This a collections law firm.  They want you to pay a debt that they have been hired to collect on you, and being a firm they may pursue court action, so be forwarned....

my paycheck is being garnished and the number on the order is 404-233-1900.  I have already paid this debt and keep getting the round around when i call that number.  the order is from the law firm of Trauner, Cohen & Thomas.  When i look them up on line, i get a different #: 770-604-9023.  what is up with the phone # of 404-233-1900 giving me the round around?

Received a phone call from this number trying to reach my daughter.  He said his name is Marcus Griffin from the law firm of Trauner Cohen.  He gave me the following number 1-800-430-7124 but the caller ID indicated the number was 404-233-1900. Mr. Griffin indicated he was calling to speak to my daughter concerning an unpaid debt.

Received a phone call from this number trying to reach my daughter.  He said his name is Marcus Griffin from the law firm of Trauner Cohen & Thomas  He gave me the following number 1-800-430-7124 but the caller ID indicated the number was 404-233-1900. Mr. Griffin indicated he was calling to speak to my daughter concerning an unpaid debt.

I received a call at 12:45am from a Leon at 404-233-1900 ext 1326, in search of my MOTHER!  I am stationed in Korea and this man was not appologetic about calling so late either.  He didn't even believe me (I have a vonage phone number)!  I believe this is the same person who has called a few times at 3 or 4 am.  This man was very stern about finding her.  He wouldn't even tell me why he needed to speak with her.  He stated over and over that he must speak with her before 5 pm eastern time.  If this was a collection firm... ugh she's been homeless for about 3 years now.  Yeah, good luck finding her! How in the world did these people find me over here?

this number called my wife asking to speak to my ex-stepfather ....they stated they were a law firm .... did  not state why they needed to speak to him or the name of their firm .... must must giving away law degrees in GA ..... If all behave in the manner this supposive firm does.... PS law firm, no contact in aprox...4years with the man you are looking for....

got a nasty letter from these folks..demanding a return call....
I think it is a bill collector, rude and crude at best.

got a call from these folks.  They always call late around 7 or 8pm.  It's always the same woman and she tries to use a very scary voice to make me call back and just like the other commentors she says she represents a law firm.  caller id is 404-233-1900.  I think it's funny because if you guys didn't know law firms buy up debt just like you can from organizations and this is how they go about getting the money.  They will try to take you to court first then they will put in a petition to put a freeze on your bank account, then they will go after you paycheck.  So if you are getting these calls then you need to consider your bank account because the ugly part about this is the freeze will continue for 30 days.  Everything that comes in is theirs up to the amount of the debt.  This is real.  A creditor got me for $2,500 last year and that was my student loan refund.  It's legal and your bank will not warn you so take action immediately.  STOP YOUR DIRECT DEPOSIT NOW!!!!!!!!!!! THEY CANNOT TOUCH DISABILITY PENSIONS, BUT ALL OTHER PENSIONS CAN BE SEIZED FROM YOUR BANK!

People from this company is so damn rude, they call and call you all day and all night long... That damn ms. snow is so fucken rude.. She never ever wants to help anybody.... I have ask a few times for payment plans and she informed me they dont do that..... She is so disrespectful ....

People from this company is so damn rude, they call and call you all day and all night long... That damn ms. snow is so fucken rude.. She never ever wants to help anybody.... I have ask a few times for payment plans and she informed me they dont do that..... She is so disrespectful ....

A "Miss Thomas" called leaving a very stern message for my so to return her call - Identifying themselves as a law firm trauner,Cohen and Thomas" She gave an 800 number
1 800 430 7145 ext 1504. Caller I'd was 404 233 1900 from Georgia. This smells of scam.

Monday, November 16, 2009
Collections firm dissolves amid suits

Former clients say Trauner failed to file suits, used funds to pay firm expenses

By Greg Land, Staff Reporter    
 
Trauner, Cohen & Thomas, a Sandy Springs collections firm that operated for more than 30 years, has dissolved amid a whirlpool of litigation from former clients claiming that the firm failed to file suits on their behalf and used funds for those suits to pay its own expenses.

The State Bar of Georgia's Web site shows that partner Robert Trauner has left for a solo practice, while Michael J. Cohen has relocated to the Peachtree Law Center on Roswell Road, and former managing partner Russell S. Thomas is with the Creditors Law Group in Norcross.

