John P Frye Law Office ripping me off, what can I do to get out of it?

Actually, I never heard anything from anyone until I got the letter in the mail from one John P. Frye. I immediately called their office and was met with an extremely rude employee, screaming and yelling, telling me that she didn't care what I did they would just sue me. Well, always wanting the last word, I told her fine, sue me. Slap **** went the phone. I tracked down an email address for the CEO of ACF, John P. Frye and the Customer Complaint person and I sent off my C and D letter via that mode, in order to expedite things. I haven't heard word one since that time. In the meantime, I became privy to info, via an ex employee, that ACF is actually owned by Cargill, Inc., by 51%. Another interesting fact. when I tried to mail a copy of my C and D to Mr. pain in the butt Frye, the post office couldn't do it with the address I was using, which came directly from Frye's letterhead. The PO Box was legit, but it was not attached to the zip code that was given. I asked the post office to mail it to that PO Box but use the correct zip code. My question now is, by using a bogus zip code, would the mail not be delivered and somehow negate the 30 day window to ask for the identifying/qualifying info? I was told by the post office that it could take weeks before the mail found it's way back to me if it was undeiverable. I just recently sent the C and D CMRRR so I will have to wait and see what happens. It will be interesting to see if the PO Box is affiliated with Frye's office or if it will be returned as a "wrong address". I also indicated that a copy was sent to Cargill. These people do not play by the books, which is evident by the fact that they skip the collection agency and go straight to Frye. Personally I really don't care what they do. If I get a summons, I go to court. I will bring all my info with me. I will let the judge deal with it. Just make sure you keep receipts of everything you do with this slick operation. I'll keep ya posted on what turns up.


****Adult term removed - Jason

Well, I have read your posts, as I've posted on earlier strings. I sent a certified Letter for DV, and on Monday, it will be 30 days. I have heard nothing, I know it was received because it was signed and returned. Ironically, the phone calls stopped the day they signed the letter. I also received notification from the original creditor that they sold the account to ACF, dated the same day John Frye signed the certified letter. So, I guess at this point I wait? I don't know what else to do. I don't want to contact the Frye office again since I did and they said, in so many words "come up with the money or we'll sue you"!
I want to pay someone something; only I want it to be legit and actually arrange a plan since I did that with the original creditors collection company, CRI, until they charged off the account. I am frustrated and have tried for a year to avoid BK, but looking like the only option left to settle all of this mess (I also have a house that won't sell). Any insight, anyone???

I had sent my DV letter via email to both JPF and ACF. I never received any phone calls from either of them. I then sent a hard copy of the DV to JPF and it was signed for just recently. I am willing to bet that the debt was bought for probably 10% of what it was worth and I have a really hard time giving 90% of that debt to someone who is not the original creditor. That is why I asked for several things prior to agreeing to anything. So to answer the question. . . .waiting is probably all that is available. I suppose a summons could show up and if it does, don't ignore it. That is exactly what they bank on. They will win by default if not answered. Good luck and keep us posted.

I used to work for ACF which is or was John P Frye, if you want inside info on what you can do, please let me know.

any info would be good. I have no communication. I know the DV was signed for. I will wait for the "summons" as threatened by their staff for lawsuit and respond.. I am not going to let it go if they paid 10% for the debt and wanted 95%

