Palisades collection-Consumer complaints and tips to deal with the CA

Important information on Palisades and other collection agencies information sites

I am still receiving calls from this company, but not as often. They like to alternate between two different numbers. (800) 414-8319 and (866)230-8075. According to the BBB, they also use this number (800) 873-5648. The company is Palisades Collection, LLC. If you pick up, you usually get a recorded message about this not being a sales call.

Seems this company has been reported to the Better Business Bureau numerous times.


BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
1411 K St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-3404

BBB Reliability Report:

Palisades Collection, LLC
87 South Commerce Way
Suite 70
Bethlehem, PA 18017
Northampton County

General Information

Original Business
Start Date
unknown

BBB File Opened: September 12, 2005

*** the following is also from the BBB file***
Principal Contact
Mr. Peter Fish, Esq. (Director of Litigation)

Complaint Contact
Mr. Peter Fish, Esq. (Director of Litigation)

Other Contacts
Ms. Joanne Bergmann (Vice President-Legal)
Mr. Seth Berman

BBB Member
This company is not a member

Type of Business
Collection Agencies

The information in this report has either been provided by the company, or has been compiled by the Bureau from other sources.

Customer Experience

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s).
Customer Complaint Data
Number of complaints processed by the BBB since the firm's BBB file was opened in September 2005: 70
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 12 months: 39
Complaints Concerned:
Selling Practices (1 complaints)
1 Resolved
Service Issues (7 complaints)
4 Resolved
3 Company did not respond
Credit or Billing Disputes (60 complaints)
48 Resolved
5 Unresolved
1 Company made every reasonable effort to resolve
6 Company did not respond
Refund Practices (1 complaints)
1 Resolved
Contract Disputes (1 complaints)
1 Resolved

The company's size, volume of business and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company has handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgement on the validity of complaints filed.

Additional Information
This Business Operates under the Names Palisades Collection, LLC

Addresses
87 South Commerce Way, Suite 70
Bethlehem, PA 18017
Northampton County

Phones
(800) 873-5648
(866) 230-8075

Reported on Tuesday, March 11, 2008
As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information contained herein is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.
The Better Business Bureau reports on members and non-members. Membership in the BBB is voluntary, and members must meet and maintain BBB standards. If a company is a member of this BBB, it is stated in this report.
© 2008 BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
Caller ID: Unavailable
Caller: Palisades Collection, LLC
Caller Type: Collection Agency



What Actions Must a Collection Agency Avoid?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a collection agency may not act in the following ways:

Third-party communications: The collection agency can not contact third parties other than the debtor's attorney or a credit bureau for any reason other than to locate the debtor. Collection agents that contact third parties must state their names, and may only add that they are confirming or correcting information about the debtor. They can not give the collection agency's name unless asked directly. They can not state that they are calling about a debt. Collection agents may not contact a third party repeatedly unless they believe an earlier response was wrong or incomplete and that the third party has revised information. Further, collection agents can not communicate with third parties by postcard or by correspondence that uses words or symbols that betray their collection motive.

Attorney-represented debtor: A collection agency can not contact the debtor directly if he or she is represented by counsel unless the debtor gives the collection agency specific permission to do so.

Debtor communications: Collections agents may not contact debtors before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., or at another inconvenient time or place. Collection agents also may not contact a debtor at work if they know that the employer bans receipt of collection calls while on the job.

Harassment or abuse: Agents can not threaten or use violence against the debtor or another person. They can not use obscene or profane language. They can not publish a debtor's name on a "blacklist" or other public posting. Agents can not call repeatedly or contact the debtor without identifying themselves as bill collectors.

False or misleading statements: Agents may not lie about the debt, their identity, the amount owed, or the consequences for the debtor. They can not send documents that resemble legal filings or court papers. Agents can not offer incentives to disclose information.

Unfair practices: Agents may not engage in unfair or shocking methods to collect, including adding interest or fees to the debt, soliciting post-dated checks by threatening criminal prosecution, calling the debtor collect, or threatening to seize property to which the agency has no right.



Collection Agency Licensing Requirements:
The State of Pennsylvania does not require the licensing of collection agencies.

Collection Agency Licensing Requirements:
Any person who conducts a collection agency, collection bureau or collection office in the State of New Jersey, or engages in collection activities including receiving payment of accounts, soliciting the right to collect, or advertise for or solicit in print the right to collect, is required to file a bond in an amount prescribed by its Secretary of State. (Sec. 45:18-1.)