The firm changed its name to Thomas & Cohen earlier this year, wrote Kim M. Jackson of Hawkins & Parnell, who is representing the firm in the Georgia cases, in an e-mail response to inquiries.

?At that time, Mr. Trauner was no longer affiliated with the firm,? Jackson wrote. ?The firm's operations are limited to winding up its affairs.?

A telephone number on the Web site for Trauner, Cohen & Thomas, which is still online, is answered by an automatic message for Creditors Law Group and includes an extension for Thomas.

Jackson said the Web site is ?outdated.?

Trauner's legal woes began in July, when a suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia said NCO Financial Systems gave the firm more than $1.3 million to reimburse filing fees and other expenses relating to more than 15,000 lawsuits the firm was to handle on NCO's behalf. Instead, the suit says, Trauner Cohen used the money for its own operating expenses, and inflated its reimbursement requests beyond the costs of actual filing fees.

On Sept. 3, a suit was filed by Midland Credit Management in California's San Diego County Superior Court seeking $1.7 million plus interest, punitive damages, restitution and legal fees relating to ?30 boxes of files for which Trauner had submitted requests for reimbursement for court costs for lawsuits that had never been filed,? which were discovered during a May audit.

The suit, filed by Kirk A. Pasich of Los Angeles' Dickstein Shapiro, accuses Trauner Cohen of breach of contract, negligence, legal malpractice and fraud, among other charges, and notes that many of the non-filed suits have languished beyond the relevant statutes of limitations.

That case has since been transferred to federal court in California's Southern District.

And on Oct. 2, a suit filed in federal court in Nashville, Tenn., accuses the firm of defaulting on a 2006 loan of almost $1.5 million, and includes separate charges that an affiliated company, National Asset Recovery Inc., defaulted on a $249,084 loan made at the same time. Thomas is listed as NAR's chief executive officer on the Georgia secretary of state's Web site, while Cohen is listed as chief financial officer and secretary; both are named individually as co-defendants, as well.

The suit, filed in Tennessee's Middle District by Roger G. Jones and Austin L. McMullen of Nashville's Bradley Arant Boult Cummings on behalf of plaintiff ACF 2006 Corp., accuses the defendants of breach of contract and conversion and says the loans were secured by collateral including all of the accounts and intangibles belonging to the firm and collection agency.

In a new suit filed Sept. 18 in Fulton County Superior Court, Zenith Acquisition Corp. and Northstar Capital Acquisition claim the firm failed to pay $124,005 in court filing fees for the companies' collection actions, including $64,490 that plaintiffs say they had already paid the firm.

The new complaint also says an unspecified number of ?bad checks Zenith had purchased? were turned over to the firm for collection, but ?upon information and belief, the bad checks were never even loaded into [Trauner's] system.?

Jackson, the Hawkins & Parnell partner representing the remnants of the Trauner firm, wrote in his e-mail, ?The firm no longer does business with the parties to these lawsuits.?

?The firm has cooperated fully with all of its clients and former clients, and continues to cooperate fully with them,? he added.

As to Robert Trauner, he said, ?Mr. Trauner had nothing to do with any of the issues raised in the lawsuits and is no longer associated with the firm.?

Bryan Cave-Powell Goldstein partner W. Scott Sorrels, who filed the Fulton County suit on behalf of Zenith, said his client did not wish to comment.

Stephen E. Baskin, managing partner of Kilpatrick Stockton's Washington office, who is leading that firm's team for plaintiff NCO, earlier declined to comment on that case; and the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the California and Tennessee cases did not respond to requests for comment.

Another Hawkins attorney, K. Lynn Finateri Silbiger of the firm's Los Angeles office, is representing Trauner in the California case.

The cases are: in Fulton County Superior Court, Zenith Acquisition Corp. v. Trauner Cohen & Thomas, No. 2009CV175307; in U.S District Court for Georgia's Northern District, NCO Financial Systems v. Trauner Cohen & Thomas, No. 1:09-cv-01787; in U.S District Court for the Southern District of California, Midland Credit Management v. Trauner Cohen & Thomas, No. 3:09-cv-02187; and in U.S District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, ACF 2006 Corp. v. Trauner Cohen & Thomas, No. 3:09-cv-00928.

