Consumer complaint received 2024-04-19
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: False statements or representation — Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official
Company: Williams & Fudge, Inc (GA)

WILLIAMS AND FUDGE is alleging I owe them a debt I do not. They are attempting to collect debts through intimidation by acting as attorneys. Attorneys are not allowed to collect debts. Furthermore I am not obligated to pay any debt I did not contract and agree to. Under federal just because a contract is transferred to you does not you have rights to collect on the debt. I refuse to pay this debt and have no obligation to do so. Reporting this debt to XXXX is against federal laws put in place to protect consumers from abusive collection practices. 

a ) An instrument is transferred when it is delivered by a person other than its issuer for the purpose of giving to the person receiving delivery the right to enforce the instrument. 

( b ) Transfer of an instrument, whether or not the transfer is a negotiation, vests in the transferee any right of the transferor to enforce the instrument, including any right as a holder in due course, but the transferee can not acquire rights of a holder in due course by a transfer, directly or indirectly, from a holder in due course if the transferee engaged in fraud or illegality affecting the instrument. 

( c ) Unless otherwise agreed, if an instrument is transferred for value and the transferee does not become a holder because of lack of indorsement by the transferor, the transferee has a specifically enforceable right to the unqualified indorsement of the transferor, but negotiation of the instrument does not occur until the indorsement is made. 

( d ) If a transferor purports to transfer less than the entire instrument, negotiation of the instrument does not occur. The transferee obtains no rights under this Article and has only the rights of a partial assignee. 

A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that the debt collector is vouched for, bonded by, or affiliated with the United States or any State, including the use of any badge, uniform, or facsimile thereof. 
( XXXX ) The false representation of ( A ) the character, amount, or legal status of any debt; or ( B ) any services rendered or compensation which may be lawfully received by any debt collector for the collection of a debt. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that any individual is an attorney or that any communication is from an attorney. 
( XXXX ) The representation or implication that nonpayment of any debt will result in the arrest or imprisonment of any person or the seizure, garnishment, attachment, or sale of any property or wages of any person unless such action is lawful and the debt collector or creditor intends to take such action. 
( XXXX ) The threat to take any action that can not legally be taken or that is not intended to be taken. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that a sale, referral, or other transfer of any interest in a debt shall cause the consumer to ( A ) lose any claim or defense to payment of the debt; or ( B ) become subject to any practice prohibited by this subchapter. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that the consumer committed any crime or other conduct in order to disgrace the consumer. 
( XXXX ) Communicating or threatening to communicate to any person credit information which is known or which should be known to be false, including the failure to communicate that a disputed debt is disputed. 
( XXXX ) The use or distribution of any written communication which simulates or is falsely represented to be a document authorized, issued, or approved by any court, official, or agency of the United States or any State, or which creates a false impression as to its source, authorization, or approval. 
( XXXX ) The use of any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a consumer. 
( XXXX ) The failure to disclose in the initial written communication with the consumer and, in addition, if the initial communication with the consumer is oral, in that initial oral communication, that the debt collector is attempting to collect a debt and that any information obtained will be used for that purpose, and the failure to disclose in subsequent communications that the communication is from a debt collector, except that this paragraph shall not apply to a formal pleading made in connection with a legal action. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that accounts have been turned over to innocent purchasers for value. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that documents are legal process. 
( XXXX ) The use of any business, company, or organization name other than the true name of the debt collectors business, company, or organization. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that documents are not legal process forms or do not require action by the consumer. 
( XXXX ) The false representation or implication that a debt collector operates or is employed by a consumer reporting agency as defined by section 1681a ( f ) of this title.

A debt collector may not use unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( XXXX ) The collection of any amount ( including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation ) unless such amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law. 
( XXXX ) The acceptance by a debt collector from any person of a check or other payment instrument postdated by more than five days unless such person is notified in writing of the debt collectors intent to deposit such check or instrument not more than ten nor less than three business days prior to such deposit. 
( XXXX ) The solicitation by a debt collector of any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument for the purpose of threatening or instituting criminal prosecution. 
( XXXX ) Depositing or threatening to deposit any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument prior to the date on such check or instrument. 
( XXXX ) Causing charges to be made to any person for communications by concealment of the true purpose of the communication. Such charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees. 
( XXXX ) Taking or threatening to take any nonjudicial action to effect dispossession or disablement of property if ( A ) there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest ; ( B ) there is no present intention to take possession of the property ; or ( C ) the property is exempt by law from such dispossession or disablement. 
( XXXX ) Communicating with a consumer regarding a debt by post card. 
( XXXX ) Using any language or symbol, other than the debt collectors address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram, except that a debt collector may use his business name if such name does not indicate that he is in the debt collection business.

( a ) Notice of debt ; contents Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing ( XXXX ) the amount of the debt ; ( XXXX ) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed ; ( XXXX ) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector ; ( XXXX ) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector ; and ( XXXX ) a statement that, upon the consumers written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor. 
( b ) Disputed debts If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection ( a ) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. Collection activities and communications that do not otherwise violate this subchapter may continue during the 30-day period referred to in subsection ( a ) unless the consumer has notified the debt collector in writing that the debt, or any portion of the debt, is disputed or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor. Any collection activities and communication during the 30-day period may not overshadow or be inconsistent with the disclosure of the consumers right to dispute the debt or request the name and address of the original creditor. 

( c ) Admission of liability The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer. 

( d ) Legal pleadings A communication in the form of a formal pleading in a civil action shall not be treated as an initial communication for purposes of subsection ( a ). 

( XXXX ) Notice provisions The sending or delivery of any form or notice which does not relate to the collection of a debt and is expressly required by title 26, title V of Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act [ 15 U.S.C. 6801 et seq. ], or any provision of Federal or State law relating to notice of data security breach or privacy, or any regulation prescribed under any such provision of law, shall not be treated as an initial communication in connection with debt collection for purposes of this section.