Application and bond information may be obtained from: Department of State Division of Commercial Recording Collection Agency Bond CN 453 Trenton, New Jersey 08625 or visit the Department of State's web site



"(5) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.
(6) Except as provided in section 804, the placement of telephone calls without meaningful disclosure of the caller’s identity"


What Remedies Are Available If The Debt Collector Violates The Law

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have the right to sue a debt collector in state or federal court within one year from the date of the violation. If you win, you may recover damages in the amount of any losses you suffered as a result of the violation, plus an additional amount of up to $1,000.00. You may also be able to recover court costs and attorney fees.

If the same debt collector has engaged in unlawful conduct with a number of consumers, it may be possible to find a lawyer who will file a class action lawsuit.

Where Can I Report Legal Violations By debt collectors?

In most states, you may report the agency's conduct to the state Attorney General's office.

You may also contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you have a problem with an out-of-state debt collection agency.

Federal Trade Commission
One Bowling Green Ste. 318
New York, NY 10004
1-877-382-4357 (877-FTC-HELP)


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Who May A Debt Collector Contact About My Debt?

If you have an attorney, you can instruct the debt collector to make all inquiries about the debt through your attorney. Once the debt collector has been instructed to make inquiries through your attorney, they should no longer make any direct contact with you.

Sample Letter

Your Name
Your Address
Date

Collection Agency's Name
Collection Agency's Address
Subject: Debt Collection Against [Your Name]
Creditor Name: [Creditor]
Account No. [Number]

Dear Account Representative,

I am writing pursuant to inform you that I am represented by an attorney in relation to the alleged debt associated with my account [number ________] with [creditor]. Please direct all further inquiries to my attorney:

[Attorney's Name and Address]

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

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What If You Don't Want The Collection Agency To Contact You?

If you wish the debt collector to stop contacting you, you must send the collection agency a written notice instructing them to stop. Once the collection agency receives that letter, they may contact you only one additional time to notify you that the collection agency or creditor intends to take a specific action in relation to the debt.

Sending this type of notice does not resove the debt. For example, the creditor may file a lawsuit against you in order to collect the debt, even if you prohibit further contact by the collection agency.

Sample Letter

Your Name
Your Address
Date
Collection Agency's Name
Collection Agency's Address
Subject: Debt Collection Against [Your Name]
Creditor Name: [Creditor]
Account No. [Number]

Dear Account Representative,

I am writing pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC 1692c(c), to request to request that you cease all communication to me about my account [number ________] with [creditor].

[If you wish, explain your circumstances. For example, "I was recently laid off from my job, and I do not presently have any resources with which to pay off this debt. Once I have again secured employment, I intend to resume payment on the debt."]

[If there have been any violations of the fdcpa, you may wish to describe them. For example, "Please note that in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, one of your agents contacted me last night at 9:30 PM. Should your agency contact me at any time in the future, please be sure that your contact is made in full compliance with the FDCPA."]

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

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I hope this information will be of some help.

I am extremly confused by some "legal Advertisements" sent to me claiming that Palisades has filed a lawsuit against me! I have no knowledge of Palisades and came accross this thread via Google!

1. Can they file a lawsuit against me without discussing the account or claim of account with me?
2. If so what would you suggest I do next?

I basically sent a verification letter and 1 week after sendign the verification letter sent a dispute of inquiry and debt to the credit reporting agency's and walla they got removed.

I would not give my SS# when I called either. If you wait long enough they give you options. Press 5 to speak with someone. The phone number they had was not for us. Someone else had given our phone number. She said she would remove our number from their list. I will see if the daily phone calls stop now. I hope so.

Palisades is also trying to collect on an AT&T account from me. I checked my credit report last fall, and they had reported the account. I DV the account, and the trade-line was deleted. Well, last week I received an "invoice" from them, so I responded to them saying that they never responded to my original DV letter. Yesterday I received from them some kind of "validation"---it was a computer printout of the last 3 invoice---or so they said. None of them were real invoices, just computer printouts. And, they included nothing about their legal right to colelct on it. Oh, another thing---the "original" debt is for $119, and Palisades is trying to collect $527!!! So, I am going to send yet ANOTHER letter requesting an agreement between them and AT&T allowing them to collect, and request an itemized statement, explaining to me how a $119 debt can turn into $527. And, I am going to tell them that I am going to contact AT&T, and if I do owe this amount, I will pay them directly. Nothing in any of their letters say that the account/amount was purchased by them or that they were assigned to collect the debt. I will deal with AT&T directly, and I will pay the $119 just to get them off my back.