Staff Reporter Greg Land can be reached at gland@alm.com

http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?topic=390.0

People from this company is so damn rude, they call and call you all day and all night long... That damn ms. snow is so f****n rude.. She never ever wants to help anybody.... I have ask a few times for payment plans and she informed me they dont do that..... She is so disrespectful ....

A man using the name Waytis shelton called indicating that I owe a debt and it I did not pay ASAp that will file suit and/or garnish my wages for non payment.

This information about the letter and Fair credit act info is good! thank you for sharing. I'm going to send a certified letter to these people today. They called me on my Husband cell phone and I could not figure out why or what they wanted. When I finally called them back they said that I owe transnation title insurance and I was asking who are they? They said that I owe them $12,000.00. they could not tell me for what or how. They said that they were going to pull my records and call me back and NEVER did. I called them abck and spoke with Ms. Ford and her supervisor, again they could not give me any information. They said that they are going to garnish my check and i asked how? they dont know what the case is about. They said they are going to call me back in a few hours this was last week! These people are full of BS and if they dont furnish me with the information that I need then I'm going to sue them! I'm tired of this!!! I moved from Michigan becasue I was in and out of work for 3 years. I lost everything! and now that I'm trying to rebuild again here they come. I NEED A BREAK!!! Before I BREAK!!!

Gentleman left a very polite message on voice mail with a request to call back.  I did so, informed him that he had called the wrong number, told him who I was.  He promised to remove that other person's name from my phone number.  It was the sort of conversation I would anticipate from someone doing a difficult job and dealing with a wide variety of people.

Their web site is www.tctlaw.com . . . it sure looks different than the comments that have been posted about them

why would they call just to threaten that?
why not just do it?
did they ever show up?
was it a scam? a Lie?
were they a no show?

I had a run in with these jerks as well just  today.. I had made arrangemet with a lady who is from National Asset Recovery  ,I had originally set payments arrangments of $100 per month until August of 09 I spoke with some jerk name Jeremy. i only wanted the payments reduced to $75.00 per month.. first he stated he could not do that and went on to say how interst ws building up blob , I state I was not concer about the intersted I only needed the payment to drop to $75.00. he finanaly set ok this month payments will be $75.00at the end of the month i hesitated at first but said ok.but  he wante d to call him back by this fri to let me know about arrangemetn for the remaining bal,, I said to him if I had until the end of the month to pay the 75.00 why do i need to call him back by this fri etc.. oh he also wanted a number aother than my home , i told him he did not have another number to recv calls.. he got irate and threaten me by saying he would put in my files  i refuse to pay  and then hung up. I canceled my card i original set for him  retrieve money from my bank ,  i was informed by a god friend who works for a good law form get your state atttorny general after these crooks

Have receive repeated phone calls from this number looking for one of my employees. When told to stop calling because this was a place of business the man said the police were on their way to my office. Called back repeated after I disconnected. Said he needed my address to give to the police.

from trauner cohen and thomas llc. I just finished dealing with this firm. fortunately i was able to settle my debt with them. I'd honestly try to work something out with them before they file suit. like any lawyer(s) they only care about money and will not sleep until they get it.

Haven't recieved a call, but my husband and I have paid all our debt off, just here recently as a matter of fact, there is NOTHING else to pay I am certain. We get a letter in the mail stating a debt with some bank we've never had an account with. I believe whole heartedly this is a scam and its pissing me off to no end!

Trauner, Cohen & Thomas
National Asset Recovery
5901 Peachtree
Dunwoody Road, Box 500
Atlanta, GA 30328
Suite 550 for NAR...

Physical Address
2880 Dresden Drive,
Atlanta, GA 30341

Phone: 888-696-1900 404-233-1900 - 800-430-7521
Fax: 770-220-0788 & 678-547-3915
Web Address: www.tctlaw.com (soon)

narincorporated.com (soon)

Collect America (CACH& CACV) franchisee. They are paid a commission to file suits on bottom feeder debts acquired by parent company Collect America. They are also involved in collecting on arbitration claims filed by the same. As with most bottom feeders, purchased debts usually have a tainted trail behind them and most attorneys have difficulty in obtaining the legal validation documents that meet court requirements. As with any bottom feeder, consumers are urged to flood them with dispute validation notices, challenge anything placed on a credit report and vigorously defend any legal claims they may make by utilizing the services of a local consumer law professional.

