laid off, etc.) it's really unfortunate BUT you still owe the money. No one gets a free pass for having bad or unfortunate things happen to them when it pertains to debt. Why is the United States turning into a bunch of unaccountable whining citizens who blame everyone else for their decisions especially when your decisions? Try to understand the FDCPA's
consumer/creditor/debtor laws better (Google will help!) so you can educate yourselves with all of the ways to deal with these issues. You all look foolish when the information is available yet you all go on and on about this is illegal and that is illegal.

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dragonsouce
Wilkes-Barre, US
Jul 19, 2013 10:43 am EDT

Same here to me. I Had the guy say he was from Dell.Asked to confirm who I was. Then it turned out to be. Law Offices of Joe Pezzuto... How the F@#K did they know I owned a DELL never mind had a teck support calling back? Are these calling centers sharing Sharing information? This IS Illegal..

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Ballz831
Castroville, US
May 22, 2013 8:19 pm EDT

Its happening to me!

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Ballz831
Castroville, US
May 22, 2013 8:18 pm EDT

I rs happening to me!

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Ballz831
Castroville, US
May 22, 2013 8:17 pm EDT

Ots happening to me!

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Loves her Mom
, US
Feb 22, 2013 4:25 pm EST

Pezzuto is pestering the daylights out of my elderly bedridden mother. She is on social security and owns no assets or money they can get their claws into, so her lawyer told her to just not answer their (or any) collection calls. Sure they'll put a judgement on her name, but no one can touch her social security check, so the judgement is as far as they can go. She'll die and never pay a cent, which, given the greed and dishonesty with which both the credit card companies and the collection agencies have treated her, is only right.

When he calls here, Pezzuto spoofs a number from a city near us in hopes of making it look like we're getting a call from someone we know, in hopes that we'll answer. (Spoofing is totally illegal) Mother asked me to answer next time the caller ID showed that city, so I did, and it was Mr. Pezzuto. What a ###. I know who calls on that number now, so he'll not hear from us!

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Yoder T. Sheepherder
Mankato, US
Nov 30, 2012 3:34 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Settled with them for one amount. They were supposed to send written verification of the date and the amount before the amount was paid. Nothing. Three days before we were to pay the amount we get a letter that does not state the amount we agreed to, just said we had agreed to pay. Then I get a call and the guy states a number that was $600.00 more than the amount we had agreed on and says that he has proof that this was what I had agreed to and that if I don't pay it they will garnish my wages and taxes.

Some real sick freaks.

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TXMommy
Tucson, US
Aug 24, 2011 6:22 pm EDT
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Hopefully ex-pezzuto employee is still active on this thread. I just received a letter from JP, LLC stating that they will be garnishing my wages if I don't respond within 10 days. It has my current address and my current employer info on it. I'm not sure if this is legit because I do owe a very high balance. It's $10, 098. My husband and I got into a very bad car loan when we were young. Over 8 years ago. I had to quit my job to have a baby because I hadn't been there a yr yet so they would not allow pregnancy leave. And of course, my husband gets laid off at this same time. We couldn't pay and it got repo'd. So, I don't know the laws but I am scared that because it is such a large amount, they are able to do this... I only work part time at a grocery store opposite shifts from my husband because we have two little ones at home and cannot afford to put them both in daycare. So I only bring home $300 or less per paycheck. (every two weeks). The letter is also dated and stamped by the superior court and stamped with Patricia A Noland. Clerk of superior court. Is this real? I googled the name Joe Pezzuto right when I read this and found this little blog. Help!

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Ex-Pezzuto Employeee
Mesa, US
May 21, 2011 8:43 am EDT
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in regards to the comment above you can also email me directly at JoePezzutoIsAScumbag@gmail.com this really is an email address you can contact me at and feel free to write me w/any info you need for any employee you want from here and i promise i will get you all the info on any of them, including address, phone #, facebook page, mother's name, almost anything you need and i promise i will get you all of this! thanks again

Ex-Pezzuto Employee!

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Ex-Pezzuto Employeee
Mesa, US
May 21, 2011 8:42 am EDT
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Yeah Victor is a Supervisor there and he is no way shape or form a General manager the General Manager is Matt Gascon who is a loser who is 50+ years old lives his life having a critical mid life crisis you can check him out here on his facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1554293463 this guy wears a run down RUN DMC shirt every day. now don't get me wrong i love RUN DMC but he makes them look terrible... i used to work for these scam artists Victor you spoke w/is a 30 year old punk loser who cheats on his wife i believe his ex wife now because he sleeps w/random girls from the office, and he has 3 kids w/his ex wife, let me make the statement that she was absolutely gorgeous too surprisingly from a ### loser like victor, only if you guys could see this office it is sad... it is full of drug addicts and young kids who would steal your ssn, bank account info, cc info and keep in mind they are in AZ the #1 state for id theft so be careful dealing w/these low end losers also here is victor Perez's facebook if you have any messages send them to him directly he is a whiny little school girl he will probably pee his pants when he sees you have located him on facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1606075691 if you need any one elses info that works there such as cell phone #'s facebook pages any info along those lines feel free to message me here and i will provide you w/any info you need to contact any employee there, as i despise this company and the loser's who work here

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Blonda
, US
May 04, 2011 8:29 pm EDT

I had the pleasure of dealing with the lovely VICTOR, suposedly the general manager. What a ###! This is not a law firm, it is a scam artist firm. Their deception, lack of ethics, scare tactics, intemidation, and lies are outrageous! If there were any attorneys, they would have been disbarred by now. If you see their name on call ID, do what I do, ignore the idiots!

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where will it be displayed?
Waxhaw, US
Jan 12, 2010 11:17 am EST

Totally agree. These guys are just ###.

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Logan 69
Philadelphia, US
Jan 11, 2010 1:14 pm EST

this people are calling my now I had to research them on the internet, I thought it was a law office, on their voice message, it stated that I should get legal representation, and I lost sleep over someone taking me to court, America is in a financial crisis, and people are losing their jobs, homes, cars. these people need to get in line, you can't get blood from a rock.

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Margie Bookstrong
Tucson, US
Dec 01, 2009 3:40 pm EST

This Law firm is member of a group that makes a living (not honest) by collecting charged off credit card dept. They buy your 3000 card dept for 400 bucks or less and will take you to court to collect on the 3000. This is how they make money. In the dictionary next to slime you'll find the picture of these people. What they do is legal, unfortunately. What you need to do to avoid this aholes, is never to get a credit card, live a simple and happy live. Any State that allows these bottom-feeders to operate should not get a penny from you in taxes. Arizona is one these States. Avoid Arizona if you have credit card dept, or file bankruptcy.