You don't sound like you need me to say that this ain't real validation. Try sending them this letter, complete with enclosure.

how did you get it off of your credit report? Who did you contact?

Who are these people? And why are they messwing with me and my credit. Never heard of them before. HELP!!!!!

Welcome to the forum Matt x, Palisades is a collection agency. They collect on defaulted debts (sometimes really old debts) I would suggest sending them a debt validation letter (you can find a good template for one in my signature) send it certified mail, return receipt requested.
You can send it to this address:

210 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood, NJ 07632

I , like many others here, are dealing with bogus claims for money due on a AT&T bill for my parents. They owe no money to AT&T! Why isn't this place being investigated? I have written to all the proper authorities, sent letters certified,, return receipt requested to Palisades and it is still not resolved. I have gone thru the validation letter request also. I just don't understand why nothing is being done via investigation of this company.

HOW I CAN DO MY PAYMENT

GP..there is sooo much fraud and soo many junk debt buyers and Ca's out there many operating under several different alias'.....it would probably take hundreds and hundreds of complaints to actually instigate an investigation.....
my biggest concern right now is that there are way more natural disasters occurring..we are at war...major companies are going belly up...so many other problems to deal with that this is all gonna get placed on the back burner and will continue to fester like a big

im just wondering. i was sent a letter by palisades for a att account for $1294 about almost two years ago for a bill dated back april 2000.i claimed it was fraud and asked for documentation. they sent me a fraud reporting paper and i filled it out with the police report and etc. they just sent me an bill with my name on it but the wrong addresses and said that the bill is validated!! i did sent them a letter back two years ago to send me proof withing 30 days and they never responded! and it being fromm 2000. can they sue me for this in nevada???

Welcome to the forum cycoman702, if it is not your account then you did the right thing to dispute it, if you believe your identity may have been stolen then you should contact your local state police detachment or sheriff's office to see about filing a identity theft complaint. You may also wish to contact the creditor to file an affidavit on their part as well.

Per fdcpa once you send written request for validation they are to cease collection activity until validation is produced, in this case it appears they have not which opens them up to a civil suit for FDCPA violation. Additionally if the last date of activity was 2000 then the account would be past the Nevada statutes of limitations (6 years for contractual agreements) which would make it a time barred debt, meaning they cannot file suit for it legally. If they were to do so then you would just use the SOL as your defense. Also since this account is at least 8 years old then it should not be on your credit report, if it is I would suggest disputing it.

thank you jcemt. it took them almost 2 years to so called validate my so called dept. all they sent me was phone records and bills dated 2000!! do you think i should send them a letter saying its not my dept and inform them that the sol has expired and to quit persuing this dept??? by the way i have all my correspondence that i sent to them 2 years ago requesting everything. and they failed to do so in a timely matter.

I received a notice from the sheriff in my county that there was an order for levies and wage executions in a civil matter. I contacted the sheriff's office today and they advised that Pressler and Pressler, representing Palisades Collection has won a judgement against me for approximately $350.00. I was never notified of a court date or served with papers indicating there was a case against me. About a month ago, I received a certified letter from Pressler and Pressler with a photocopied sheet asking for all of my personal information, bank account numbers, drivers license number, etc. The paperwork did not have anything official from the court on it, stamp, seal, a signature, docket number, nothing.
That request for information was the only communication I have received from them.

I had been advised from my bank a few months ago that my personal information was compromised in a security glitch and they said I should be on the lookout for this type of thing and provided a "gift" for my trouble of free credit reporting.

With this in mind, I figured the letter from Pressler and Pressler was a scam and did not respond. I did not think that anyone could send a sloppily photocopied sheet like this and have any credibility.

The gentleman I spoke with in the Sheriff's office today told me to contact Palisades and provided their number. He also said I am one of 200 cases they were just served with from this company and to be very careful when providing information to them. He said they are very rude and to tell them as little as possible.

I have yet to call them and wonder if anyone has any thoughts as to how to proceed with them. This is a valuable forum and I have read through the posts, but most are in the early stages. Can I contact the court and inquire as to why I was never contacted for my "case"? I do not even know whom Palisades represents for the $350.00 I supposedly owe!

I am stunned that this is legal.