Head Debt Collectors:
Robert Trauner, Attorney
Michael J. Cohen, Attorney
Russell S. Thomas, Attorney

http://www.budhibbs.com/debtcollectorpages/trauner_cohen_thomas.htm

The deal is, they CANNOT threaten to "come to your work and serve you with court papers" unless they intend to do so:

§ 807.  False or misleading representations  [15 USC 1962e]

A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:

(1) The false representation or implication that the debt collector is vouched for, bonded by, or affiliated with the United States or any State, including the use of any badge, uniform, or facsimile thereof.

(2) The false representation of --

(A) the character, amount, or legal status of any debt; or

(B) any services rendered or compensation which may be lawfully received by any debt collector for the collection of a debt.

(3) The false representation or implication that any individual is an attorney or that any communication is from an attorney.

(4) The representation or implication that nonpayment of any debt will result in the arrest or imprisonment of any person or the seizure, garnishment, attachment, or sale of any property or wages of any person unless such action is lawful and the debt collector or creditor intends to take such action.

(5) The threat to take any action that cannot legally be taken or that is not intended to be taken.

(6) The false representation or implication that a sale, referral, or other transfer of any interest in a debt shall cause the consumer to --

(A) lose any claim or defense to payment of the debt; or

(B) become subject to any practice prohibited by this title.

(7) The false representation or implication that the consumer committed any crime or other conduct in order to disgrace the consumer.

(8) Communicating or threatening to communicate to any person credit information which is known or which should be known to be false, including the failure to communicate that a disputed debt is disputed.

(9) The use or distribution of any written communication which simulates or is falsely represented to be a document authorized, issued, or approved by any court, official, or agency of the United States or any State, or which creates a false impression as to its source, authorization, or approval.

(10) The use of any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a consumer.

(11) The failure to disclose in the initial written communication with the consumer and, in addition, if the initial communication with the consumer is oral, in that initial oral communication, that the debt collector is attempting to collect a debt and that any information obtained will be used for that purpose, and the failure to disclose in subsequent communications that the communication is from a debt collector, except that this paragraph shall not apply to a formal pleading made in connection with a legal action.

(12) The false representation or implication that accounts have been turned over to innocent purchasers for value.

(13) The false representation or implication that documents are legal process.

(14) The use of any business, company, or organization name other than the true name of the debt collector's business, company, or organization.

(15) The false representation or implication that documents are not legal process forms or do not require action by the consumer.

(16) The false representation or implication that a debt collector operates or is employed by a consumer reporting agency as defined by section 603(f) of this Act.

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#807

Furthermore, they CANNOT collect on an alledged debt without first furnishing proof that you owe it:

§ 809.  Validation of debts   [15 USC 1692g]

(a) Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing --

(1) the amount of the debt;

(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;

(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;

(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and

(5) a statement that, upon the consumer's written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.

(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.

(c) The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/legal/FDCPA.shtml#807

I suggest that you first request copies of your credit reports from all three reporting bureaus (Experian, Transamerica and Equifax). If you find out that they have put derogoratory remarks on any of them without proof that you owe them, then you have grounds to sue the pants off of them for not only FDCPA but also FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act Violations) as well:

If a creditor can't verify a debt:

They are not allowed to collect the debt,
They are not allowed to contact you about the debt, and
They are also not allowed to report it under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Doing so is a violation of the FCRA, and the FCRA states that you can sue for $1,000 in damages for any violation of the Act.

The opinion letter from the FTC which clearly spells out that a collection agency CANNOT report a debt to the credit bureaus which has not been validated:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/letters/cass.htm

It also states that you can sue in federal or state court. So if you have them on a violation, then you have damages of $1,000 for the incident plus damages. Small claims court, anyone?

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/debt_validation.shtml

Send them this letter VIA certified mail and request a return receipt. Keep copies of everything you send:

Today's Date

Your Name
Your Address

Collector's Name
Collector's Address

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

Dear {insert name of collector or company},

I am writing in response to your (letter or phone call) dated {insert date}, (copy enclosed) because I do not believe I owe what you say I owe.

This is the first I've heard from you, or any other company on this matter therefore, in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Section 809(b): Validating Debts:

(b) If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or any copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.

