Jim Guy is correct.  They are a legit legal firm, and not a scam company.  I have dealt with them individually.

They are bottom feeders and not all respected in the law community.

This number is now starting to call my fax machine.  When I called the number back to tell them stop I get a fast busy signal like the phone is out of order.  They have called twice in the last 30 minutes!

This firm is harassing me over a supposed civil action.  They say I owe them $150 and will NOT stop calling.

I have been getting calls from this number for the last year and 1/2 to my cell phone.  When I answer its a recording saying to contact Bennett law.  It dosent ask for a person it just said to call

I never received any letter but walmart told me they would fine me and still haven't gotten anything in the mail or a phone call. Is this going to sneak up on me later and ruin my credit?

Release Date: October 22, 2003  
$54,000 Recovered from Utah Collection Agency

October 22, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Norman Googel
304-558-8986
1-800-368-8808

ATTORNEY GENERAL DARRELL McGRAW OBTAINS $54,000
IN REFUNDS OF UNLAWFUL FEES FROM UTAH
COLLECTION AGENCY FOR WEST VIRGINIA CONSUMERS

In April, 2001, a Utah law firm demanded that Eugene Blake of Eleanor pay $135.42 for a $17.42 bad check he allegedly wrote to a Dollar Tree store. When he questioned the excessive fees, the caller from The Law Offices of Bennett & DeLoney threatened that he would be sued and faced with $800 in additional fees if he failed to pay the amount demanded.

The complaint of Mr. Blake and a handful of other West Virginia consumers prompted Attorney General Darrell McGraw to investigate the debt collection practices of Bennett & DeLoney. Today the Attorney General is pleased to announce that Bennett & DeLoney has agreed to refund $53,929.38 in unlawful fees wrongfully collected from 555 West Virginia consumers.

The Attorney General?s office began investigating Bennett & DeLoney of Midvale, Utah, last year after receiving consumer complaints that the law firm/collection agency was adding unlawful fees of up to $128 to the face value of dishonored checks allegedly written by West Virginia consumers. Further investigation disclosed that the firm was not licensed and bonded to collect debts as required by West Virginia law.

In the settlement agreement with the Attorney General?s office, Bennett & DeLoney promised to refund $53,929.38 to 555 West Virginia consumers. Bennett & DeLoney also promised to obtain a license and bond from the State Tax Department and to add no more than $25, the amount state law presently allows, to the face value of alleged bad checks it seeks to collect from West Virginia consumers.

Attorney General McGraw explained, "It is against the law in West Virginia to demand payment of additional fees of $128 for alleged bad checks, as Bennett & DeLoney tried to do with hundreds of consumers throughout the state. Moreover, collection agencies operated by lawyers licensed in other states must still comply with West Virginia?s consumer protection laws, including laws that require collection agencies to be licensed and bonded here. Notwithstanding our concerns about its previous collection practices, I commend Bennett & DeLoney for refunding the unlawful fees it collected and its promise of future compliance with West Virginia law."

Any persons wishing to file a complaint about a consumer matter or to alert the Attorney General about unfair or deceptive practices may do so by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline, 1-800-368-8808.

http://www.wvago.gov/press.cfm?ID=300&fx=more

I got caught shoplifting from walmart a couple months ago and i did my community service and paid off all my fines and everything i get a call from bennet law firm about 3 times a day and my lawyer told me its bs and that i don't owe them anything and i call them and tell them that time and time again and they told me that they will not stop calling me until i pay them 250 dollars. So next time they call my lawyer said to give them his number because they are harassing me and I am a minor so its illegal for them to keep calling me since I am underage. My lawyer told me once i tell them i have a lawyer legally they are not supposed to call me again.

This is the second time I have reported the Bennett law firm who robocall to ask us to call them about "an important legal matter"   The calls started within days of getting our new phone and new phone number.  Our other landline was converted to a cell phone.  These robocalls happen several times a day.  We are on the no call list.  I understand that they are a collection agency for Walmart.  We do not even shop at Walmart.  I don't think we are the intended target of the calls.  But, it is impossible to tell them they have the wrong persons when a computer is calling.

SuperJ,

See my post from 24-MAY-2009.

Walmart security should've explained this to you. They're supposed to give you a copy of Walmart's policy regarding retail fraud. That paper explains the process in a complicated sort of way. The court settlement has nothing to do with this. Walmart has the right to initiate civil proceedings against you independent of the criminal prosecution. To avoid this possibility, they're asking for a kind of "fine" between $50 - $200 to close the CIVIL matter. It's sort of screwy but that's the way it works.

Suzie Q,

Walmart seeks both prosecution and civil action for shop lifting. There's the criminal part (arraignment, pre-trial status conference, trial, etc.) and a totally separate civil action. There is a "Bennett Law Firm" that handles this for Walmart. If your daughter was caught by Walmart security and interviewed, they probably gave her a document explaining this.

In 2-3 weeks you'll receive a letter from  Bennett requesting that you pay them between $50-$200 dollars.  They explain in the letter that this is a totally separate action from the criminal action. The letter should include a form similar to (if not identical) the one given to you (or your daughter) during the security interview. This form will indicate the exact sum requested. The outcome or status of the criminal action, even if the charges are dropped, does not relieve you of this responsibility (according to them). They usually give you 30-days to comply and provide a toll-free number to contact someone. If you don't pay within the first few weeks, they'll issue a "robo-call" as a reminder. If you plan on paying right away, ignore the call.

Once your payment is processed, you should receive a "letter of acknowledgement". Some defendants use  this letter during legal proceedings as proof that restitution was made to Walmart -- usually a favorable point with judges and prosecutors.

The statement: "They have to pay for their security cameras" sounds familiar. Walmart wants to offset their security costs (which is huge) by asking offenders to kick in a few bucks rather than pass the cost on to the customer (their philosophy, not mine).

Now maybe someone out there is running an actual scam, I don't know, but these folks are legit as far as I know. Also, some offenders may give out bogus phone numbers when they're caught so they can claim no one tried to contact them. In my case, they had an incorrect address.

If you're still not convinced, go to the store in question and ask for the security supervisor / manager, identify yourself, explain the circumstances  and politely ask for a copy of Walmart's policy regarding retail fraud. Don't bother the police, prosecutor, or court officials as they're only concerned with the criminal side of the case.

Hope this helps.

These scammers called wanting my credit card information on the phone for "restitution" for Walmart because my child was caught shop-lifting. "They have to pay for their security cameras" is what the stupid chick said. Do I look like an idiot? Where do they get this information? Doesn't Walmart care that someone saying they are representing them is harassing people?

800-988-6046 These people call me every day. I answer and get a recording say it's an important matter and I need to call them back. Yeah right, this isn't how proper business is done. This country needs to get rid of jerks like this!

I recieved a call on Friday night, (03/20) telling me that I owed a $200 Restitution Fine to "WalMart" and the "Ohio Attorney Generals" Office.

Already paid all my fines, went to court, got a ruling, and everything.  It was all settled, and now they say I have to pay this?!

How do I find out if this is a scam, and were to report them?  Called back the number, and it really is a Law Firm.

"Have to write a letter and send it registered mail informing them if they don't stop I'd sue them to get them to stop."

-Do you have a form copy of this letter, or an example of one that I could borrow or, kind of copy? I have a similar situation from an old roommate with this VERY prestigious law firm.  They have been calling our phone alot and wont say what for..

Please help me if you can, as I am unable to hire a lawyer.

Much appreciation in advance if you can help.  Also, any idea how these people find your phone number?

"Have to write a letter and send it registered mail informing them if they don't stop I'd sue them to get them to stop."

-Do you have a form copy of this letter, or an example of one that I could borrow or kind of copy for my situation with this VERY prestigious law firm!?  They have been calling our phone alot and wont say what for..

Please help me if you can, as I am unable to hire a lawyer.

Much apprecia

Total crooks trying to rip people off.  I've never been in court or anything and their asking me for all kinds of personal information.  Of course they hung up on me before I could even begin to start telling them off.

Important please call Bennett Law firm concerning your case file #15797144 immediately. Please do not delay.

Definitely just finished up a case with WalMart. My case is sort of "suspended". I'm on court supervision and paid a fine. Already had court over it, and these people are sending me things in the mail and calling my cell phone. My mom called back and told them to stop harassing her underage daughter.

I've received SEVERAL calls from this number over the last few months. Isn't there a law against these types of calls? How can I block the number?

Mark Shurtleff - Attorney General - Utah
http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov

Contact Mark. He is already investigating them for harassment and scam related, "incidents."

Wal-Mart scam. They refuse to stop calling.
Are there actually people stupid enough to send them money?
I need information on where to properly report these scam artists.
insidyus@yahoo.com
Subject: (Wal-Mart Scam)

this number is calling me telling me that thtey want $200 for restitution of a case that was filed against me in salt lake city utah and have never been there the crime was comitted for 78 dollars and was commited in springfield,ohio trying to forma civil case on top of a criminal case in a completely different state and city!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! con artists its a scam

Bennett & Deloney wrong number call

I am on the do not call registry, but get this unsolicited number calling, leaving a message about "important personal information."

the number (800)988-6042 is for a Bennett and Deloney attorney for walmart wanting restitution for an unconvicted crime in criminal court, over a year past the event and is annoying and they are not continuing the case to court, just hoping for a settlement. Have to write a letter and send it registered mail informing them if they don't stop I'd sue them to get them to stop.

several times recently I have gotten calls from this number on my cell phone and when I answer the call, it gives me a voice message saying "hold on for an important message", and right after that I get a live person asking for a girl's name (different each time).  I just tell them they have the wrong number and hang up.  Would like to know how to stop this.