I think the worst part of all of this is that once your debt gets charged off and sold, alot of the options you had before are now gone. You can still settle your debt with ACF but remember if you get mad and mention something about a law suit the collection agent can no longer talk to you and your case is then turned over to legal. If i am correct and if you have a lump sum you can settle for as low as %60 percent even after your debt if charged off and sold to acf. I would not wait for a summons. The last thing any of you want at this point is something to go to court. That can tack on something like 5000 to your debt. This is how debt sales works. Everything goes from the last payment you make to the credit card company. Then after that there is a ticking statute of limitations on a company being able to collect that debt. Lets say you last paid your credit card billed in January of 2008. In Virginia the statute is I believe 3 yrs. In Kentucky the statute is something like 12yrs. Meaning a company has twelve years to collect that debt in any legal way. There is also an amount of debt that each state has set that a company can sue on, some states let a company sue for as little as $800(WV) and some state like California are alot higher $2000 i think. So you need to find out what your numbers are in the state you live in. Because if your debtor is low and you last payment statute is about to expire I would avoid the debt buying company because they can do nothing to you after that. Your credit might be screwed but it probably is great already. But i would not get attitudes or angry at these people because if you want to pay, ask to make payments, and MAKE your payments. If you want to settle then borrow money and settle for 60 %. DO NOT LET them take you to court because if they get a judgment against you, you can have your wages garnished and that is the last thing someone who has to put food on the table for their family wants to happened, because that will be something like 20% out of your paycheck before you even see it. If you want to make some time for yourself. When someone calls you mention the words Fraud, or Theft in the phone call, because as the employee is talking to you they are putting notes in the computer in your file with those words. And sometimes ACF will use a word filter in their case and they will get rid of all the cases that get caught in that filter. But that is a long shot. Also you could blame your kid because ACF does not prosecute minors nor do they prosecute someone drawing social security because you can not garnish that. Also there are more debt friendly states than others, like texas for instance, look up the homested act, i think. Anyway, i will check back with you, ask me anything.

I called the company as soon as I got the letter; they wanted me to pay immediately the amount I owed to HSBC. I knew that they didn't buy it for that, why would they? I tried to make arrangements because JPF said that ACF bought it and gave it to them immediately. I have yet to hear from ACF. So after 4 days of phone calls and threats to sue and I mentioned that we talked to a BK lawyer, the woman "Cindy" a manager I was transferred to from Brenda Fox, said I had tied her hands. They offerred me the payoff at 20% less than I owed HSBC. I immediately sent a DV letter, certified, which they signed for and as of Monday, it has been 30 days and I haven't heard word one. So now what? Is it now going to an attorney in my state for lawsuit? I have no way to get a loan to pay anything so they really have me bent over a barrell so to speak.

they will check all the paticulars of your case(ie make sure the statute is fine and make sure the balance meets the state requirements and then they will send it off to an attorney in your state. That attorney will look further at the case, probably pull a credit report and see if you have bank accounts or own property or find out where you work. If they get good info, then they will sue.

Just got a response letter from ACF .. didn't say much except that they received the debt from HSBC and the amount I owed HSBC and the last payment date. How do you get them to tell you what they paid for the debt?Would they really pay the full amount to purchase a charge off? Is HSBC bound by law to tell me what they sold it for if I call? Is is legal to keep it a secret? Now what?

They don't have to tell you what they paid for it, and they probably won't. They undoubtedly purchased it for much less than the full balance though.

Guest. . . I have a question. . . . how can an ethical business like Cargill, align themselves with such an unethical company? Are they even aware of how ACF and JPF do business?

I have just been on the phone with JPF. They are the rudest people I have ever dealt with. I cannot get anywhere with them. They are demanding a payment in full or nothing. I have been making payments to the company I owe and they have accepted the payments but tell me they will forward them to JPF. JPF has been calling me 10 to 12 times a day. Any suggestions?

I just called the Virginia state bar and John P Frye from Roanoke is not a lawyer. Plus if he was a lawyer in Virginia means nothing if you live in another state.

JPF and ACF purchase debt in a portfolio and it cost them pennies on the dollar compared to what you "owe". And I have to say as bad as it and I turst me I have credit card debt too, ACF does have attorneys and other people employed for them to make sure they are in compliance with the laws. I hate it as much as any of you.

If you are making payments to a company that has already charged off your debt, you better get receipts or stop. I mean that credit card company does not have your debt anymore. I wouldn't trust that they are forwarding your money to ACF. Credit card companies are not that nice.

And in terms of ACF being rude? Well you pretty much only have to be breathing to be a debt collector, you don't have to be nice, don't expect it.

I got a call from this John P Frye stating that they are a law firm. They told me they needed the amount owed in full. I said I couldn't afford to pay it & she proceeded to tell me that she knew that I have a car loan at my bank, and I can get them to deffer my payment. My question is: are they suppose to have that type of information? Could someone PLEASE help me with this?

They can look at your credit report if they are collecting and they do to get information. Don't talk to them on the phone, simply tell them to expect your letter in the mail and hangup. Send them a DV letter with a partial cease & desist, basically telling them they are no longer to call you at all, that all correspondence will be through the USPS.