Anderson, Crenshaw & Associates Charged with Violations
August 18th, 2008 by Kenneth Long
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has charged a Dallas debt collection firm with violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. This enforcement action is in response to 75 complaints filed with the AG office, as well as 72 complaints registered with the Better Business Bureau.
Violation of Right to Request Validation
One of the accusations made by the Attorney General is that Anderson, Crenshaw & Associates L.L.P. unlawfully mailed debt collection letters during the initial 30-day period in which debtors are to be able to request validation of the debt. Debt collectors may not pursue collection of debt until after this initial period in which a debtor may dispute the validity of the debt.
Unlawfully Harassing Debtors
At a time when too many Texans are struggling to protect their homes, the defendant’s unlawful letters are threatening debtors with legal action, homestead liens and wage garnishment in violation of the law. — Attorney General Greg Abbott
The problem with these threats is that the firm did not always intend to take such action. Many cases did not meet the firm’s internal criteria for pursuing legal action. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a debt collector is prohibited from threatening action that it does not intend to take.
Other forms of abuse mentioned in the charges include the use of profanity and repeated telephone calls intended to harass debtors. The charges are being filed as violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Debtors that have been harassed by the defendant or by other debt collectors should contact their state’s Attorney General office to file a complaint. Owing a debt does not mean that you must take the abuse of noncompliant debt collectors.
This entry was posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008 at 10:01 am and is filed under Consumer Protection. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Based on your comments about Anderson, Crenshaw & Associates, L.L.C., it is clear that you have concerns regarding your account. Anderson, Crenshaw & Associates welcomes the opportunity to address your concerns and issues and encourages you to call our Dispute Coordinator, Jared, at 214-368-2980 extension 2309. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you in the spirit of cooperation to resolve your account.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Dear Nikki:
We appreciate when a firm makes an attempt to accommodate their customers. We hope that your firm is able to address the concerns of the Texas Attorney General and to protect the rights of your clients.
Debtors are reminded that this action by the Texas AG does not relieve you of financial obligations owed to debt collectors. However, if you feel that your rights have been violated, then you are encouraged to contact the Attorney General in your state.