Riddle & Associates

um---I've never heard of that. Definitely doesn't seem like they can get away with that without first taking you to court. Or could this be their 'fee' for working the account for Direct TV?? Please keep us posted, I find this very interesting and would love to hear more. shirley

Found the part about attorney fees, sorta...on edcombs.com:

[quote]COLLECTION LETTERS AND PRACTICES

Please send us copies of any collection letters. Many debt collectors and collection lawyers routinely violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. This is a Federal law which gives you certain rights and prohibits certain methods of attempting to collect debts. This may entitle you to recover money (up to $1,000). Typical violations include:

a) Contacting neighbors and employers when not necessary to locate debtor. This is an increasingly common, and illegal, practice.

b) Notices of privacy rights/ information practices that state that your information can be disclosed to subprime lenders and other third parties for marketing purposes.

c) Bad debt buyers seeking to collect credit card debts, with interest over 5%, from IL debtors, interest over 21%, from IN debtors.

d) Anyone sued in IL by a bad debt buyer who cannot provide account documents (not if judgment entered).

e) Changing the default date used to compute the seven year period a bad debt can remain on your credit report. A collection agency or bad debt buyer is required to use the same date as the original creditor. Often, they use a newer date, which allows the entry to remain on your credit report longer.

f) Adding unauthorized collection charges.

g) Threatening to report a debtor to the Internal Revenue Service if payment is not forthcoming.

h) Threatening criminal prosecution (mainly on dishonored checks).

i) Initial demand letters which insist on payment within less than 30 days ordon't clearly state the exact amount of the debt or suggest that the debt is increasing and that payment of some unspecified increased amount is required.

j) Sending large numbers of letters purporting to come from attorneys or collection agencies when that is not the case. Form letters from out of state attorneys are suspect.

k) Demands for attorney's fees prior to suit when contracts provide for fees only if suit is filed.[/quote]

Now I just need to find that thing I read about their previous class action law suit.

I faxed the letter to attorney Ed Combs office today, hopefully they will have info on charging attorney fees.

I got a letter also for $254.75 with $98.00 Attorney/Collection Costs: with 30 days to respond. What do we need to do?

I am trying to add myself to the class action suit you mentioned. Some links on Riddle here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddle_and_Associates

Received a very large bill for an auto that was reposessed 10 years ago. Also interest fees were added onto this charge that totalled over $4,000.00!!! I filed a complaint with the Attorney Generals Office and the Better Business Bureau

Where are you? Did you get this letter from Riddle? If so, who was he representing? I've dealt with this firm before and they usually follow the law but sometimes they don't.

I just ot a letter for a sprint PCS outstanding bill. I have not been a PCS customer for almost 10 years! I closed that account a Loooooooooooooong time ago. They say I owe them 800 bucks! + 130 in lawyer fees. sounds like a scam to me. They say they are from UT salt lake city. SHould i join the class action lawsuit?

Everyone,
In addition to ed combs,please visit buddhibbs.com and read up on who these people are.