JBC Legal Group, P.C. ripoff Bloomfield New Jersey

I received my first letter from this legal group on March 5, 2004 claiming that I owed 270.62 for a dishonored check made out to Ames Department Store on June 7, 1999, which is nearly 5 years ago. I wrote to them on April 1, 2004 requesting verification of the debt since it was so long ago.

On May 27, 2004 I received another statement from JBC Legal Group claiming that I "obviously chosen to ignore their previous communication demanding that I make restitution on an NSF check" and that they now "assume that I delivered the check with the intent to defraud, and may proceed with the allowable remedies". and that I now owe them 741.86. They clearly state in the letter that I may be subject to statutory penalties equal to two times the amount of the check, but not more than 1,000.00 per check, however, if you add 270.62 times two it is 541.24 not 741.86.

I contacted the legal group and asked to speak to Lori Brown (the contact name listed in the letter) and was advised by some very rude man that she was not there and that he would talk with me. I advised the gentleman that I had sent a request for verification on April 1st and he became very rude and belligerent with me, when I asked why it stated that I now owed 741.86 he told me that they could charge whatever penalites they wished and that even though I had sent a request for verification that I still owed the money intil I could show otherwise. On the same day, I received another letter from them claiming that I owed 85.62 for a dishonored check to the same department store on July 30,1999. Yet again, I sent a request for verification for this debt.

I have attempted to contact Lori Brown on several occassions and every time I call I am advised that she is not there and that someone else is handling her calls. When I called yesterday (June 21, 2004) I asked the gentleman when Ms. Brown would be available and he again became very rude with me and stated that he was handling her calls.

When I told him that I had again sent a request for verification of the debt his comment to me was " Then I assume that you deny this debt and we will have to play the waiting game then" he then proceeded to hang up on me. I have not received anything for them showing that the debt is valid.

Tammy
Mechanicsville, Maryland
U.S.A.