THIS COMPANY IS A COLLECTION AGENCY, THEY COLLECT MONEY THROUGH IDLE THREATS. BASICALLY SCARING YOU INTO PAYING. IF YOU DONT HAVE MONEY DONT WORRY, THEY CANT TAKE SOMETHING YOU DONT HAVE AD THERES NO SUCH THING AS DEBTOR JAIL. AND IF YOU DO HAVE JOB/MONEY/ASSETS, WHY ARENT YOU PAYING YOUR BILLS TO BEGIN WITH?

Got call from this number last month. Wanted me to identify last four digits of social security number. Said they were from some Hornick Law Firm. Wanted me to give them my address. Would not give me any information about what the call was about. She said she had to talk to someone else to get the information she needed. I looked up the number in the white and yellow pages and the number does not exist. I contacted my attorney since I have not gotten a letter from my state and county that I live in.My attorney said that I am not in any trouble. I  was advised to ask them the next time they call ask them by what authority do they have to collect a debt, and  ask for written proof by letter in mail stating what the charges are for.

this number is from Raush, Sturm and Hornik, the web page says attorneys in the practice of debt collection...and on the bottom of the page it says the firm is a debt collector... Well are you an attorney office or a debt collector??   If they send out any paperwork stating it is from an Attorney and they state anywhere in the letter that the firm listed in letter debt collection agency they just committed fraud...

Keep getting calls from this and they keep asking for someone else I have told them time again that they have a wrong number and that I have had this number for over 6 years now. So when will they get it through there heads that it's not the number to get ahold of the person they want.

They left a message for John Hancock. I didn't listen to all of it since I'm not that person.

They keep calling using a pre-recorded message asking for Ivan Colemen.  I have had my phone number since 1995, I don't know an Ivan Coleman.  I finally answered a call that was a real person 2 weeks ago and complained to the woman that Ivan Coleman does not live here and I wanted to have to calls to my phone discontinued.  The woman apologized, said she removed my phone number, informed me the calls may continue for another 48 hours.  Two weeks later, the calls are still coming for Ivan Coleman.

The pre-recorded message says "if you are not Ivan Coleman, please hang up".  I have been hanging up.  The woman I talked to two weeks apparently did not remove my name from the roster they are using to try to contact Ivan Coleman.

Hang ups and they have been notified via certified signature requested confirmation of my cease and desist request, written communication only. I already paid the debt years ago it turns out but they continue to call and 9 times out of 10 they hang up when I answer.

I have spoken to these people and have made it a practice to answer the phone but I do not give out personal information to anyone over the telephone. I have notified them in writing with a certified signature requested, confirmation they received this letter and the calls continue. I often answer the call and there is dead air or a hang up. I understand they are a business but they are supposed to follow the laws of "cease and desist" "written communication only" and it is not illegal but very poor business practice to call someone and hang up.

A company, once they charge off the debt, sells it to a collection agency.  Debts are sold for pennies on the dollar.  The collection agency gets to keep all funds that are collected (unless it is an inhouse collection agency), that is why collections agents usually work on full commission.  Yes ladies and gentleman, that money that you are sending to pay your debt goes to pay the debts of collection agents.  Why do you think they are so hard core.  The more they get from you, the bigger paycheck they make.

You should make certain that you understand the law.  Each state has a different statute of limitation, and if you think you may have a debt, you should investigate and see what the limits are in your state. Once the debt is beyond that limit, it can not be collected.

Get calls from this number looking for two different people, neither of which I know or am related to.  I have told them they have the wrong # yet they keep calling.

The advise given about the loan/credit charge off not being collectable is wrong.

Any charge off  must be recorded in liability reserve accounts. When actual charge offs are recorded, the reduction of the asset amount is charged off directly to the applicable reserve account. For example, reserves for loan and lease losses are established by debiting the expense account entitled "provision for loan losses" offset by a credit to "reserve for loan losses." The actual reduction of the loan account is debited to the reserve for loan loss account. These concepts are noted within Financial Accounting Standards 114 (FAS 114). It's important to note that any loan charge off does not represent forgiveness of the debt. On the contrary the borrower is still responsible for repayment of the accounting entry.

It's Rausch Sturm Israel.

They're a known lawbreaking firm who collects for junk debt buyers. These are people who buy debt that may already be paid, the person who owed the debt may be dead, or the debt may be so old that it's out of the Statute of Limitations.

Even more fun, read up on the FDCPA and the TCPA.

You may be able to sue them.

YES.

You can record their calls, and sue them back.

You can tell them in writing not to call and to validate the debt, and sue them back when they keep calling and can't validate.

You can show up in court and demand that you be able to cross examine the "keeper of records" who lied when they signed an affidavit claiming that they closely verified that you are the person who owes money, and that the amount is valid.

Bottom line: find out how to fight back in YOUR state, and do it.

I realize that this all started over a year ago.

But don't be talking to this person.

Here's ALL you have to say to start the legal validation process.

This debt is disputed.

I demand validation.

All phone calls are inconvenient.

I elect arbitration.

Then, DO NOT SIGN, just type the signature. These people are such pond scum that they've been known to copy signatures on fake documents.

Close, but not exact.

FDCPA is $1000 all together, no matter how many violations.

