Consumer complaint received 2022-11-13
Company: Richard Sokoloff, Attorney At Law
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds

Complaint:
Richard Sokoloff Returns. XXXX XXXX I write this claim against Attorney XXXX XXXX who constantly violates consumers financial well being by using unfair legal practices. The nature of this claim is based on personal experience and a discovery that he has a history of this, along with multiple complaints. This is my second complaint against him. 

At this time I will add to my initial claim made in XXXX XXXX against XXXX XXXX that he is exploiting me and probably many other minority groups by misusing his legal knowledge and authority to gain access to consumers bank accounts without their knowledge, mislead, confuse and intimidate consumers into letting him take advantage. His pursuits are repetitive and have become a harassment and to me a civil issue. He preys on minority groups particularly XXXX people. His strategy is to disarm the consumer with multiple attacks on their livelihood simultaneously so as to confuse the consumer to feel defeated. It's exploitation. 
I have reason to believe that XXXX XXXX repeatedly violates the FDCPA, Section 807- A, 807-4. 807-9 by false and misleading representations of the amount of debt, selling, buying and reselling debt, unauthorized withdrawal from accounts, and threatening correspondences. I have reason to believe that he is targeting me because of his pattern of legal action against me. 
I can recall history with this office that dates back to XXXX, where they have garnished wages. At that time I was not aware of my rights as a consumer and his legal tacts gave hime authority to keep actions against me. It was in XXXX when I became aware of his what he was doing and what he has done to others. He has my name and finds ways to come after me, to him I'm vulnerable. If I'm vulnerable then so are many other consumers like me. This should be made a public issue. In XXXX he was able to get a XXXX placed on my bank account. Since that was done illegally, he had to remove the levy on my account. 

He appeared in my life again in XXXX with threatening, and confusing correspondences. In XXXX I appeared in civil court in XXXX NY, at the same time in XXXX of XXXX he issued an order to withdraw funds from my bank account, and I was under a payment agreement with his office for a medical bill. This was all at the same time. Following the court date in XX/XX/XXXX the court granted the petition to vacate the claims presented by XXXX XXXX. 

************************************************************************************************** Here we are XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX XXXX again withdrew XXXX, XXXX. XXXX from my account, again with the same tactic. There was no notice and he provided little to no information to my bank regarding the nature of the legal order he presented. This time I do not know what debt he is attempting to collect on. I need my money. I also need him to stop harassing me. What is it going to take? 

********************************************************************************************** My claim is that Richard Sokoloff office and affiliates continue to mislead and take advantage of me by abusing his power and using his legal authority and knowledge to get agencies in the community to follow his agenda. 

Many years and he is still allowed to violate fair practices Section 808-1, and Section 809-a and 809- c. I am not an attorney, just a member of the community and more specifically the XXXX and other minority groups who pays taxes and follows the law. But Im being abused by this same law. What is being done about all the claims he already has? 

I believe the law office of Richard Sokoloff directly, preys on minority groups and low income people and further exploits our financial stability. Which perpetuates financial oppression in our communities. It places stigma and prevents access to stability. These claims, even though they are violations are placed on consumers credit reports and impact many opportunities for us. 
He intimidates with legal language and paperwork, and threaten to interfere with wages. This implicates danger to our families wellbeing and livelihood and threatens financial stability. This has damaging affects on the credit and diminishes opportunities to obtain the American Dream.

Therefore my claim and petition requests audits of the full practices under the consumer financial Protection Bureau. The bureau should have more protection especially for vulnerable populations including those without proper representation against such legal manipulation and cunning practices. The current laws allow companies like this to push frivolous documents through the courts and other community institutions. I believe they should be brought up on charges and that a class action law suit be brought against them under the Federal Trade Commission.

Movement against oppression and exploitation. 

My Story/ Claim last Year XXXX : On XX/XX/XXXX I recieved a notice from XXXX XXXX about a judgement against me for {$4.00}, XXXX for a medical bill 6 years ago for my son. Although the amount in the judgement was more than my original debt I accepted obligation to pay. I contacted the debt collectors office- XXXX XXXX Department of Public Safety . I spoke to XXXX XXXX. I agreed to a payment arrangement of {$200.00} a month, this agreement was set forth on XX/XX/XXXX and is still active as I write this claim. At that time I was informed I would receive a stipulation, of which I never received. I did not look into it because the fact the monies was being taken each month was a sign of the agreement in place. I know see how it made me more vulnerable. 

Lets keep in mind that as I am now still in a payment agreement, so you could imagine my alarm when I get a notice on XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX that my bank account has been restrained which restricts my use. This notice was on the same debt that I am currently paying on. 

I was immediately alarmed so I called my bank and was informed that there was no restriction on my account. Upon further inquiry of the status of my back account, I learned that an amount of {$5700.00} was withdrawn from my account on XX/XX/XXXX and then another amount of {$120.00}, on the same date. I was informed that the note attached was that it was a legal order and provided me a telephone number to Richard Sokoloffs office. A different number listed on the correspondence. I have no knowledge of why XXXX XXXX withdrew these funds, and I was not informed in any way, nor did I authorize it. My communication with my bank on this day was following the receipt of the correspondence dated XX/XX/XXXX. Without the dialogue from my banking institution I would not have know about XXXX XXXX entry into my account and funds that were withdrawn without my knowledge or consent. My nagging question was why he would send a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX for {$2600.00} an amount separate and different from the initial judgment XXXX which states {$4.00}, XXXX, and in addition to the XXXX, XXXX he withdrew from my account on XX/XX/XXXX and lets not forget the {$200.00} I have been willingly paying under what I thought was an agreement for the last 10 months. My total payments calcite to {$2100.00} already payed and documented on my bank record. On top of that, he actually took the payment for the current month ( XXXX ). This is unbelievable! 