I respectfully request that you provide me with the following information:

(1) the amount of the debt;
(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;
(3) Provide a verification or copy of any judgment (if applicable);
(4) Proof that you are licensed to collect debts in (insert name of your state)
Be advised that I am fully aware of my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. For instance, I know that:

because I have disputed this debt in writing within 30 days of receipt of your dunning notice, you must obtain verification of the debt or a copy of the judgment against me and mail these items to me at your expense;
you cannot add interest or fees except those allowed by the original contract or state law.
you do not have to respond to this dispute but if you do, any attempt to collect this debt without validating it, violates the FDCPA;
Also be advised that I am keeping very accurate records of all correspondence from you and your company including recording all phone calls and I will not hesitate to report violations of the law to my State Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.

I have disputed this debt; therefore, until validated you know your information concerning this debt is inaccurate. Thus, if you have already reported this debt to any credit-reporting agency (CRA) or Credit Bureau (CB) then, you must immediately inform them of my dispute with this debt. Reporting information that you know to be inaccurate or failing to report information correctly violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act § 1681s-2. Should you pursue a judgment without validating this debt, I will inform the judge and request the case be dismissed based on your failure to comply with the FDCPA.

Finally, if you do not own this debt, I demand that you immediately send a copy of this dispute letter to the original creditor so they are also aware of my dispute with this debt.

Signature here
Your Printed Name

http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html

If they refuse to comply and continue to try and collect on an UNVALIDATED debt (in addition to illgally dinging your credit report), it's a slam dunk:

Who  Why  Precedent/Law  Fine  
Creditors if they report your credit history inaccurately  Defamation, financial injury US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, No. 00-15946, Nelson vs. Chase Manhattan  Extent of damages incurred by the wronged party as deemed by the courts.
 
Creditors, if you dispute a debt, and they fail to report it as disputed to the credit bureaus Protection under the FCRA FCRA
Section 623. $1,000.
 
If you dispute a debt, the collection agency fails to report it disputed to the credit bureaus Protection under the FDCPA FDCPA
Section 807(8) $1,000.

Collection agencies if they do not validate your debt yet continue to pursue collection activity (file for judgments, call or write you)  Consumer protection afforded by the FDCPA  FDCPA Section 809 (b), FTC opinion letter Cass from LeFevre $1,000.
 
Collection agencies if you have sent them a cease and desist letter and they still call you  Consumer protection afforded by the FDCPA  FDCPA
Section 805 (c) $1,000.
 
Collection agencies if they have not validated your debt and they still continue to report to the credit bureaus.  Consumer protection afforded by the FDCPA  FDCPA Section 809 (b),FTC opinion letter Cass from LeFevre
$1,000.

http://www.creditinfocenter.com/eBooks/PoorMansClassActionLawsuit.shtml

a call threatening to come to my work to serve me court papers.  When I never have gotten a call before from them!

Got a call from this number and when I answered the phone, a man was screaming hey.hey, hey, I hung up.  What's up with this?

A Mr. Covington from Trauner, Cohen, & Thomas contacted my aunt. When I called him back he was very rude and wanted me to verify the last 4 digits of my SSN. He was so harsh with me and violated laws. He told me my wages could be garnished, my assets could be taken, and demanded I paid a lump sum amount. When I offered to make a monthly payment arrangement he said I wasn?t serious about my debt. I told me I needed to go to a bank and with a loan officer contact him regarding the debt. However, during all this hassle I have yet to receive any type of document advising the settlement amount. I don?t understand how this type of BS is continuing. I?ve decided to contact the original creditor in writing to see if I can make a payment arrangement with them directly. I am GLAD I saw this website!!!

I've been harassed about a debt I have with them too. They entered a judgment against me a couple of years ago and are now threatening wage garnishment. What did you do after your employer received the letter?

Art Nilson (neilson) called and left a very threatening voicemail. Didn't say what it was about, just that I needed to call him back soon.

called my job ask for someone that I did not know connecting
them to my name

This firm called looking for my husband's ex-wife.
I returned the call and she(Ms Paschal) was very polite.
I was nice enough to give her the mother's phone number since her daughter had ruined so many lives, I thought she should know what a "dead beat" her daughter really turned out like.

All in all, the company employee was very polite and she was only doing her job.