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Post-Pandemic Identity Theft

In today’s post-pandemic world, identity theft is becoming a rampant problem. It can happen in various ways, even between people who know each other. Roommates who forget to secure their personal information, parents using their children’s identity for their own benefit, and even grown children taking advantage of their elderly parents are just some examples. The worst part? The fraudulent activities are usually reflected in your credit report.

Discovering identity theft can be a nightmare, especially when it happens while applying for a loan, renting an apartment or getting a mortgage. If you suspect identity theft, taking immediate action is crucial. Filing a police report and contacting the credit reporting agencies are the first steps. When notifying the credit reporting agencies, make sure to write a detailed letter listing all accounts that belong to you and the ones that don’t. Also, specify whether the balances on the accounts that belong to you are accurate. To ensure delivery and proof of receipt, send the letter via certified mail or a trusted courier service with a tracking number.

But don’t worry, Abel Pierre and his team are here to help! With 20 years of experience in representing identity theft victims nationwide, Abel Pierre offers affordable solutions for people in need. If you suspect any fraudulent activities or mistakes on your credit report, don’t hesitate to contact us at 888-744-0757 or send us a message by clicking here. We’ll fight hard to get your credit report corrected and protect your family from the devastating consequences of identity theft.

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I Never Opened a Citibank Account, Was My Identity Stolen?

It might not always seem like it, but your credit report is one of the most important assets you have. The information in your credit report shows what your relationships with your creditors are like, which influence your credit score. It’s for this reason that you should ensure your credit report always reflects the most accurate information about your debt and your creditors.

So, what if you pull a soft inquiry on your credit report and notice accounts, debt, or other information that you don’t recognize or is incorrect? If you’re like most people, you’d probably feel alarmed and fear that you’ve become a victim of identity theft – but have you?

Not always. Sometimes a credit report error not due to fraud is to blame.

What Is a Credit Report Error?

A credit report error is exactly what it sounds like: an error on your credit report. As it turns out, these mistakes are very common and affect about one in three Americans.

Some common credit report errors include the following:

  • Incorrect information about you (name, phone number, address, etc.)
  • Mixed files (your information is mixed with someone else’s)
  • Closed accounts are reported as open
  • Accounts incorrectly reported as delinquent or late
  • Incorrect or missing payment information
  • A debt is listed more than once
  • Incorrect account balances or credit limits

Sometimes credit report errors are due to identity theft and fraud, but they are most often the results of data input and management errors. These mistakes can occur at various levels and originate from your bank, another financial institution, the credit reporting agency, or even you.

Are Credit Report Errors Serious?

They can be. Because an error on your credit report can adversely affect your credit score, you shouldn’t leave it unaddressed. Credit report errors that go unnoticed or are allowed to persist can drastically lower anyone’s credit score, damaging their reputation, limiting their ability to secure credit, and even costing them money.

Are Credit Report Errors Easy to Fix?

Some are, some aren’t. You may be able to quickly resolve relatively simple errors, such as a misspelled name, incorrect address, or a wrong account number. In these cases, the mistake can be corrected within a few days. More complicated problems, such as disputes concerning account balances or accounts in your name that you never opened, can take several days or a few weeks to resolve.

How Do I Fix an Error on My Credit Report?

You can fix an error on your credit report by filing a dispute with the credit reporting agency that provided the report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) makes both you and any credit reporting agency responsible for correcting any inaccurate information.

As you prepare your error dispute, include copies of all documentation that show the error and prove why it’s incorrect. Once you file an error dispute, the credit reporting agency must investigate your claim within 30 days. You should expect notification of the results of this investigation and receive a free copy of your amended credit report if any changes were made.

Do I Have to File Multiple Disputes for the Same Error with Other Agencies?

No, you shouldn’t have to dispute an individual error more than once. If one credit reporting agency agrees to fix an error you reported to it, the other two reporting agencies should receive this updated information.

Who Can Help Me Fix My Credit Report?

