A Mr Ponderaro called, left a message on my answering machine (These guys are breaking all the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) regulations.

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/fdcpa.html

FDCPA does not allow a debt collector to:
Ruin your credit rating
Refer account to an Attorney
Garnishment or repossession
Extract money by giving false threats
Sending letters to debtors that appear to be sent by the Court is also not allowed.
The debt collectors are not allowed to inform the employers about the purpose of the call.
A debtor cannot be threatened of being arrested on failure to repay the debt amount.

Whom to contact in case of FDCPA violation?
In majority of the cases, debtors who have been harassed by debt collectors report irregularities to the Attorney General of the respective states. You can also approach the Federal Trade Commission or FTC to register your complaints.

A Mr Ponderaro threatened me on a message on my answering machine, "This is a Procession Summons from EASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT for the law firm of John Nicolias, you can get 6 months in jail, for case number (fake case number # trying to get me to think it is legit), etc, call me at 1-888-743-4628."  He also said my father's name, not mine (breaking another FDCPA regulation).

EASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT AKA ETHICAL ASSET MANAGEMENT is a bottom feeder Collection Agency, Extracting money by giving false threats and using intimidation tactics.

Nicolia John Law Office is a bogus front for their Collection Agency operations.  They say they are a "Law firm".  They have no lawyers but say they are a law firm (scam, scam, scam).  They call people's families and say they are trying to keep their loved ones out of court and jail so they should make a payment right away.  Once they get your money they vanish or change their number.  There are many people that work in the "office" and they keep giving fake names.  Avoid.

Do not return the call, nor give ANY information.

Report false threats to the Attorney General.

Avoid.

Eastern Asset Management, LLC
aka/ Ethical Asset Management, LLC

3990 McKinley Pkwy, #4
Blasdell, NY 14219
&
300 International Drive

#143-144 (drop box)
Williamsville, NY 14221

   Head Debt Collector:




COMPLAINTS HERE




Phones
716-842-6033      716-626-3432
716-312-0828      716-312-0822
716-312-0823      716-312-0824
716-312-0825      716-312-0826
716-312-0827      716-321-0828
716-312-0830      716-947-0230
888-813-4333
Fax: 716-312-0829         716-626-3001
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bud Says                         Consumer Comments Below

Eastern Asset Management and Ethical Asset Management are junk debt collectors. They purchase old (mostly worthless) debts for pennies on the dollar, call with threats, intimidation and lies about who they in an attempt to extort monies they may not legally be owed. Here is a transcribed taped call from a collector working for Attorney John Paul Nicolia, of Grand Island NY:

HELLO, THIS IS MR. ST. CLAIRE CHIEF INVESTIGATOR WITH THE PROCESSING AND SUMMONS DIVISION OF ATTORNEY JOHN NICOLA'S OFFICE. CALLING IN REGARDS TO A CASE I RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON FOR ________ COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. NAMING ________ DEFENDANT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE HAVE PREPARED LEGAL DOCUMENTATION TO BE FILED WITH THE ________ COUNTY DISTRICT COURT WITH RECOMMENDATION OF A SUBPOENA IN LAW SUIT TO BE SERVED AT YOUR RESIDENCE OR YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AT 888-813-4333 EXT. 104, PLEASE WHEN CALLING REFERENCE YOUR CASE NUMBER ________ IN ______COUNTY. I'LL BE AVAILABLE THIS EVENING UNTIL 5PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

If you think Eastern Asset has violated the law and your consumer rights, you may want to file a complaint with:

New York State Office of Attorney
Grievance Committees
438 Main Street, 8th Floor
Buffalo, New York 14202
Phone: (716)845-3630
Fax: (716)856-2701


CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email  the details w/your location.  Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available.

This retard of a company contacted my daughter, who is very, very ill.  This situation could cause her great stress and damage.  The debt the Bozo referrs to was a debt discharged in a bankrupcy, in 2004. I have also filed a complaint with the Attorney Generals Office, and a police report for bothering my daught er.  It is time these parasites get there due.

