Consumer complaint received 2025-07-28 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official
Company: Kohn Law Firm S.C.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint against Kohn Law Firm, S.C. for continued debt collection activity without proper validation, and for using false and deceptive legal documents in an attempt to intimidate me into paying a disputed and unsubstantiated debt, in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) and Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Despite receiving multiple dispute letters from me between XXXX and XXXX, Kohn violated FDCPA 1692g ( b ) by continuing collection activity without providing legal validation. On XX/XX/XXXX, they mailed a packet that failed to include any of the required documentation : No signed contract or agreement, No chain of assignment or proof of ownership, No itemized account history or reconciliation, A generic XXXX letter with no account identifiers, and A notarized affidavit governed by XXXX  lawdespite the fact that I am a resident of XXXX  and the alleged debt pertains to an XXXX consumer account. 

Submitting an out-of-jurisdiction affidavit constitutes a deliberate misrepresentation of legal process in violation of FDCPA 1692e ( 9 ), which prohibits simulating legal authority. This tactic is legally deceptive, and under the reasoning of XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, constitutes intimidation through misleading legal format. 

Further, in the same response, Kohn stated : If the consumer is willing to call our office, we would be more than willing to discuss the matter with her and review for possible hardship, and how such hardship may impact how our client wishes to proceed. 

This is a coercive collection effort, made while the account was actively in dispute and without fulfilling the legal validation requirement. It violates FDCPA 1692g ( b ) ( continuing collection without validation ) and 1692e ( 10 ) ( use of deceptive means to collect ). This pressure tactic was disguised as concern, but in fact functioned as a veiled threat of escalation. 

These violations align with the holdings in : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX requiring meaningful validation, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) prohibiting deceptive tone and conduct, and CFPB Regulation F, 12 CFR 1006.34 requiring itemized validation notice, which was not provided. 

In addition, Kohn may have contributed to XXXX  continued reporting of this unverifiable tradeline, violating FCRA 1681s-2 ( b ) and standard Metro 2 reporting guidelines.

I was never sued. I am a XXXX XXXX with no income. This is pure legal harassment via paper intimidation and procedural abuse. These efforts have caused : XXXX XXXX XXXX  distress, Credit damage from continued reporting, Obstruction of my rights under the FDCPA and FCRA.

This is a sophisticated form of collection-by-deception, and it must be stopped. I demand regulatory action to ensure that Kohn Law Firm is investigated, sanctioned, and prevented from using similar tactics against any other consumer.

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