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On August 16, 2007, my checking accounts with Washington Mutual were levied by a well-known riff-off law firm Wolpoff & Abramson, LLP ('Wolpoff' that purchased debt for pennies and through its collection agency, Palisades Collection they filed a judgment, put a dent on my credit without my knowledge and put a levy amount of $2,437.34 plus $.64 interest per day from 8/14/07 to my accounts.
I've also received 17 large envelops that Wolpoff mailed to my address that they are supposed to be mailed to 17 other people with names appeared on the envelops, from 7/31, 7/30, 8/1, 8/2, 8/3, 8/6, 8/7, and 8/15. This was not inadvertent mistake, it's improper service. They mailed out on different date and time. I've been paying regularly to them and never thought of their intent.
I came to the Washington Mutual bank with intent to pay but the bank told me that my accounts were frozen and only Wolpoff can release my accounts, and I was humiliated for being sued from Wamu employees point of view.
On one of my checking account, Wolpoff withdrew my entire balance of $2,296. On another account, I had $5,298.71 which was more than sufficient to pay for the levy amount.
I asked the bank to provide me with a Reg E and requested to transfer funds from one account to another to have enough fund for the levy but my other account was also restricted so I could not transfer my money. I had bills to pay with other outstanding checks and having both accounts frozen was a shock to me. This is my livelihood, and I could not access my account, my money to pay for my bills plus NFS fees while the bank did nothing to resolve.
While at the bank, around 12:25PM, I contacted 2 Collection employees of Wolpoff, Pruitt and O'Connor, they instructed me to write a claim # when paying the levy amount but they would not release my account until paid.
Please advise the best course of action against this company smb and prevent this to other innocent consumers.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I am ashamed to say that I worked as an attorney for Wolpoff for a year. It is a debt collection mill. Most of the debtors end with default judgments that they don't know about (until a bank levy or wage garnishment) because the debtor was never served with the Complaint initiating litigation- The Litigation is unopposed and the debtor never files a response/Answer because, of course, they were never served. The Proof of Service of the Complaint often contained a vague descriptions of the person supposedly served with a copy of the Complaint, e.g., "female" (and nothing else-which can often be figured out by the debtor's name) because there never was any service attempted on the debtor. The illegal and defective default judgments usually contain/ed wrong amounts for the amount owed- the original debt amount is inflated as is the interest calculation- so the judgment even if if were proper is grossly inflated. Also, Wolpoff consistently filed Complaints and obtained default judgments as described above on debt that were time-barred and therefore, uncollectible. Complain to the CFPB about their tactics. If the collector is being abusive and you are not alone, put them on speaker phone so you have a witness. Don't write them about their error- they know- and the letters are thrown in the trash.
They also served me at a residence that I have never lived at or been to. I only knew about the lawsuit when I received the court documents saying I had defaulted. They received a judgement of $1800 (no addtl charges of atty fees) from a debt that is way beyond the statute of limitations. (Original debt was $300) I agreed to pay them monthly and when I had paid the enitre $1800 I was informed that it was NOT paid off. They were taking 30% of each payment and putting towards "monthly payment charges." I stopped paying them a little more than 2 years ago and it is still showing as an un paid judgement on my credit report. I am terrified to contact them to have it declared paid because they may "serve" me again and I won't know about it until I received the default papers. What can I do?
Wolpoff & Abramson are junk debt buyers. They're a real pain and in our opinion don't follow the rules too often. Try http://www.mycreditgroup.com
I paid W@A over $6000 two years ago for a debt they collected on me. They did not take that owed debt off my credit and now I have some other company calling and harrasing me to pay the same debt. I am still paying $300/month to pay for the loan I got to pay W&A. I faxed a copy of the check sent to W&A to the newly harassing company, which is what they requested. Now they want more. Anyone have any idea what I should do?
FYI...if you did legal research & knew collection law you would know that a 10 day notice of intent to sue is mandated by the FDCPA! Second you would know that it is the intent of the law firm to sue on all debts placed with them. If a suit has not been filed the client (who owns the file) has probably closed the file with the law firm or choose to move it back to an agency for further collection efforts.
People please...a law firm can & will sue you. Law firms do not own these debts but are employed by the client. Who are the bottom feeders here? You admit you used the credit, ran it up and now refuse to pay it. You stole from the creditor, you stole from the store you purchased the merchandise from and know you're ### about a bill you know you owe. You must be proud of yourself.
Mistakes happen in the legal field that's why it is called the practice of law. However, if you are not the right person the law firm is looking for why not simple asked for a manager and fax in proof you are not them? Ask to speak to the attorney who is signing the documents you get. Try educating yourself correctly instead of playing the poor pititful me. If they don't know they have the wrong person how can they correct it?
Try to remember that a law firm is not the same as a collection agency-law firms have legal rights and remedies when it comes to debt collection and they do use it as granted by law.
Has anyone ever received a letter from Wolpoff that threatened a lawsuit if they did not settle within 10 days, and the matter was not settled during that time but a lawsuit was never filed?
I represent someone who has a deceptive debt collection practices lawsuit against Wolpoff alleging the above and am looking to find out about similar Wolpoff behavior.
Thanks.
Shaun
Huong Lant, why do you call yourself an innocent consumer? You owe a debt, you acknowledge that you had the money to pay the debt you owe, but you refused to pay your debt.
This company has gotten me as well. I have asked by certified mail several times asking for proof of signature along with complete copies of anything they have. Now, I have to go to pretrial conferencing soon and have no idea what will happen being that I am unemployed, and own nothing.
