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This article is from my email alert service with insidearm.com. They run a forum for collectors over there. Shocked

Just last week, McCollum's office announced a settlement with Allen Lewis Associates for around $51,000 ("Florida Collector Settles with State AG," Nov. 29). McCollum had charged the company with deceptive business practices.

According to a spokesperson in the attorney general’s office, McCollum currently has four cases pending against debt collection agencies in Jacksonville. In addition to the Bass and Allen Lewis cases, investigators are looking into JBC Associates and Ellis Crosby & Associates, according to The Florida Times-Union. Ellis Crosby was sued back in 2005 under Attorney General Charlie Crist over excessive consumer complaints and fdcpa violations. McCollum's office could not confirm if its current investigation is an extension of the 2005 case.

The spokesperson said that there isn't a specific reason for the cases against the four agencies. “The companies just happen to be in Jacksonville,” she said.

The recent trend could be a result of the growth of the collection market in Jacksonville, said the spokesperson. “The city is a large financial services call center area,” she said.

The chief operating officer of one of the largest collection agencies in Jacksonville agreed. “There is a lot of collection activity here,” said Kirk Moquin of Enhanced Recovery Corp. “But a lot of it is first party work. Citigroup, Bank of America and others have call centers here. So I guess many collection agencies are sprouting up out of that.”

Enhanced has some 400 employees in the Jacksonville area in two offices. The company is opening another call center next year in Waycross, Ga., a town about 75 miles from Jacksonville.

Moquin is not overly concerned with the attention Jacksonville agencies have been receiving. “We have a very strong compliance department. We do not operate in a ‘gray area’ when it comes to compliance, so we will continue to operate that way,” he said.

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:05 am Subject:

It's good to know that the AG is moving against companies like Ellis Crosby and Bass

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:48 am Subject:

51 thousand is not a lot of money. Considering that even small collection agencies make 2-3 million a month.

guest · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:14 am Subject:

yes but 51 thousand is a grip of money to average person that even small agencies are collecting from--every little bit counts to average person- and Im thinking if small companies actually made 2-3 million a month-their agents wouldn't be so quick to break fdcpa laws? and if so why? perhaps I am wrong but if small companies are making this much then commissions earned by all collection agents shouldn't make the bad ones act so desperate? And why according to studies are so many collection agency employees in debt if even small companies are earning so much? Not paying their employees enough? -which leads to their subsequent actions? 51 thousand in my opinion is a lot of money to me almost a years wages as a matter of fact did I miss the point here? sorry if I did

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:39 am Subject:

I received $200 as a result of this action, not a whole lot but I will take it. It would have been nice if they had gotten more from them, but every little bit helps I suppose. If allen lewis continues breadking the fdcpa Florida might not be so easy on them next time.

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:17 am Subject:

Guest the one thing to think about in this type of case is the AG has an authority to issue permanent injunctions which would cost the companies a lot of money by closing their doors and barring them from collecting in that state.

guest · Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:38 pm Subject:

I thought this also bulldog but someone said $51k isn't a lot of money and I think it is a lot of money and is a start at closing doors you referred to thanks for your informative post! Razz

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