11 unethical debt collectors arrested in NY

I'm impressed. Cuomo seems serious about this. The economy is bad enough without debt collecting bastiges using illegal methods to extort money from people who don't know their own rights. Cuomo is now exposing the extortionists as the CRIMINALS they really are.

Notice to debt collectors: If you work for one of these dirty firms, your ass could be on the line, too.

[link to www.buffalonews.com]
Collectors busted by Cuomo worked for man arrested on gun charges

By Jonathan D. Epstein
News Business Reporter
Updated: September 29, 2009, 5:17 PM

Eleven individual debt collectors who worked for a Buffalo firm that was shut down by the state in June were arrested and charged with grand larceny Tuesday, while a 12th man is being sought by police and state investigators.

The individuals, who are accused of extortion, allegedly participated in improper and illegal debt-collection practices, posing as law enforcement officials and threatening to have consumers thrown in jail unless they immediately paid off debts they supposedly owed, state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced.

The arrests are part of Cuomo's ongoing investigation into overly aggressive and unlawful tactics by debt collectors in violation of state and federal laws to protect consumers.

And they are the first … but not necessarily the last … instance of employees being arrested and charged with a crime for their personal part in aggressive collection tactics that allegedly crossed the line, the state's top cop said during a press conference at Hilbert College.

"These tactics are illegal. If you do this, we will find it, and we will find you," Cuomo said. "It is not a defense to say I was just the employee."

The 12 individuals … 10 from Buffalo, one from Cheektowaga and one from Depew … all worked for one or more of the debt collection companies owned by Buffalo resident Tobias Boyland, whose operation was closed in June under a court order obtained by Cuomo.

At the time, Cuomo accused Boyland of running one of the most "egregious" violators of debt collection laws.

Boyland himself was arrested on gun possession charges, after state investigators and Erie County sheriff's deputies found him carrying a loaded weapon when they arrived with a search warrant.

He is currently out on bail, but the charge is pending, and Cuomo said Tuesday that additional charges are still possible regarding his debt collection business.

Since that case was announced, Cuomo's office has amassed more than 1,000 complaints against Boyland and his companies.

"The tactics allegedly used here are some of the worst of the worst in the debt collection business," Cuomo said in a press relesae. "The defendants' alleged lies, deceit and intimidation caused many innocent people to pay money they didn't owe just to stop the terrifying calls."

And he pledged to "continue to seek out and punish companies that prey on consumers and violate clearly written laws regarding debt collection."

But what made these arrests most significant were the targets.

[link to www.buffalo123.com]

Last Edited by Phennommennonn on 10/08/2011 09:16 PM