Consumer complaint received 2016-08-18 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: False statements or representation — Indicated committed crime not paying
Company: Nelson Cruz & Associates LLC
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
I am an XXXX year old woman who has had money stolen by Nelson Cruz and Associates. The also stated they were the Law office of XXXX XXXX XXXX this came from the collection agent I received a call from them saying I may my personal property seized or I would be arrested if I did not pay a debt off with them. I remembered I had some old judgments and they seemed to have that information. I later find they got it from public record not TRUE collections. The fact was it was a line of credit defaulted on and I had worked with a Texas agency prior but was unable to pay. The following is an overview of what happened and it is a result of working with the firm that had placed the account with Nelson Cruz and Associated not knowing they were going to break the law. 
When I got the message from Nelson Cruz 's XXXX XXXX Office after I had paid the first lien, XXXX gave me the following as to the other Judgment saying that I had XXXX in all. Here they or not in the order that I received the information. 
1. Judgment was for XXXX ( this was the XXXX she told me about. This was cost me {$7500.00} And I have been making payment to XXXX of following I have been paying a monthly amount, however, I do not know at this time which of these XXXX I have been paying on. My plan to continue to pay on it as soon as I find out which XXXX it is. 
2. Judgment was from XXXX, XXXX. This XXXX they told me would be {$5000.00} 3. Judgment was from XXXX, XXXX This one they told me would be {$5000.00}. 
This is what they told me and the DEMANDED I deposit the money directly in their XXXX XXXX XXXX account # XXXX or I was in trouble. 
I made XXXX deposits of cashiers checks XXXX for {$7500.00} and {$10000.00}. 
I was promised a lien release and it never came. About one week after this I received a call from another collection company that had stated it had some accounts at XXXX they were doing a customer service call about accounts with them. I told the man everything and he told me that I did have a past due amount of over {$110000.00} but there were no liens or judgments. His company was shocked and I further told them that the business owner XXXX XXXX told me he was going to send me back some monies. This never happened. 
Nelson Cruz and Associates represented they were a law firm and scared me into making a payment that was FRAUD. XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX lied to me and when I called in they continue to ignore the problem. I have called my bank my bank told me I cant get the checks back. 
I think my next possibility is to call the Police or Sherriff. 

I have attached XXXX documents one is the bank receipt where I deposited the money to pay the FRAUD and another was a copy of what my account looked like when I received the customer service call. The agency first told me that they saw I paid {$2000.00} and they had no record and I then told them the whole story. They have been very helpful but said they may have to look into legal action as they did not know about this and the send a Cease letter to XXXX that they violated.

Company response to consumer: Closed