This firm was hired by Midland Funding out of California to take me to small claims court over a debt I owed to a predatory lender, Synchrony Bank. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, that a NH neighbor of mine is willing to work with a shoddy company like Midland Funding, who the CFPB says 'uses deceptive tactics to collect bad debts.'
Citation here from the case:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against the nation's two largest debt buyers and collectors for using deceptive tactics to collect bad debts. The Bureau found that Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates bought debts that were potentially inaccurate, lacking documentation, or unenforceable. Without verifying the debt, the companies collected payments by pressuring consumers with false statements and churning out lawsuits using robo-signed court documents. The CFPB has ordered the companies to overhaul their debt collection and litigation practices and to stop reselling debts to third parties. Encore must pay up to $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty, and stop collection on over $125 million worth of debts. Portfolio Recovery Associates must pay $19 million in consumer refunds and an $8 million penalty, and stop collecting on over $3 million worth of debts. "Now, the two biggest debt buyers in the market must refund millions and overhaul their practices. We will continue to take action to protect consumers from illegal and obnoxious debt collection practices."
Niederman, Stanzel & Lindsey PLLC, a NH company by extension is doing the same thing. Partaking in 'obnoxious debt collection practices' in order to line their pockets, without regard for their fellow neighbors in the state of New Hampshire - and willing to do so even though Midland's practices are well known and documented.
Several states now have brought lawsuits against Midland, and there have been numerous lawsuits concerning their deceptive practices, including suits that show that Midland has 'attempted to abuse the legal process by serving subpoenas on debtors - thereby requiring them to take time to gather documents, prepare for, and then attend, a deposition under threat of contempt -when in actuality no deposition was ever intended and instead the compelled appearance was just an underhanded way for Defendant to obtain settlements from debtors."
I believe that the practice of Niederman, Stanzel & Lindsey PLLC knowingly and willingly partakes in furthering these deceptive practices by being the team that choses to represent them, in these unnecessary litigious practices that unnecessarily tie up valuable time in state courts, as well as court and state worker's time, that really should be given to more important cases, gien all that we have on our plates at the moment in the state of New Hampshire.
Niederman, Stanzel & Lindsey PLLC should take notice that this kind of practice does a disservice to the citizens of it's home state, and indeed the citizens of our country. Shouldn't a law firm, a group of well educated, seemingly well informed group of people desire to make a living doing good for it's neighbors and state court system, rather than abusing it? I would think they wouldn't want to partner with such a well known fraudulent group such as Midland Funding, and rather distinguish themselves by seeing what good they could do in this state and in their home city of Manchester. Frankly, I'm appalled. read more