He called me aswell. I was told my a lawyer not to give any info. just get a statement sent to you that has what you owe, by whom, and when it was owed. He also told me to contact the attorney generals office about them in PA.

Mr.panadero threatened me saying I could have jail time up to 6 months in jail plus court fees. The guy is a jerk .

I just called the 1-888-743-4628 Number. The man called Ponderaro answered the phone. Told him my name and asked me for the case number. Tock about 30 seconds to look for what he called my file and also stated that he was talking to the courts ( tring to get me to think he is legit). He starts to repeat the same message as he did before.." Processin Summons Easter assets management  for the law firm of John Nicolias" He says  this very fast and i asked him to slow down and to repeat the Law Firm... His voice gets louder and I mention to him that i am trying to find out if he infact does work for  the law firm.  He interupts and screams out " I am filing the papers" and Hangs up.
What is the deal with this man? Has anybody else contacted this man? I singed up for the 1800 do not call list and this mas aslo called my house.

I certainly hope you got something in writing that confirms you are paid up. You should follow up with the credit bureaus. Don't trust them any further than you can throw them.

They have phoned employers, relatives , neighbors, violated every article of the FDCPA, how can these people stay out of jail?

This is a scam. I have talked to a lawyer about it. Do not give them a dime. This is a crooked collection agency. Do some research...

KNOWN FDCPA VIOLATOR AND JUNK DEBT BUYER.  Out of NY - which is great because th NY AG has been shutting them down as quickly as possble

This is an illegal attempt to collect a legally uncollectable debt - they initiated contact with threats Any threats made are illegal.   They cannot sue you for it, because they cannot prove the debt is your

read all the info below - info on rights and complaint process.

John Paul Nicolia, Attorney
300 INTERNATIONAL DR
WILLIAMSVILLE, NY 14221-5781

(Executive Suites Office)
http://virtualoffices.regus.com/search/default.htm


JOHN PAUL NICOLIA
JOHN PAUL NICOLIA ATTORNEY AT LAW

NYS Bar #2375566 should be held accountable for the actions

of debt collectors representing him to consumers. Tape all calls, contact us for assistance, file complaints with the following:

New York State Attorney Grievance Committee
8th Judicial District
295 Main Street, Room 1036
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 858-1190
Fax: 716-856-2701
Web Site: http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4



Debt Collector renting his law license

Selected Entity Name: ETHICAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
Initial DOS Filing Date: OCTOBER 02, 2006
County: ERIE   Jurisdiction: NEW YORK
Entity Type: DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Current Entity Status: ACTIVE

Selected Entity Address Information DOS Process (Address to which DOS will mail process if accepted on behalf of the entity)
ETHICAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
300 INTERNATIONAL DRIVE
SUITES 143-144
WILLIAMSVILLE, NEW YORK, 14221
Registered Agent :  NONE

AKA / EASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT   Phone Numbers:      

888-813-4333
866-521-2611

866-926-4454
888-346-3978

716-626-3432
716-947-0230

716-282-3300

877-312-0822

716-312-0822
716-312-0823
716-312-0824
716-312-0825
716-312-0826
716-312-0827

716-321-0828
716-312-0830   Fax: 716-312-0829
                                 716-842-6033


Head Debt Collector:
JOHN PAUL NICOLIA, 50,  GRAND ISLAND, NY

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bud Says                         Consumer Comments Below

This is a typical Buffalo, NY criminal debt collection group operated by notorious debt collectors Greg & Doug Mackinnon. Doug & Greg are known, as ?Great Closers? because they close almost every debt collection and attorney office them become involved with and this one is no exception. Currently in bankruptcy for their failed Unistates Credit, while trying to explain to investors what happened to their $20 million investment. Here is an email that explains what many viewed on a recent Dateline, NBC story featuring Buffalo, NY debt collectors.

I doubt he will last much longer. A check of federal court cases shows that Nicolia and his collection operations have already had 31 lawsuits filed against them. We can reasonably expect that number to rise as they grow more desperate to steal money they are not entitled to.

Stay far away from this group of scam artists, contact us for assistance, do not give them access to your bank or credit cards.


CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email  the details w/your location.  Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available.