If your credit report is showing incorrect information, you can reach out to The Law Offices of Abel L. Pierre, Attorney at Law, P.C. for help filing a credit report error dispute. You should secure our legal representation as soon as possible because any errors on your credit report may be damaging your credit score.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, contact us online to schedule a consultation.

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3 Common Credit Reporting Mistakes

Did you know that roughly 1 in 4 consumers has an error on their credit report? This is why it is important to remember to occasionally check the information contained in your credit report. Your credit report can affect your financial well-being, making it all that more important to ensure its accuracy will give you the best possible interest rates and credit options.

There are a few credit reporting errors that are more commonly made than others. In this blog, we talk about 3 common credit reporting mistakes.

Incorrect Account Information

The first most common mistake people find on their credit report is incorrect information about their accounts. Sometimes, creditors will provide inaccurate information to the credit reporting agencies. This usually happens when the creditor sends wrong information or the credit reporting agency incorrectly enters the information they have been given.

Make sure you review each of your accounts to see that they have been accurately reported. Examples of inaccurate account information include:

 

An “open” notation on a closed account

Inaccurate credit limits

Late payments

Unpaid balances

Inaccurate Personal Information

The second most common error seen on credit reports is inaccurate personal identifying information. With the millions of consumers that each of the three major credit reporting agencies are responsible for reporting about, personal information for people with similar names can sometimes end up merging together.

Sometimes the inaccurate information can be a wrong street address, while other times the information can be far more detrimental to your report. For example, an inaccurate social security number or annual income can have major consequences on your financial standing. Check your report and make sure the information belongs to you and is correct. While a wrong address might not seem like a big deal, it can potentially lead to another person’s account being added to your credit report.

Fraudulent Accounts

The third most commonly reported error found in people’s credit reports is fraudulent accounts. A fraudulent account is a serious credit reporting mistake that can substantially affect your credit rating. Fraud, or identity theft, occurs when someone uses your personal information to open accounts in your name.

If you find fraudulent accounts on your credit report, you will need to alert the police and consult with the credit reporting agency. Submitting a fraud alert on your report will prevent future accounts from being opened without you first being contacted by the creditor.

How Do I Fix a Credit Reporting Error?

If you come across an error when you are checking your credit report, you need to contact the credit reporting agency to dispute the account. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have the right to dispute and request an investigation for any inaccurate information you find on your credit report.

After receiving your notice of inaccurate information, the credit reporting agency must contact the furnisher of the information, conduct an investigation, and respond to you within 30 days.

Let Us Help You Resolve Your Credit Reporting Error Today

If you are having trouble disputing a credit reporting error, our attorney can help you uphold your rights. In fact, we can help you resolve your credit reporting error free of charge.

At The Law Offices of Abel L. Pierre, we offer a wide range of debt collection defense services that we can use to remove potentially harmful mistakes from your credit report. Let us assist you today.

Call (888) 744-0757 to schedule a consultation with our legal team today.

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Bad Debt Collectors

There are many law firms that make it their business to oppress everyday consumers into paying debts that they do not owe. These rogue lawyers and law firms use sneaky tactics to weasel money out of hardworking everyday people. One of the most notorious of these is the law firm of Houslanger & Associates.

Todd E. Houslanger founded the firm of Houslanger & Associates since 2005. They have been at the forefront of bad collection practices for a long time. They continue to get away with it when consumers, who do not know their rights, are bullied into paying more than what they should. In fact in 2009 Houslanger & Associates was one of the law firms sued by the New York State Attorney General.

Houslanger & Associates are also sometimes associated with Libra Equities, Pinpoint Technologies and other Debt collection firms. They use their powers to freeze bank accounts and wage garnishments. They have been sued multiple times in federal court for unlawful collection practices.

If you or a loved one received a phone call or letter from Houslanger & Associates do not speak to them without consulting with your own lawyer first.

The Lawyers at the Law Office of Abel L. Pierre, have decades of experience fighting rogue debt collectors. We know your rights and we can make sure that you get the lowest and best possible solution for your case. Call or Email us Today.

