May 7, 2010

By: Shaun Ertischek, Esq.

The New York Attorney General has sued an attorney that allegedly allowed a debt collection firm, Eastern Asset Management, to utilize his name and his law firm’s name to threaten and harass consumers.  It is alleged that the attorney did no actual legal work, while the collection agency told consumers that they were calling from or working in conjunction with the attorney’s office.  The collection agency purportedly also falsely stated that they had filed lawsuits against consumers and, in some cases, that they had judgments.  The agency routinely threatened consumers by saying that they would be charged with a crime and be imprisoned.  Such false threats and misrepresentations constitute violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.