ACT began sending 'dunning' notices (collection letter) via U.S. Mail over a year ago. Upon receiving the first one, I promptly sent a written dispute notice via fax and Certified mail.in my letter, I clearly explained that I had already filed a number of disputes with the Department of Education concerning the alleged student loan accounts. I also included a "cease and desist" request that directed ACT not to contact me again via mail, telephone, or any other means. They received and signed for my Certified letter a few days after it was mailed.
ACT ignored my dispute and my request to cease communication. Just two days after receiving my dispute letter, they sent another dunning notice. Five more followed on roughly a bi-monthly basis, and they made several attempts to track my down via phone. Each letter and each attempt to call me was a violation of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. 1692 c (c).
Fortunately, they weren't able to bother me by phone as I have been living outside the U.S. But I gathered up the letters that they kept sending and hired an attorney who filed a suit against them in Federal Court. A few weeks later, they contacted my attorney and agreed to settle for thousands of dollars!
These d*heads ignore the FDCPA just like most other collection firms. They know that few consumers will actually go through with filing a lawsuit against them, so they just continue to break the law on an ongoing basis. If others don't sue them, they'll just keep on violating the law!
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