A debt collector claiming to be Erica Shaw or Erica Shah, a legal processor from a law firm called Rephen Law Firm (which she purposely pronounced Restin to avoid identification online) has attempted to collect a debt for a $45 bounced check. Their phone number is 845-678-1296. It is obvious from the overwhelming number of online complaints made to debt/credit complaint forums and the Federal Trade Commission that they are an illegitimate operation and should not be paid a single dime.
It is also evident that the processing fees they are attempting to collect are illegal given the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) http://www.ftc. Gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18. Shtm and therefore should not be paid either.
When questioned, she cited the Uniform Commercial Code which can be found here: http://en. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Commercial_Code and seen as an obvious sham to be cited, as states adopt only parts of the Universal Commercial Code and in different ways, meaning there is no way for her to tell me how exactly how it applies. It doesn't. It's like saying the Bible says something is wrong, but without telling me the verse. Obviously bull.
It also clear to me that their threats to take legal action and take me to court are also illegal given the FDCPA as well. They also refuse to put anything in writing and refuse to stop contacting me after both verbal and written no-contact statements, which is also illegal.
My only question is why fraudulent companies such as this are still able to operate under this Act?
This company has even set up bogus consumer help/protection websites to gather people's information here: http://mharveyrephenlaw.com/.
How is this legal? Should I report again to the Federal Trade Commission here https://www.ftccomplaintassistant. Gov/FTC_Wizard. Aspx? Lang=en or somewhere else?
In short, do not give these people a dime. They prey on people who do not know their legal rights. They only buy bulk debt from companies who have already written off bounced checks. They intimidate people into thinking they are going to go to jail or be taken to court because their check bounced when this is simply not true.
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