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#1 10-21-2009, 10:23 AM

Anyone ever deal with this guy? I know from Bud Hibbs website they are bad news but I need some advice. At work today I saw a call coming in on my cell from an 800 no. - did not answer because did not recognize it. Next thing I know I get a call at work - for my husband who does not work here - from Laura at Larry Roach's office concerning an account of my husband's. She said it was a WAMU account we had not paid on - (Chase took over all the WAMU accounts so I thought it odd she said it was WAMU). She wanted me to pay something right now.
I said I needed something in writing with the account no. , amount they say is due, and that her office was authorized to accept pmts if it is our account. She told me she would give me 24 hrs to "review my records" and then get back to her to verify it was our account. I told her I would wait for the letter (which she said they had already mailed out).
That's when she got testy and said "So, you are refusing to pay?" I said, no, I just want to wait for their letter to determine if the account is really ours, if the amount they say we owe is correct and to see if her office is really authorized to collect on it.
She then started talking over me and telling me she would only give me 24 hrs and if she did not hear back from us, she would recommend to her client to start legal proceedings since I was refusing to pay.
I told her I was not refusing anything - I had a right to verify if the account was really mine, if the amount stated as owed was correct, and further, if her office was authorized to collect on it.
She kept insisting that I was refusing to pay so she would just recommend that we be sued (we are in CA and I see that her office is in OH). I finally ended the call by telling her I would look for her letter and go from there but not to call me at my work ever again.
Of course I am nervous about a potential lawsuit (I will deal with that when and if that happens). My question is if anyone on here has ever dealt with Larry Roach's office - either via attempted settlement or if you have been sued? If so, can you give me any advice on dealing with them? Thanks for any advice you can give me!

paulmergel · #2 10-21-2009, 10:32 AM

if you have an address.send a DV letter to them asap.send it certified mail return receipt.

#3 10-21-2009, 10:53 AM

Thank you Paul. Do you recommend I simply reference the call from today and ask for the typical validation info - i.e., name on account, account no., amount allegedly owed, and proof they are allowed to collect on it? The thing that stumps me is that she kept referencing WAMU - the account used to be with WAMU prior to Chase taking it over, which is about the time we stopped paying. We never made any payments to Chase when they got the account. I am not trying to get out of something we owe but how can they be collecting on behalf of WAMU when it is supposedly now a Chase account?

paulmergel · #4 10-21-2009, 11:00 AM

well CHASE doesn't charge off normally,but WAMU might.that is why you need them to validate.also the verbal exchange was out of bounds by her.it is not up to you to prove you don't owe or how much.it is up to them to prove you do owe,and how much.i know they merged,but they still might keep their individual policies.that is why you demand something in writing,or validation before paying a cent.

#5 10-21-2009, 11:29 AM

Thanks Paul. As usual, your words of wisdom make sense. I have found an address and will get a DV ltr out (hopefully today).

paulmergel · #6 10-21-2009, 11:29 AM

if not today asap.

Shazzers · #7 10-21-2009, 11:39 AM

The office of Larry Roach, oh yes, they are nothing more than a freakin joke, and the chances of them validating your debt is very low. Make sure you follow the law to a tee with them, and keep every piece of correspondence you receive and keep a journal of all phone calls, ask the person's name who is calling and what their position is at the law firm. Keep records!

#8 10-21-2009, 03:17 PM

If you are in CA, Larry Roach can't sue you. And you should complain to your state bar and to Ohio's for unauthorized practice of law. He's only admitted in Ohio, and he shouldn't be harassing people out of state. Also, it sounds like they violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by threatening to take an action (suing you) that can't be taken. They now owe you $1000 in statutory damages.

It sounds like the WAMU account was sold off to CACH, or CACV or Collect America, whatever they are calling themselves in your case. This is the game they play: first the account goes to a "law firm" in another state, then, after about a year, after they pile on interest at 20-30%, they transfer it to a lawyer in your state who will sue you.

Answer the suit and fight back. They sued me, but haven't responded to my motion to dismiss. Which the court should grant in the absense of their reply, unless the court is totally corrupt.

#9 10-22-2009, 09:05 AM

Thank you for sharing your experience with this "law firm." I know that unless they have an attorney in their firm licensed to practice law in CA, that they cannot sue me but I also know they can hire/find an attorney in CA who can do that.
I took Paul's advice and sent off the DV letter via cert. mail, return receipt req. yesterday so we will see what happens now.
I know she probably violated the FDCPA by threatening a lawsuit but I am not sure how much proof I have of that other than her word against mine. Maybe that's all I need??
Anyway, I did document that conversation for future reference - I'm sure I'll need it at some point.

#10 11-02-2009, 11:26 PM

To "My experience - in Ohio,"

Technically the collector did not break any laws if she said "...recommend to our client to start legal proceedings." The Law Office of Larry Roach is an actual law firm with Larry Roach as the acting council. They operate under a network of law offices owned by Collect America out of Denver, CO. In most cases, Collect America owns the debt (after purchasing it from the original creditor and/or other collection agencies) and retains these offices (they are represented in 42 different states) for their collection purposes. While the Law Office of Larry Roach cannot litigate outside the state of Ohio, they can recommend that Collect America (their client) move the file from their office to the office that Collect America has in California (yes they have one in CA). Going by the quoted words of the original poster, the collector did not threaten to sue her, only that she would recommend that their client take legal action. You are of course entitled to documentation proving that your husband is in fact responsible for the debt. While most debt buyers and agencies do not have that information readily available, they can request it from the original creditor. Often times, however, the information kept by an original creditor is very limited after they sell the debt, and may only contain the last 2 billing statements and/or original contract.

That's my 2 cents, I just didn't want the original poster to get the notion that she was entitled to some money if no laws were broken, or that she was exempt from being sued. While the debt may belong to her husband, California has community property laws which make it possible for her to be sued if her husband doesn't have the necessary assets.

paulmergel · #11 11-03-2009, 05:10 AM

all good points,but if the OP sends a DV letter then i don't care who is attempting collection.a lawyer or a JDB.they can't pursue the matter further without validating.as we all know on this forum CACH franchises don't exactly act within the boundaries of the FDCPA.

#12 11-04-2009, 08:20 PM

By law they are supposed to hold the file and cease all collection efforts until the DV has been mailed. It is possible to legally get a phone call for a collection attempt before you actually have the DV. If you don't have the DV within 5 days of the phone call then they have broken the law. I really don't understand why they would call knowing that it was just mailed that day, it's obvious that you wouldn't have it yet but it's not illegal. I don't know how CACH franchises operate so I cannot comment on that.

#13 Yesterday, 05:47 PM

Hello out there,

I had the same experience this morning, except the lady's name was Amanda. I am in the process of investigating because I never heard of anything like this. I will be contacting a law office here in California and also have a few of my law enforcement collegues look into the matter. Thanks for posting your concerns because I thought I was the only person being targeted.