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District Attorneys In Bed With A Collection Agency

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

When you think about a collection agency, the last thing you would imagine is that they are in bed with District Attorneys. However, more than 300 District Attorneys’ offices around the United States have partnered up with a number of debt collectors to use prosecutors’ letterhead to warn debtors of possible jail time. According to the New York Times, collection agencies who were allowed to use these letters will return the favor. How you ask? Well, the debt collectors are not only collecting money owed to them, but the collectors are also charging debtors fees for taking classes on financial responsibility and budgeting. A percentage of these fees will then go to the District Attorneys’ offices.You might be wondering if the District Attorneys’ Office look at each of these letters before they are sent out? The answer is no. According to consumer lawyers, one million letters go out each year with the use of the prosecutors’ letterhead without the prosecutors’ review. Though this method has been criticized by many, prosecutors have said that this has helped them focus on more serious crimes.Whatever the prosecutors’ reasons may be, both the District Attorneys and the debt collectors better be aware of the laundry list of protections consumers are afforded under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”). One section of the FDCPA deals with deceptive collection efforts. The FDCPA clearly states, “A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representations or means in connection with the collection of any debt.” It certainly would seem that sending a collection letter on a District Attorney’s letterhead, without any supervision or review my a lawyer, would be deceptive and misleading.Have you received a collection letter on District Attorneys’ letterhead? If so, contact Mike Agruss Law, for a free consultation. Or, if you believe a collection agency has been deceptive or misleading while attempting to collect a debt, contact us to discuss your rights. If a debt collector violates the FDCPA, you are entitled to money damages. Plus, the debt collector has to pay your attorney’s fees. Call us today so we can stop the debt collection harassment once and for all.

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