https://ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds/Filing-a-Consumer-Complaint Law enforcement actions are taken by the Attorney General to protect the public good and to ensure a fair market place. However, for individual consumer complaints, the Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection offers an informal dispute resolution program for complaints against a merchant or business.
Abusive Collection Practices and Doctor or Hospital Bills
Half of all overdue debt on credit reports is from medical debt: A staggering 52 percent of all debt on credit reports is from medical expenses. When a debt is past due, a collector may report the consumer’s account to a credit reporting agency. On the consumer’s report, this item would appear as an account in collections, resulting in a credit score drop.
Debt Collection Violations, False threats to Come to Home or Office
Collectors threatened consumers to avoid additional collection activity, including being visited at home or work. In fact, the entity(ies) did not actually conduct such in-person collection visits. Supervision concluded these representations constituted deceptive acts or practices. Delinquent consumers could reasonably interpret the entity(ies)’ statements to mean that in-person visits to the consumers’ place of employment or home would take place if the consumers did not immediately contact the entity(ies). The representations were material to consumers because they could cause consumers to change their behavior to avoid the promised visits. One or more entities agreed to modify their collection practices to comply with Federal consumer financial laws.
Debt Collection Violations, Calling at Odd Hours or Inconvenient Times
Communicating with consumers at a time known to be inconvenient Under section 805(a)(1) of the FDCPA, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the consumer.
Unlawful Debt Collection Practices
violated the FDCPA by attempting to collect a debt directly from the authorized user of a credit card even though the authorized user was not financially responsible for the debt. The practice of soliciting payment from a non-obligated user in a manner that implies that the authorized user is personally responsible for the debt constitutes a deceptive means to collect a debt in violation of the FDCPA
Misrepresentations of Loan Interest Rates and Terms
Companies Hid Loan Interest Rates and Fees and Deceived Consumers About Other Terms of the Deal The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit charging companies with deceiving consumers about the costs and risks of their pension advance loans. The CFPB allege that the companies duped consumers into borrowing against their pensions by deceptively marketing the product... Continue Reading →
Online Marketing Schemes and Fraud
The Federal Trade Commission has charged an online marketing operation with deceptively luring people into an expensive negative option scam using an initial low-cost ($1.03, plus shipping and handling) “trial” offer for tooth whiteners and other products. A federal court temporarily halted the operation and froze its assets at the request of the FTC, which... Continue Reading →
Claims for Sale of Recalled Products
Home Depot is paying a $5.7 million in penalties to settle charges stemming from allegations that it sold consumer products that had been recalled. According to a Law360 news report, the settlement resolves charges that Home Depot sold nearly 3,000 units of recalled consumer products including light fixtures, smoke alarms and other items. According to the ... Continue Reading →
NEW YORK FILES CLAIMS AGAINST MAJOR WORLD
A Channel 4 I-Team report states, New York City Sues Car Dealer After Accusations of Loan Fraud. http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Auto-Loan-Fraud-Subprime-Lawsuit-Major-World-Car-Dealer-New-York-City-Consumer-Affairs-Sue-421622913.html The story relates claim of deception in Major World sales and financing. Consumers who have been victims of deception may have legal claims. Call (973) 598-1980 for a free consultation on your Major World consumer fraud claim ... Continue Reading →
Medical Billing Fraud
Medical bill fraud has victims and can occur in a variety of ways. 1. Code Misrepresentation The physician performs service A, but submits a bill for more expensive procedure B, or A and B. 2. Fraudulent Observation or Cloning More elaborately, a false set of observations or other materials is provided, sometimes from another patient. ... Continue Reading →