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Pinpoint Technologies LLC

Many people are dealing with the reality that old debts and accounts often creep up out of nowhere. That account may have been 15 even almost 20 years old in some cases. However there are debt collection agencies that specialize in breathing new life to these old debts. Two of these rogue collection agencies are known as Pinpoint Technologies LLC and Pinpoint Technologies Too LLC.

Pinpoint Technologies has a rather infamous reputation for being one of the most notorious debt collection companies. Pinpoint Technologies has often been accused and sued for utilizing unlawful, sneaky, unfair and deceptive collection practices in order to coerce and trick poor consumers into paying debts that they did not owe. Pinpoint Technologies has also repeatedly been sued for using tactics such as sewer service in order to slip judgments through the court system. This means that Pinpoint Technologies was accused of falsifying affidavits in which they claimed to notify consumers of collection proceedings against them. Of course because the affidavit was falsified, the consumer was never actually notified about the collection cases and judgments. They would only find out about the unlawful acts after receiving a notice from a Marshal or Sheriff notifying them of a wage garnishment or a freeze on their bank account.

Pinpoint Technologies and Pinpoint Technologies Too LLC sold their judgments to a few companies one of which being Libra Equities. This new collection agency is represented by Todd E. Houslanger from Houslanger and Associates PC. If you received notice of judgment from a Marshall, Sheriff, Pinpoint Technologies our law firm can help fight this problem for you. We have decades of experience in removing judgments, stopping wage garnishment, and lifting bank levies. Feel free to send us an email or call us today.

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Can a Gym Send You to Collections?

As a new year rolls around many of us make resolutions. One of the top resolutions that people make is the commitment to finally get in shape. With that, we join a gym and sign on the dotted line which obligates us to pay a low monthly fee. But then our schedule changes and we may even relocate thus needing to cancel our gym membership. Then we go on with the rest of our lives and don’t even consider if a gym can send you to collections.

Can a Gym Send You to Collections?

Yes. If you sign a contract with a gym and fail to pay, a gym can send you to collections. If the cancellation is not done in writing you will still be sent to a collection agency which will assign a debt collector to try to collect the balance of the bill.

However many times it’s not so simple. People get caught in the trap of owing a lot of money based on those gym membership fees and don’t even realize it until they are contacted by a debt collector, collection agency, or have a judgment on the credit report.

This happens because a lot of time gym memberships are similar to an apartment lease. That means many gyms will obligate you to a gym membership for a period of time such as one or two years. During that time you are not allowed to cancel except for relocating or medical reasons. Thus when you try to cancel the membership you may still be hit with the bill.

Do Smaller Gyms Send Members to Collection as Well?

There are many gyms, especially the smaller ones, that have taken the practice of sending every canceled account to a collection agency regardless of whether or not the cancellation was properly done. Sometimes unknowing consumers get barraged with collection calls from debt collectors who demand a lot more money than the balance that was left on the contract.

Other times unwittingly the client doesn’t know that they’re being sought until a judgment is taken against them which shows up on their credit report. Sometimes the consumer’s wages are garnished or their bank accounts frozen. Then after much digging, they realize that the $200 that they had left on the a gym membership has now ballooned to thousands of dollars worth of interest, penalties, legal fees, and miscellaneous disbursements.

It’s always advisable if you must cancel your gym membership to do it in writing. However if you are receiving collection calls as a result of a canceled gym membership do not hesitate to immediately contact the Law Office of Abel Pierre. One of our attorneys will be happy to speak with you and develop the most effective strategy to permanently resolve your situation.

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Business Leasing

Many small business owners don’t directly perform every task in their business. If they tried to do so they would get crushed with the workload and could never survive. That’s why they hire different vendors to provide goods and services and equipment. Often times these service contracts end up becoming a thorn in their side. This is readily apparent when we look at the problems that can arise from credit card processing equipment and services.

Many credit card processing companies compete fiercely for small business accounts. Small businesses often switch credit card processing companies not realizing that their previous account has penalties for early cancellations.