Actually, to the collection employee above, Wolpoff and other bottomfeeders are debt buyers, NOT creditors. They purchase portfolios of charged off/discharged in BK debts (many beyond the Statute of Limitations) for as little as 1/2 cent on the dollar. If the "debt" were legit, then why do they feel the need to go for the default? And why, when you answer their summons and do a Request for Documents, all of a sudden, they back off? I will tell you one reason why: Debt buyers/bottomfeeders do NOT want it public record how much they paid for an account. When fighting Wolpoff and their ilk, demand as part of the Discovery process, a copy of the contract with their "client", a copy of the contract/bill of sale of the debt buyer and original creditor, and if sold multiple times, demand ALL documentation pertaining. Most of the time, they don't have it and if they do, they would rather move on to an easier mark than someone who will fight back. Most of W&A's filings are CHOCK full of material errors and a First Quarter Paralegal student could do a better job. Oh, wait.. at the time, I WAS a first quarter paralegal student and I DID do a better job than their "attorney" (who is too busy plastering sexy pictures of herself on Facebook to pay attention to what she signs).
The most hysterical thing about my husband's case was that the so-called "attorney" has a public record herself, as she apparently couldn't pay for her house and it was foreclosed on.
JOE MADE A LITTLE MISTAKE. THESE PEOPLE WILL HIT YOU EVEN IF YOU DON'T OWE THE DEBT. HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THEM FOR OVER A YEAR ON AN ACCOUNT WHICH WAS NOT MY FATHERS. YOU CANNOT TALK TO A ROCK WALL. AS JOE SAID, GARNISHMENTS ARE LEGAL. HOWEVER IF THE BILL IS ILLEGAL THEN THESE LAW FIRMS SHOULD HAVE THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS FROZEN.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED.
Garnishments are legal people! These law firms can and will empty your bank accounts. Good luck trying to stop them. Here's a better solution------> Pay your bills and stop running credit cards up so far that you can't afford them with your material purchases and then you won't be sued and/or garnished. Garnishments are legal in almost every state. This excuse that this is the first time you've heard of this debt when you were garnished is the oldest one in the book and a million people use it everyday. Get a life, a job and pay your bills.
Trust me, you got "sewer served". W&A is well known for this. They attempted to do the same thing to us, but unfortunately for them, my husband works closely with the Sheriff's Department, so we did get the summons. They initially supposedly attempted to serve at an address that doesn't exist, and they knew wasn't correct..we had the green card on the certified mail that they signed for. We sent them a certified letter several months earlier, as they had pulled a hard inquiry on my husband's credit (which also had the correct address..imaginary address was not on there). After we answered the complaint, they then tried to send us to the wrong address for Case Management. Too bad the Clerk also sent us a Notice of Case Management Conference that had the correct address.
Two days after we filed our Case Management Statement with the court, Wolpoff & Abramson and their "client", Palisades, DISMISSED the claim. They seem to favor sewer service when their claim has no legal merit and go straight for the default.
If I were the OP, I would file a Motion to Vacate, as it is more than obvious you were not served. You should also file an ethics complaint with the State Bar.
I had dealings with W&A and it has been a nightmere. I had a garentiment that lasted a long while ended up paying more for my original bill that i should of had to and now they refuse to file the apporperate papers to close the judgement. they conviently say that the account is closed and they have no other information on it.
It is a sad day when men like W&A have to prey upon other human to try and get rich. Gentlemen, just want you two to know that God will not stand by and let you abuse his children.
W & A, when you do to bed to night think about what you are doing and what you have done. Take a good look at yourselves in a mirror. Because you both will rule the day for what you are doing. I am a concern person, I do not like when someone like you two treat a person less that human. I am asking God to step in on my behalf because you are so wrong.
I hate collection agencies!
Learn how to get these ### off your credit report.
http://aaacreditguide.com/collections/
I just came back from a leave of absence and was informed that this Wolpoff & abramson has a garnishment against me for the amt of $1069.54 I have no idea what it for and have received no contact from this firm regarding it I contacted my payroll dept and that is how I found out who it was from how do i stop them?
This company did pretty much the same thing to my father. They froze his account and Bank Of America allowed them. He only receives social security and a retirement check. Bank of America even charged my father $100 for filing a garnishment w/ the court. What makes it so bad is that the person W&A are looking for is not my father. Once I got everything straighten out to prove that my father is the wrong person, Bank of America did not reimburse my father. All this happened around the end of July. W&A tried again in September. I spoke to a Larry Kline @ W&A, he said that he flagged the account as being invalid and that the matter is resolved. They tried again today! These people must be stopped!
this company did the same thing to me plus also calling neighbors checking who I am . I never charged anything but they have only charge no signuatures of the charges. I request to see who sign for the msde. They refuse to answer me. THey put a lien on my acct for over forty thousand dollars. They refuse to listen to me. But , they ruined my credit without my knowledge. I received calls all time of the day, fed ex letters all times of the day. They even had other collection companies call me for the same collection. This company is a fraud. They do things with out your knowledge, to many people in the bucket who do not know what the other is doing.
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME... except... I authorized them for a one time w/draw towards a debt. They made 2 ach's right when my rent was due and gave me the run around. My bank told me to file a police report for the money and to close my account. I closed the account and filed a complaint w/ the BBB. I am going to the Attorney General in their state of business on Monday! We all need to continue to complain so that these companies cannot continue to rip us off! And I strongly believe they prey on low income people or people who are already in debt. w/ that said... be wise and keep a look out for EVER PRIVATE CARD SERVICES. After this whole ordeal w/ the law firm, all of my bills and rent was so back up, I had to live off pay day loans and somehow this company everprivate obtained my new account info and presented a check to my bank for 49.95, they have yet to send me my refund they promised!