Debt collection agency had agents dress up like police officers, threaten victims with arrest

[ck4829]

State prosecutors accused debt collectors in Erie of posing as sheriff's deputies and conducting bogus court hearings to shake down debtors.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Erie, the Attorney General's Office accused Unicredit America Inc. of Erie of using "deceptive tactics to mislead, confuse or coerce consumers," including holding hearings in a mock courtroom.

Michael Covatto, president of Unicredit, did not return a phone call.

"This is an unconscionable attempt to use fake court proceedings to deceive, mislead or frighten consumers into making payments or surrendering valuables to Unicredit without following lawful procedures for debt collection," said Attorney General Tom Corbett in a statement.

Unicredit allegedly sometimes used people disguised as sheriff's deputies to hand-deliver "hearing notices" to debtors, said the lawsuit. That gave the impression that recipients could be taken into custody if they didn't appear in the phony court for the fake hearings and depositions.

The fictitious courtroom proceedings often intimidated debtors into signing payment agreements or making immediate payments and also providing access to bank accounts or surrendering vehicles and other assets, the lawsuit claims.

Unicredit engaged a lawyer near its office to help in the bogus collection process, according to the lawsuit. Attorney Lawrence D'Ambrosio allegedly prepared legal letters and "subpoenas" for Unicredit to use in the scheme.

D'Ambrosio, who was not sued in this case, could not be reached.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_706823.html

Sued? SUED?! If some guy tried this; dressed up like a deputy and threatened people with arrest unless they signed over bank accounts, then the guy would be thrown in prison so fast for impersonating a police officer, several different types of fraud, making threats, theft, and more so fast that his head would spin.

At least the Attorney General is petitioning to freeze their bank accounts, wonder if it'll actually go through though.

[Bitwit1234]

1. Isn't - impersonating a police officer a felony

and how about impersonating court officials. Why doesn't the police arrest them.

[etherealtruth]

7. That was my first thought

I have no doubt that if I impersonated someone from law enforcement I'd be in a world of trouble ....why aren't they?

[mudplanet]

2. They actually pulled this on me. They came to my old apartment at

five am and stood beating on the door and stood outside the bldg shouting my name and threats about jail etc. My ex neighbor told me about it. He said he finally got out of bed and went to the front door of the bldg and explained that I didn't live there but she persisted with yelling threats. Finally my neighbor said he looked closely at her uniform and realized she wasn't even a real police officer so he looked at her and said, "Look, go away or I'm going to call a real policeman." and she got in her car and left.

This was after they had persisted in harassing me on the phone. Finally a really rude one called and started abusing me on the phone. I told her that I was ill and hadn't been able to work for over two years but she persisted. , "I can't believe that you can have a phone and you can't pay anything on this bill," she said. I thought, good point and threw it out of the car window. End of problem.

How to deal with someone in a fake police outfit pounding on your door and shouting threats:
take your shotgun and sit in a chair on the inside of the door.
Just make sure the door looks like it was forced.

I can't believe I can afford to own a shotgun and not pay anything on that bill.

[TexasObserver]

3. The collection business is mainly ignorant people.

Every few years, a new batch of collection groups develop, using illegal tactics. They don't know or don't care, though. The worst of the bunch get public scrutiny, but most fly under radar and get away with all manner of illegal abuse.

There is a federal FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT (or something of similar name) which regulates their conduct. I'm sure a quick search of that term would reveal a number of sites with "your rights" enumerated.

Anyone who is being harassed by calls should let the calls go to voice mail, so they can create a tape recorded message that can be used to prove what was said. Often, you cannot surreptitiously tape them, but if they voluntarily leave a taped message, that's (usually) admissible and not illegally obtained.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. If these deadbeats payed their bills they wouldn't be hauled in to fake court.

:sarcasm:

I figured I would beat our resident authoritarians to punch.

[pipoman]

5. Threatening or even implying

criminal action while attempting to collect a debt is a fairly severe violation of the fair debt collection practices act, iirc.

[indepat]

6. The minimum penalty should be forgiveness of the entire debt imo

:patriot:

[WinkyDink]

8. How about some arrests for impersonating an officer?