TCPA, if they're calling your cell phone, is $500 per call, or up to $1500 per call, if they keep calling after you tell them to stop, in writing.

Passing the Statute of Limitations doesn't prevent them from collecting, it prevents them from suing.

But you CAN tell them not to contact you--do it in writing and get a certified mail receipt. Then, if they continue to try to collect, it's an FDCPA violation.

Charge off is for tax purposes--they still own the debt and can collect on it, or sell it.

BUT, once it's sold, the ability to prove that the junk debt buyer owns it is much less.

For those who are paying JDB's when they can barely afford to live, stop. Get some information on what debts are truly yours and what are not.

Get information on what income is able to be taken by a creditor in a judgment and what is not. Most of all, if you are sued, Answer the suit, and show up in court. You may lose. But if you don't show up, there is a nearly 100% chance that you'll lose.

Even if a debt was legitimate years ago, who are you to judge people?  It sounds to me as if you work for one of these lowlife collection agencies and just want your commission check.  What you should say is to find the law in your state and if the debt had truly been charged off by the first company, they have written it off as a loss and took the tax deduction for it.  Additionally, once you start 'repaying' a charged off debt, it starts all over on your credit.    

Note to all dealing with these bloodsuckers, tell them you want to see proof that this was indeed your debt.  If they can't provide you with a document with your signature agreeing to pay, they need to stop the harassing calls.  The end, no further discussion.

told them i am one the national do not call list and i am reporting them. they said that they are a law firm and it does not apply to them. they woke me up after working all night on my unpublished number of 17 years, that they acquired illegally.

Each state has their own laws concerning revolving credit.  In Oklahoma it is charged off and uncollectible after 3 years.  Once it is "charged off" and the 3 years have passed it can no longer be collected. The time starts from the last activity on the account.  These companies them buy the old debt for pennies on the dollar and then try to collect.  They are harassing you if it has been three years or more since this was charged off by the original creditor!

Sorry Friend, I do not think you have your facts right.  You think there is a legal obligation to negotiate for a lesser amount?  You think an attorney needs to own the debt to collect on it?  Are you really complaining that they call you *once* a week?  

Also, I find it interesting that you seem to think it is wrong for a debt attorney to collect from you on a legitimate debt or that they might acquire a judgement against you.  If you disputed the debt, why didn't you show up for court?  How could this judgment lien possibly have taken you by surprise?  

I have posted regularly on these boards about illegit collections.  But this one seems to be on the up-and-up.  If you actually owe the money, they can take these steps against you.  As long as they are not rude and abusive, which you did not indicate they were, you really have nothing to complain about.

How did your court day go?

Did they get anything from you?

You must be the M.F. calling me. You better keep hiding behind the phone....

You are right. Stupid people get credit cards. They should not get them if they are stupid. Bad thing is there is more at play here than mere stupidity. Credit card companies change the terms of the agreement at will. They go from 4% to 10% to 50% to 100% interest as they see fit. So, agreeing to that is the stupid thing to do. But the credit card companies never tell you they are going to do that when you get them. And don't tell me to read the fine print. The fine print does tell you the finance rate will change. They just don't tell you how much. This is slavery and I am no body's slave...sue if you want...I will see you in court. I rather do what a judge tells me to do than to do what someone tells me to do or pay over the phone.

I TRUST AND WILL DO WHAT THE JUDGE TELLS ME TO DO, I WILL NEVER DO WHAT A COLLECTOR TELLS ME TO DO!  But I don't have any money to pay anyways, so will see what the judge says when he hears I don't even have a job.....

So after reporting them to the FTC, I used the email posted to this company on their front page and emailed them. I dont know how long its going to work, but the calls have stopped. Below is a copy of the email I sent them...


Subject: Cease and Desist.

To whom it may concern -

I am writing regarding the harassment you insist on continuing regarding phone number [fiancee's number]. You first called us on August 13th, 2011 asking for a Sylvia. We told you then that we do not know this person nor can she be reached at this number. This number now belongs to an unrelated person. We have asked your people to please stop calling and remove our number from your file. Your people hang up on us and then call us the next day. You do not identify yourself when you call, you just demand to speak to Sylvia.

By law, you have to identify yourself when you call regarding a debt. We have reported you to the FTC. The next steps will be filing a police report and a written letter to cease and desist. This is your first, last and only warning. Stop calling the number mentioned. If you continue to do so, we will take you to court for harassment.




Do what I did, folks. Report them to the FTC, then email them and tell them what they are doing and when it all started. Tell them you have reported them and demand that they stop, that if they dont you will send a written letter, file a police report and take them to court. Apparently it works!

Oh, but do what I forgot... tell them they must cease and desist *permanently* and to never call ever again, warn them that if they do call in the future, you will report them to the FTC again, file a police report and take them to court.

I didnt do this, so I'm waiting to see if the calls start again in a few months or something.

They can only speak to the person of interest. It is illegal to speak to anyone besides that person about a debt owed.

Filed a report with the FTC. Took me a bit on my Droid phone, but given all the info for this company is on the first page it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes on a computer. Next step is a cease and desist letter and filing a police report. After that? Court.

So, apparently when my fiancee asked them to remove his number, they just hung up on him. They have called him just about every day since my first post.

Debt Collection