File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY ? use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE?S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!

Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies ? report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

Dealing with Debt Collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html


Statute of Limitations by State ? always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm


Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website ? FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you?re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor?s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation?s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn?t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they?re told (orally or in writing) that you?re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter ? even if you don?t think you owe the debt, can?t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don?t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector ? in writing ? to stop contacting you. Here?s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a ?return receipt? so you?ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don?t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people ? but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written ?validation notice? telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don?t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don?t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don?t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
    use threats of violence or harm;
    publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
    use obscene or profane language; or
    repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
    falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
    falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
    misrepresent the amount you owe;
    indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren?t; or
    indicate that papers they send to you aren?t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
    you will be arrested if you don?t pay your debt;
    they?ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
    legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don?t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:
    give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
    send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn?t; or
    use a false company name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
    try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt ? or your state law ? allows the charge;
    deposit a post-dated check early;
    take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
    contact you by postcard.

Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don?t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don?t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don?t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
    Social Security Benefits
    Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
    Veterans? Benefits
    Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Service Members? Pay
    Military Annuities and Survivors? Benefits
    Student Assistance
    Railroad Retirement Benefits
    Merchant Seamen Wages
    Longshoremen?s and Harbor Workers? Death and Disability Benefits
    Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
    Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can?t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney?s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector?s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General?s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General?s office can help you determine your rights under your state?s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government?s portal to financial education.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
        February

A caller Shannon Hunter said she is calling from attorney John Nicolias office and my case # #### is going to litigation and she needs to hear from myself or my attorney and gave my banks name as the person with the complaint.  My bank knows nothing about this.  the number came from 18889377937

I just found this site in my own serach of MR Nicolia. Whatever you do DO NOT EVER EVER GIVE THIS COMPANY OR ANY OTHE DEBT COLLECTOR YOUR BANKING INFORMATION. USE MONEY ORDERS ONLY!!!!!

And now, unfortunately...they have your SS#.....there is a website that has all this info for you to read....Very interesting

http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?topic=78.0

DO NOT TALK TO THESE PEOPLE!!!  They say they are calling on behalf of Attorny John Nicolia....and his name is Dominick Ponterero...DONT SEND THEM MONEY!!! They say they have legal matters with your county if you don't make payment arrangements with a certain company you once owed money too....and make threats to have your licence suspended...or can put you in jail...they cant

So my mother got a call from this idiot "John Nicolai" saying I was the defendant in a law suit in Nueces County and i was being sued by Clout Financial for a credit card i got in 2004 and only made payments for the 1st year.  I called back and some Attorney named Mr. Anthony said he could handle my case.  He immediately asked for my SSN which i found kind of weird.  I told him there was no way i was going to give him any information.  He said i was going to be served with a subpoena at home or at work.  He asked if i wanted to settle out of court in the amount of $1600.  I told him i wasn't interested since i have only one credit card to my name and i owe nothing on it.  I told him i had researched his company and i knew what he was up to.  He got real defensive and said to do what i wanted to do its not him thats getting sued.  I asked him to provide me with the information he had on file, he gave me the last four of the social and it wasn't a match with mine.  He yelled at me and said "then i guess we are after the wrong guy huh".  

I don't know if he's a scam or what but he makes it sound legit and honestly from all these complaints online i'm sure he's a scam. Make sure you don't give him any information.

Eastern Asset Management, LLC
aka/ Ethical Asset Management, LLC

3990 McKinley Pkwy, #4
Blasdell, NY 14219
&
300 International Drive

#143-144 (drop box)
Williamsville, NY 14221

  Head Debt Collector:




COMPLAINTS HERE




Phones
716-842-6033      716-626-3432
716-312-0828      716-312-0822
716-312-0823      716-312-0824
716-312-0825      716-312-0826
716-312-0827      716-321-0828
716-312-0830      716-947-0230
888-813-4333
Fax: 716-312-0829         716-626-3001


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bud Says                         Consumer Comments Below

Eastern Asset Management and Ethical Asset Management are junk debt collectors. They purchase old (mostly worthless) debts for pennies on the dollar, call with threats, intimidation and lies about who they in an attempt to extort monies they may not legally be owed. Here is a transcribed taped call from a collector working for Attorney John Paul Nicolia, of Grand Island NY:

HELLO, THIS IS MR. ST. CLAIRE CHIEF INVESTIGATOR WITH THE PROCESSING AND SUMMONS DIVISION OF ATTORNEY JOHN NICOLA'S OFFICE. CALLING IN REGARDS TO A CASE I RECEIVED THIS AFTERNOON FOR ________ COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. NAMING ________ DEFENDANT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE HAVE PREPARED LEGAL DOCUMENTATION TO BE FILED WITH THE ________ COUNTY DISTRICT COURT WITH RECOMMENDATION OF A SUBPOENA IN LAW SUIT TO BE SERVED AT YOUR RESIDENCE OR YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AT 888-813-4333 EXT. 104, PLEASE WHEN CALLING REFERENCE YOUR CASE NUMBER ________ IN ______COUNTY. I'LL BE AVAILABLE THIS EVENING UNTIL 5PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

If you think Eastern Asset has violated the law and your consumer rights, you may want to file a complaint with:

New York State Office of Attorney
Grievance Committees
438 Main Street, 8th Floor
Buffalo, New York 14202
Phone: (716)845-3630
Fax: (716)856-2701


CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email  the details w/your location.  Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available.

They just called and left a message for my husband looking for his ex wife.  We still communicate with her so I was going to call and tell her about the call but before I did, we tried looking it to see if my husband was attached to it in any way.  I work for a credit repair company so I'm aware of some of the BS that these people try to pull.  

Well he left a "case number" in the message so I went to the home page of the county we live in.  The case number doesn't exist.  He is a POS and this "attorneys" office doesn't exist!

We receive a fair number of complaints on Eastern Asset Management and Attorney John Paul Nicolia about threats of a pending lawsuit. In a check of several states, we did not find any state where Ethical Asset Management or John Paul Nicolia, Attorney at Law (NY BAR#2375566) was licensed or bonded. One could assume they are an illegal debt collection organization. If you believe that you are being threatened by employees of Attorney John Paul Nicolia contact:
New York State Attorney Grievance Committee   8th Judicial District  295 Main Street, Room 1036
Buffalo, NY 14203   (716) 858-1190   Fax: 716-856-2701
Web Site: http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4

He is not to be trusted i told my banker the same thing and advised me to close my account.

I got the call to from this yankee. 1st he used the scare tactics, which is illegal, and i gave him  my account number. Then i did some research 30 min later I cancelled my check and closed my bank account.A Rick Traynor was telling me that an off duty cop came by my house around 8 a.m. to serve me some papers. Which he lied. He found out that i cancelled my payment so he called me again. By harassing me I tried telling him my lawyer will be calling in behalf of me. Which he flipped out and and couldn't back his story up. So at this point Im thinking hes a fraud. I call the county and the Legal aid of the county to report him and found out he IS A FRAUD!!!!!!!  I confronted him when he called me again after harassing my parents and i told him what you are doing is ILLEGAL!! I told him that my lawyer has the case number and will call you. Now out of no where he said I want to work with you i don't want you to go to jail for 2 yrs. Then i called him out that your a scam everything that your doing is not right.

Listen guys you cannot go to jail over a credit card or just bad credit. If so wouldn't you think that there would be no room cause it was so crowded.  If you get this call from this yankee Report him to your lawyer or call the legal aid. He needs to be STOPPED!!! He shouldn't receive anything from anybody, if so then you are the dumb@#$

i have also received many attempts from this collection agancy. Today i actually settled with them for a good lump sum so for my sake they say who they are. I had to because i needed it off my report. i also talked to Mr.Curtis and Mr. Mathien so i hope i am ok

No, they can't be trusted.  They are junk debt collectors, most of which they are not even entitled to. Get it in writing via USPS, if not you don't owe anything if they can't prove you owe it.