Small business owners who switch accounst often find out that they were locked into a contract which obligates them to pay thousands of dollars more than what the equipment costs. When they can’t pay they are subjected to civil court lawsuits often times in courthouses located in another state. One company notorious for this practice was Northern Leasing who sometimes operated as Lease Finance Group. This company was even investigated by the New York State Atty. Gen. for its practices.

Northern Leasing would lock their customers into contracts which forced them to pay thousands of dollars for those tiny little machines which small business owners would use the swipe credit cards. When the small business owners would switch accounts Northern Leasing would immediately hire the law firm of Joseph Sussman to pursue these accounts in New York. The small businesses were located throughout the country and were dismayed that they would have to defend themselves in a court hundreds and thousands of miles away. Because these small business owners will also suit personally they ran the risk of having their personal credit reports affected if they fell prey to a civil court judgment.

The law office of Abel L Pierre has successfully defended small business owners who were sued by Northern leasing and their attorneys Joseph Sussman. We have negotiated reasonable affordable payment plans and in a few cases even gotten the entire account dismissed.

If you are a small business owner being sued in New York for a business debt, do not hesitate to contact the law office of Abel Pierre. One of our attorneys will be happy to discuss a strategy to accomplish a permanent solution to this problem.

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Do Not Ignore a Lawsuit

Most civil courts handle cases that range from a few hundred dollars to a few several thousand dollars. Sometimes people receive court summons for a dispute that might involve a few hundred dollars. A person may think that these small summons are not a big deal and ignore them. However ignoring even a small civil court lawsuit can have disastrous effects.

The most immediate and obvious impact is that a small debt of a few hundred dollars can snowball into several thousands of dollars once it goes through the civil court process. That is because many creditors such as credit card companies, banks, and medical billing companies, will add interest, penalties, mysterious fees, and their own attorney fees to this debt. Although these items are governed by contract, it is difficult for a nonprofessional to determine whether these fees and expenses are properly calculated. That’s why it was people are often bullied into paying thousand dollars more than what they actually owe.

Secondly if you ignore a civil court papers, this may result in a default judgment being levied against you. The ripple effects are vast. This will follow you around on your credit score. Even a small judgment of a few hundred dollars will bring the mortgage application process to a screeching halt. Auto finance companies and credit card companies will use a judgment on your https://www.apierrelaw.com/debt-collection-defense/credit-repair/credit report as an excuse to charge you a much higher interest rate than you would’ve originally qualified for.

Third, you can be in for the shock of your life on a Friday afternoon when you attempt to use a credit card and you find out that your account has been frozen because of this judgment.

Fourth is the embarrassment of having a civil court judgment sent to your employer in order to begin the wage garnishment process and having a piece of your paycheck snatched from you on a regular basis in order to satisfy the judgment.

If you receive a civil court summons and complaint or any other type of court papers the best thing to do is to contact an attorney to represent you. The credit card companies and banks have attorneys working aggressively on their behalf. You should have an attorney on your side as well. Feel free to contact the Law Office of Abel Pierre. Our attorneys will be happy to discuss an effective strategy to permanently solving your civil court lawsuit problem.

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How to Fix Bad Credit After Identity Theft

In the state of New York, identity theft is a criminal offense. For victims, identity theft not only harms their financial wellbeing. It can also negatively affect their credit. If identity theft occurs, there are several steps you may take to protect your credit.

File a Police Report

Identity theft is a crime, and should be reported to the police as soon as possible. Depending on the situation, victims may be able to obtain a copy of the police report to use as evidence for their situation.

Victims may also call the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and fill out an online ID theft complaint and affidavit form. These records serve as identity theft reports, and can provide helpful evidence when trying to work with credit bureaus later on.

Communicate With Lenders

It is important for victims of identity theft to call their lenders as soon as possible. Some credit card companies may refund fraudulent transactions, as well as provide a letter outlining the situation to credit bureaus. Communicating with lenders (including banks and credit card agencies) as soon as possible can help ensure you don’t have to pay back all the money from fraudulent purchases on your account.

It is also important to communicate throughout the process to keep the lenders informed of the situation.

Contact Credit Bureaus

Victims should obtain copies of their credit reports to understand how the identity theft specifically hurt their credit. They should review and highlight the accounts affected by the identity theft, and provide a copy of the report to a credit bureau, such as TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax.

Victims may also send a copy of the police report, as well as a letter from the lending agency, to the credit bureau to provide additional evidence of the identity theft. Once the claim has been examined and verified, the credit bureau will remove the negative items from the credit report and notify other bureaus as well.

Follow Up With Credit Agencies

It is important to send a copy of the ID theft report to the credit reporting agencies, credit bureaus, and lenders on the affected accounts via certified mail. Although there is a strong inclination to send this information online, doing so can weaken the credit reporting agencies responsibility to adequately reinvestigate your problem.

Furthermore, victims should notify the Social Security Administration, change their account passwords, and apply for a new driver’s license. By keeping written records of police reports, credit report letters, and conversations with credit agencies throughout the process, victims of identity theft can help ensure fraudulent records do not reappear on their accounts.

It is also a good idea to regularly communicate with credit bureaus, the police, and lenders for at least the first 3 months to ensure the credit report remains accurate. Any signs of false or fraudulent activity should be reported immediately, and following up regularly after the credit has been restored is essential.

Call the Law Office of Abel L. Pierre Today at (888) 744-0757

The Law Office of Abel L. Pierre, Attorney at Law tenaciously represents victims of identity theft. If your identity has been stolen, and it has negatively impacted your credit, our firm can help. We can guide you through the process of restoring your credit, help you file the necessary paperwork, and work to ensure all the details are examined. With a commitment to meeting clients’ legal needs, our debt collection defense attorney can provide thorough, informative legal services.

Contact our dedicated advocate today to discuss your case.

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National Judgement

A job opportunity. A new love interest. Adventure. These all reasons why people relocate. People often relocate around the country and literally around the world seeking new opportunities, and looking to open new doors while closing old chapters in their life. Often times these moves signal an opportunity for an economic new beginning. People move to different cities in order to get a fresh start where they can rebuild their financial future.

As you can imagine it comes as a shock when people find out that a debt they accumulated in their old city still haunts them in the new and refreshing city they call home. There are several reasons why old debts such as medical bills, credit cards, and even foreclosures, follow people around from city to city and even state to state.

Sometimes the collector’s attorney does not know that a consumer has moved out-of-state and notifies the consumer at their old address. Thus the consumer never has an opportunity to respond to the civil court lawsuits.

This allows the creditor to get a judgment. The judgment is often referred to as the golden ticket because it allows the creditors attorney to do many different things which can have a ripple effect throughout the country. If the consumer keeps accounts with any major national Bank there Accounts are in danger of being frozen and levied regardless of where they live. The major national banks keep a centralized database of all of their consumers. So collector’s attorneys from any state in the country can send their judgments to a national bank who will identify the consumer and placed a hold on the money in their bank account.

A second reason why default judgments follow people around us because they will almost always appear on an individual’s credit report. Thus even if a consumer moves from New York to Los Angeles, the credit report will follow them. And once they arrive and at their new home, any item which appears on their credit report while they lived in New York will continue to appear and can potentially cause problems.

That’s why as an attorney located in New York City the law office of Abel Pierre, handles cases for clients throughout the New York area and throughout the country. We routinely receive phone calls from consumers who have relocated to Maryland, Florida, Virginia, California, and many of the states. These consumers are often shocked to find out that they have a civil court case or civil court judgment out of New York which is disrupting their new and improved lives.

Thankfully the attorneys at the law office of Abel Pierre are experienced and have the technological tools necessary to skillfully represent clients to minimize the financial impact without out-of-state clients having to travel to New York.

If you or someone you know throughout the country is dealing with the legal matter in New York do not hesitate to contact the law office of Abel L Pierre. One of our attorneys will be happy to speak with you to discuss a strategy to permanently resolve your problem and restore financial harmony to your life.

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