By: Jeffrey Lapin Collecting on debts of the deceased has become a very profitable area in the debt collections industry. Using tactics and practices created specifically to convince anguished family members to pay, some of these debt collectors will stop at nothing to get money even breaking the law. In almost all circumstances you are
Approximately one year ago, the United States Supreme Court in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, upheld forced arbitration clauses and prohibited consumers from pursuing many claims in class action lawsuits. A recent article finds that consumers are disadvantaged by forced arbitration clauses. Companies, not consumers, benefit when disputes are arbitrated rather than litigated and decided
By: Jeffrey Lapin Consumers beware: scammers are lurking everywhere trying to separate you from your money or to steal your identity. With some simple precautions you can prevent yourself from being their next victim. Below are 11 ways you can protect yourself.
By: Jeffrey Lapin Consumers beware: scammers are working overtime to separate you from your money and identity. Their techniques are becoming more sophisticated as many consumers have become more wary. Not only are scammers targeting your money they are also trying to steal your identity, which can be more profitable than just getting a single
By: Jeffrey Lapin Lapin Law Offices urges consumers to protect themselves against phantom debt collectors. A phantom debt collector is a “debt collector” who attempts to collect on a debt that never existed or that you do not legally owe. They may also be known as “fake debt collectors” or “false debt collectors.. As we
By: Jeffrey Lapin According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) many consumers throughout the country have reported getting telephone calls from phantom debt collectors trying to collect on fake or false debts. The FTC has started targeting these phantom debt collectors and have filed suit against a group that has allegedly collected over $5 million dollars.
Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) recently introduced H.R. 4101 (112th Congress, Second Session) entitled the “Fair Debt Collection Practices Clarification Act of 2012”, to the House Committee on Financial Services. The proposed Act would alter the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and permit debt collectors to leave voicemails and messages on answering machines, which is
By: Jeffrey Lapin Ogallala State Sen. Ken Schilz, in LB 1021, wants to require motorists who collide with livestock to have to prove specific acts of negligence on the part of the cow’s owner before they can recover for their injuries. This would be a significant change in Nebraska law. It also would make it virtually
By: Jeffrey Lapin On February 16, 2012, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a proposed rule to identify the debt collectors and consumer reporting agencies will fall within its nonbank supervision program. Before it can began to monitor these entitieis, it has to define who is a “larger participant” within these areas. Currently, debt
By: Jeffrey Lapin On February 16, 2012, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to encourage automobile manufacturers to limit the distraction risks posed by in-vehicle electronics. The guidelines, which would be voluntary, would apply to most non-commercial vehicles. The goal is to limit the number of injuries