Mr. Curtis called me as well with the same number, they said their "company" bought out old debts and is now looking to take people to court to receive payment. He said he would settle for a lump sum of $1200, I told him I could not pay that all at once. He suggested I call family to help me with a loan. My brother said it sounded like a scam and I should not trust him. These people work off commissions and they should be able to work with monthly payments. When I called back to work with another person in the company they directed me to John Curtis again. I asked for a certified letter and to pay monthly payments instead of one large sum. Then Mary Elizabeth Hayes "Administration" sent me this e-mail:

Eastern Asset Management, LLC has purchased all the rights and obligations to the above mentioned debt.
Eastern Asset Management has made a decision to offer you an opportunity to pay less than the amount due to satisfy your delinquent account. Your settlement shall be in the amount of $X,XXX.XX. Your first payment in the amount of $XXX.XX is due on or before 07/31/08. Your remaining payments in the amount of $XXX.XX will be due in our office on or before the 30th day of each month until the settlement balance is paid in full. You may contact our office with the information for an ACH bank draft. When making a payment with certified funds we ask that you make the check payable to Eastern Asset Management, LLC and overnight to P.O. Box 113 Buffalo, NY 14205. Once the final payment has cleared, the account will be reported paid in full with a zero balance, to the proper credit reporting agencies if applicable. Furthermore you will be released of any financial and legal obligations pertaining to the above referenced account and any remaining balance. If you do not adhere to the terms of the settlement agreement we will declare the entire balance due and pursue accordingly. If judgment has been rendered, that information will be updated with the proper jurisdiction and county.
Please note that our legal counsel, John P. Nicolia Esq., may review the status of your particular case at anytime.
If you have any questions relative to the above referenced settlement, please do not hesitate to contact our office toll free at 1-888-346-3978 Ext 10, Monday through Friday 8:00am ? 9:00pm EST.  Please refer to the file number indicated above.
Federal law requires we notify you this is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Sincerely,

Eastern Asset Management LLC

I sent the above e-mail and also this website my banker, hopefully I will know if this company is to be trusted.

Dont fret. Thing about court dates is that you are SUPEANAed there is no chance in hell that he could be ligit because for u to be required in court u have to have a police officer present you with the supeana and sign it... same goes for everyone with fear of being sued and etc.

You are all fine, If you are still worried, call the local police department or Circuit court and ask if you have any pending warrents or court cases. They will let you know the truth

I have been getting the same phone calls from Mr. Pondero(whatever his name is), and he was really freaking me out. Has anyone figured out if it is a scam? The voicemail said that he could seize my property, like a vehicle. He also said that I have been missing court dates, and I never got a notice or anything. I figured he was calling about credit card debt or something. Im in college, so if he thinks he's getting money out of me for some scam, he's WRONG! Let me know if anything comes up...also when he calls me the number is "withheld"

Yes!! Same thing I just got a message from Pondero. Who is this person? I tried calling back but the number is busy.

Please RESPOND

my name is Mike, my wife just got a call saying she is being sued for $1400 on a account that was charged off and paid back in 2006!!! any comments, please email me emsdisp@gmail.com its harrassment and unetthical.

I have been receiving similar calls from Eastern Asset. The contact person(s) in my case keep changing. First it was someone named Jason, then Micheal Slalick, then Mr. Golfo, then Mr. Curtis. In each case, each person gives me a different answer as to how to settle my account. Mr. Curtis claims he is the para-legal for Eastern Asset and have retained Attorney John Nicolia. They have threatened me with summons and damage to my credit. They have several different numbers coming up on my caller ID now. Here are a few of them. 716-312-0822, 716-312-0824, 716-312-0825,716-312-0830.

I want to know as well, who are these people?
Caller: Eastern Asset Management
Caller Type:  Collection Agency

I have received several threatening phone calls from this phone number over the past few weeks.  They leave messages saying that I am trying to defraud a financial institution and that they are preparing preliminary hearing papers for my county (and he mis-pronounces the county name) and I do not even live in the county he is referring to. He threatens taking me to court.  His name is Mr. Ponderaro with Attorney John Nicolia's office in the Process and Servers Division of Eastern Asset Management. They give a case number and threaten serving me with a summons and complaint at home or work and we will lose our cars, etc.

Who are these people?