Since I received this notice on the weekend, I follow up with Richard Sokolffs office on XX/XX/XXXX I speak to XXXX XXXX. I let her know what XXXX XXXX did and want to know why they went into my bank account without my permission. I remind her that I am in a payment agreement of which they just withdrew from my account this current month. She admits that I am in a payment agreement but that restraining orders are sent sent out automatically every year and if they find out that there is money there they want want the balance settled and paid in full. I responded that I am already in an agreement and that I did not receive any notification about changes to the agreement, but I did receive a threatening notice about a restraint on my bank account. XXXX XXXX claims that they do not have to send notice for restraints and that when the see money is there they want the debt payed. I responded that I planned to keep my current agreement as I have done the past 10 months. XXXX XXXX goes on in an attempt to collect the debt and asked me if I was going to pay the money. I was not sure what money she was talking about, as far as I understood I was keeping my end of the agreement to pay the debt. I had not heard anything from their company since XX/XX/XXXX when they withdrew their first payment. XXXX XXXX says if I was not calling to settle the debt she has to ask the attorney to call me back. 

In the mean time, I received a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX ( XXXX  XXXX of XXXX ) at XXXX XXXX  from a woman who identified her self as XXXX. She said she was calling me to follow up on the emails sent to her. I acknowledged I sent emails and stated that my intention was to put them on notice about what XXXX XXXX was doing. The woman who introduced herself as XXXX said, she was calling to see how she can help. She told me that XXXX XXXX XXXX is now retired and that she wanted to follow up because of all the emails that were sent. I express to her that I have nothing against XXXX XXXX and that I accepted my obligation to pay the debt by entering into a payment agreement of {$200.00} every month since XX/XX/XXXX of which again is still in affect even as I tell my story. XXXX expressed that the bill was originally for XXXX, XXXX and began to share how it works when insurance is billed and service is not covered due to patients out of network. I let her know that was not the issue, I restated that the issue is that XXXX XXXX took money from me without authorization and I am under a payment agreement. begin to explain my claim on what XXXX XXXX is doing in efforts to collect this debt on behalf of the service XXXX XXXX provided to my son. I explain the amount that XXXX XXXX took was more than the original judgement amount and does not account for the money he is still taking. I say, I have paid {$2100.00} to date on the debt. The woman then says she received total payments of {$1700.00}. She adds that XXXX payment was for {$30.00}, XXXX payment of XXXX {$60.00} and XXXX payments of {$190.00}. I respond by saying, I did not know what side payments are are being made to that office and I only know the agreement I entered with XXXX XXXX and repeat that the company has been receiving the money from my account every month for the last 10 months. She asked me, How I know it's from Richard Sokoloff. I tell her that his name is attached to the payment he withdraws each month.the woman asked me to send her my account information to XXXX. I naively felt like sharing, but thenshe stated that she called Richard Sokoloff office twice today and spoke to them. She goes on to say that the numbers they have are the same as the numbers she has. She asked if I could send her what I have so she can send it over to them and see how she can help me. 

At this point I became a bit more disturbed. This woman who works for a medical group where the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  is retired ; as she stated, and wants to help me. I just dont understand her interest, it raised a red flag. When she stated that she would forward the information to XXXX XXXX I told her that if I were to sent her anything I do not recommend she send anything to him, and that he knows what he takes out of my account every month. I then stated that I was not going to send her anything and that I don't think she should get involved and kindly thanked her for the call. She adds on that if she can help me in any way to call her. I tell her all Iwanted was to pay my debt. Again I thanked her for the call .Call ended. 

On the same day, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I received a telephone call from XXXX XXXX the debt collector at the Westchester County Department of Public Safety- Civil Unit . 
XXXX XXXX stated that she spoke to the attorney and he is offering to stop the interest and place a cap on the balance of {$2600.00}. I respond by saying that I am concerned and am not sure I can trust any agreement and I wondered how they arrive at the amount. I informed that I just received a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX and was informed that my balance was {$1.00}, XXXX which is different from what XXXX XXXX XXXX is saying I owe. XXXX XXXX says that she will let me speak to the attorney. She returns and says that he is on the phone and would call be back. 


A little while later, at XXXX I received a call from XXXX XXXX the man identified himself as XXXX XXXX XXXX He stated that she is calling to resolve a debt he says that he just got off the phone with the XXXX XXXX office and " she " said she did not quote you any amount. I never told the name of the women that called me. So I don't know how he knows exactly who I spoke to and what they told me. I did not argue with him, I responded " ok ''. I knew what that woman told me, because.I even asked her to restate the amount she said I owed and her name because of was writing it in my notes. 

He goes on to say that he is offering to stop interest rate, and put a cap on the balance of XXXX. In sum XXXX XXXX stated he issued a release to my account to lift the restraint and agreed to subtract the bank penalty applied when he withdrew from my account for the alleged legal order. I ask for a stipulation agreement ; of which he agreed to. 

I am satisfied with the outcome because that is fair legal action. However I am calling attention to this issue. As I look into Mr. Richard Sokoloff Company he has too many unresolved claims against him under the XXXX. I am a witness to the the types of people that end up in civil court ; minority groups, low income people. This is just a peek into another systemic issue that is a running theme in our community I believe the law office of Richard Sokoloff was trying to exploit me, as they have done to me in the past and they continue to do on other minority groups and a class of low income people. I believe the law office of Richard Sokoloff illegally adds on fees and fixes debt balances and manipulates the legal system to con people out of their money. This is a systemic issue as their behavior perpetuates debt of minority and low income people, limits and oppresses opportunities for minority groups to access the American Dream by financially disarming us. The current laws need to change. I was disturbed with this matter because I was currently in payment agreement with this law office on the same debt that they have yet to send a validation of debt.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation