The Federal Trade Commission recently filed a sealed complaint against Regency Financial Services, Ivan Levy; AKA Fidelity Holdings, Levy Fidelity Holdings, Ivan Levy Regency Holdings, BJI Enterprises. The FTC alleges the following in the complaint: “Since at least 2009, Regency, acting primarily through co-defendant Ivan Levy, has perpetrated a vehicle loan assistance relief services scam. Regency preys on consumers who ... Read More »

WASHINGTON, DC – Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Benjamin B. Wagner, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California; and Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General for the State of California today announced that Ray Jan Kornfeld, 59, of Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced on February 19, 2015, to five years in federal ... Read More »

The State of Connecticut Department of Banking has just announced a new enforcement action against The Purewal Law Group, Legal Network of America, and Settlement Corporation of America. According to the information provided, the parties named “shall immediately cease and desist from engaging or offering to engage in debt negotiation in Connecticut without a license, in violation of Section 36a-671(b) ... Read More »

On February 18, 2015 the Federal Trade Commission filed suit against PSC Administrative, Coastal Acquisitions, Infinity Client Solutions, Infinity Collect, Jared Irby, and Richard Hughes for violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The FTC alleges the Defendants solicited consumers with debt relief services, who owed payday loans. “Defendants have induced consumers to enroll in their program by claiming that they ... Read More »

A reader send in some documents they said I would be interested in seeing. It relates to the 2013 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lawsuit against Morgan Drexen that is still ongoing. My first thought was a disbelief this case was not further ahead. Then I read the document publicly filed in the case by the former Morgan Drexen co-founder, ... Read More »

A friend sent in this announcement from the Department of Justice. Wow! A grand jury in Santa Ana, California, indicted three individuals for allegedly operating fraudulent debt relief services companies that offered to settle credit card debts but instead took victims’ payments as undisclosed up-front fees, the Justice Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced. Jeremy Nelson, 29, Elias Ponce, ... Read More »

For some time now there has been an open action by the Illinois Attorney Registion and Disciplinary Commissions against Macey and Aleman of Legal Helpers Debt Resolution. Well the final report is out and it surprised me. Well, I wasn’t shocked that Macey and Aleman were recommended for a two year suspension as lawyers. But I was surprised how much ... Read More »

Maybe more in the debt relief world can learn by the unfortunate actions below by the Connecticut Department of Banking. I’ll let their words give the lesson that needs to be learned. LOCN, Inc, United Relief Services – December 3, 2014 1. LOCN Inc. d/b/a United Relief Services CEASE AND DESIST from violating Section 36a-671(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes, ... Read More »

I previously published a story about an outfit out of Florida being challenged in court over allegations they were selling credit repair services. See this story. Well some of the same players are back in it again. This new suit names Berges Law Group, Otto Berges, Consumer Protection Counsel, Debt Be Gone, and Gregory Fishman. Well apparently a couple of ... Read More »

The Florida Bar has sent me a copy of the complaint they recently filed against Florida attorney Howard Feinmel. I reported yesterday about the case. But today there are more facts available after reading the filed complaint. Right off the bat I found it intriguing the Florida Bar makes the statement, “Respondent has represented various persons and entities, including but ... Read More »

Now here is something you don’t get to witness often, if at all. Apparently there is a bit of disturbed blood milling about in the credit counseling world right now. In just doing some routine checking on activity I came across a very, very odd letter from the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) to the U.S. District ... Read More »

I just love the Collections & Credit Risk magazine and website. Those folks over there hold no punches when it comes to the collections and debt relief industry problems. A recent article by Darren Waggoner reminded me of a string of past events surrounding a debt relief company New Life Financial that had been operating someplace out of the U.S. ... Read More »

A tipster (send in your tips here) just sent in a document which was filed on August 28, 2014 regarding the activities of Jeffrey Aleman and Thomas Macey or Legal Helpers fame. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission came to the opinion that Macey and Aleman had violated a number of Illinois attorney rules. However it does not appear ... Read More »

Up till now the most bizarre debt relief related lawsuit I had seen was this one which included the “Charlatan,” “Felon,” and “Architect.” But this court document sent to me has to either being the most bizarre of 2014 or be in top contention for debt relief lawsuit honors. It seems to be a soap opera of a bunch of ... Read More »

For years I’ve said that if you are offering debt relief services in Connecticut, you should get licensed. The State has just announced the latest crop of companies that caught their attention. While I’ve always hoped these public disclosures would encourage debt relief companies to register, not all pay attention. It appears these folks didn’t get the message. On August ... Read More »