Consumer complaint received 2025-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: Pressler & Pressler, LLP
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
Im filing this complaint as a victim of identity theft. Also disputing a default judgment ( DJ ) was entered against me by Pressler , Felt & Warshaw , LLP on behalf of XXXX XXXX XXXX amounting {$5200.00} or any other amount for a debt I did not authorize, owe, or have any involvement with. This debt was created using my personal information without my knowledge or consent, and it was wrongfully enforced through legal action that I was never properly notified about. I had no opportunity to dispute or validate this alleged debt before the lawsuit was filed. I was never served, never contacted meaningfully by the law firm, and had no knowledge that a court case even existed until long after the judgment had been entered. By the time I found out, legal damage had already been done. This entire situation is the result of identity theft. I did not open or agree to any account tied to this debt. I had no connection with the original creditor and never consented to any transaction that would justify this amount or this lawsuit. Yet the law firm moved forward with litigation based on stolen or incorrect information and failed to confirm whether they were suing the right person. That is reckless and a violation of my rights. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692g ), I should have been given a chance to dispute this debt and request validation before any collection or legal action was taken. I was never afforded that chance. Instead, I was sued and defaulted without notice. This firm failed to investigate the legitimacy of the claim or make any real effort to verify my identity. The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681b, 1681e ( b ), and 1681c-2 ) also makes it clear that no entity may use or share consumer information without a permissible purpose, and furnishers are required to ensure maximum possible accuracy. While the judgment itself is not showing on my credit reports, the underlying activity using my identity to sue me over a debt I never owed clearly violates the purpose and protections of the law. The law firms conduct in this case is especially troubling because they used the court system to enforce a debt without properly validating it. A default judgment should never be entered based on stolen information. Legal action should not be used as a shortcut to bypass proper identity verification and debt validation. I am actively disputing this judgment and trying to undo the damage it caused, but I should not have to carry this burden in the first place. This judgment is unlawful, and it never should have existed. It was built on identity theft and processed through a system that did not give me any fair opportunity to respond or protect myself. Im requesting that the CFPB investigate the actions of both Pressler , Felt & Warshaw , LLP and XXXX XXXX XXXX. This complaint is not only about fixing my own situation, but also about preventing other victims of identity theft from being dragged into court over debts they didnt create. If a law firm can sue someone based on stolen identity data and win a default judgment without verifying the person theyre suing, thats a major failure of consumer protections. I want this judgment vacated, the debt invalidated, and all future collection or legal activity connected to it stopped immediately. I also want accountability for the firms involved. The damage done by identity theft is bad enough, but being wrongfully sued and judged over it adds another level of harm. This shouldnt happen to anyone, and Im asking the CFPB to make sure it stops.

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