Consumer complaint received 2020-07-23
Company: Lotane & Associates, P.A.
State: NV
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Auto debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
On XXXX I received a judgement against me. I was ordered to pay a total sum of {$7700.00} that shall bear interest in the statutory rate of 6 % every year. 

I will provide the information of the lawyers who are collecting the debt of {$7700.00} : Lotane & Associates P.A. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX XXXX. 

I got a letter that my Driver 's License got suspended that's how i found out about this debt. I was forced to pay them {$300.00} and also an additional {$150.00} to the DMV to reinstate my drivers license. I have had my drivers license suspended for miss payment at least 3 times through out the course of 10 years. 

on XX/XX/2020 i made my payment and have been consistent with my payments 90 % of the time, however there have been times that were difficult for me because i was going through hard ships in life. 

When contacting them to tell them, there have been numerous times they were very rude and unprofessional. They offer you little to no help and if you miss a payment with them. They immediately suspend your license and you are forced all over again to pay the {$300.00} penalty charge which is not included in any of the payments i have made to them so far. That's the penalty charge they take from you forcefully in order for you to have a letter sent to the DMV to reinstate your drivers license. Once that letter gets sent ... The DMV charges you {$150.00} to reinstate making it a total of {$450.00}. 

I have paid them {$6300.00} to date ( XX/XX/2020 ), not including the the penalty charges i paid for missing payment and i still owe them {$4600.00} at supposedly 4.75 % current interest rate. 

I will be paying them till i die. I honestly feel like i have a XXXX to my head and feel forced to pay them or lose my license for the rest of your life. Even in a pandemic ... they show little to no interest in helping anyone. All they want is their money or they take away your license. 

I did however speak to a representative by the name of XXXX who was very nice. She listened to me and was helpful in understanding my situation, however she could not clarify much to me as it was out of her hands. She did however cut my payments in half for the next 3 months which is of almost no help because i will be recurring a ridiculous amount of interest a day. 

I am currently unemployed due to COVID-19 and i am finding it very difficult to make my rent on time and i am terrified to miss one payment with them. I feel trapped and i don't know what else to do. I can't hire a lawyer to help me because i just don't have the money. 

If you look at there reviews on XXXX, they perhaps have the worst reviews i have ever seen in my life for the same malicious practices they use on other victims. I honestly am not sure how these types of Law firms are in business. They are in the business to ruin lives and this needs to stop immediately. I learned my lesson but these type of predatory debts should be against the law. Please i need your help.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation