Business Profile

Collection Attorneys

Andreu & Palma

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Andreu & Palma's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

15 total complaints in the last 3 years.
11 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:04/13/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
In Jan 23 I told them couldnt afford the car&they said they would pick it up.Didnt pick it up until March 23;still charge mon. payment ***,late fees,&multiple repossession ****** Sent me a letter Dec 24 same week i obtain representation from *************************** for acar accident. Aug 23 I had already called them 4 constant incorrect reporting on my credit report&asking them to adjust. Then they said I owed 11K.I asked him to explain how &why I had not been contacted & they told me that they dont contact,customers supposed to contact them for *** due from a repossession.representative was rude ,hung up on me.Feb 25 Sent me letter asking if I would like to see a verification of debt. I say yes I want to see bill of sale which I have yet to receive from them,but they took to account to send account ledger,not sending anything showing a receipt of vehicle sold at auction&verify *** of the sale.They added multiple repossession charges,but I already paid these charges prior to.They added the gap insurance&they also added a warranty claim they pursued,they also added an ins claim where the vehicle was not repaired from which I out of turn had to pay $3000 for the ins company that they filed a claim with. A letter they sent in Feb25 for me to respond by March 21 or legal action.I called on March 17.They wont honor what they told me for payment plan;they filed this lawsuit on 21 March.I was not aware that they still proceeded with following this lawsuit because I made a arrangement with them to start on April 15.April 4 my mom says a lady had came to the house serving papers for Westlake&had not left a confirmation of service.i email them& call the entire week of 7 April.They tell me on April 11 we will forward your concerns to our attorney (dragging the process)what they sent me as a consent judgment of a voluntary payment plan after they already filed this lawsuit is not what I called to agree with March 17.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/22/2025
I responded to the email sent by the attorney and as he stated was busy and not able to respond when I called them today. Im not understanding, still why my voluntary payment plan is not being honored. He explained that the ball already was rolling when my case was electronically filed with the courts on 3/21 even though I called on 3/17 . He apologized that had occurred but that unfortunately since it had already went to the courts there is no dismissal that could be in place and that if they honored a verbal agreement for all clients etc without a court order they would have so many complaints/ clients not receiving their money. Again I reminded him that I responded prior to the deadline and that I was supposed to receive something by email detailing the plan and that I even had to answer the questions over the phone where you agree xyz with the agent, yet all the lawyer could say was he could do consent order instead of a consent judgement even though its technically the same thing and that they could adjust the start date of payments since mine was set for 4/15 of 328 a month , which how did they have all of this I agreed to on 3/17 verbally as a payment arrangement; but cant honor the verbalvoluntary payment plan that was made prior to their e filing on 3/21 and court showing the e filing approval of 3/24. Again this further proves/ confirms my point that they falsely made or claimed that if I called they would not seek to file lawsuit etc and that they had every intention of making this a lawsuit legally binding not a collection act payment arrangement agreement as it was portrayed in writing and over the phone when I called in on 3/17. I would have even signed the agreement in writing that I made verbally over the phone , as a payment arrangement or plan that you usually set up for collection accounts. Why was this with their office as a collection account since December instead of just filing this as the breach of contract lawsuit ? I explained to the lawyer that I need more time to get a better understanding and seek guidance before I decide on anything. Everything I have decided on they have pushed forward with even more/ harsher penalties afterwards. Consent order I agree for them to garnish my pay? Thats even more embarrassing and detrimental to my credit. This lawsuit is public information as well and I am highly disappointed in making good faith effort to resolve the debt / debts even with the numbers not being fully correct as again where is the policy for westlake gap insurance and why was only what I paid for applied to it, nonetheless, I would like for my arrangement to be settled outside of court and only acted on or filed on if I did not make a payment. This is what was originally offered to me and what I agreed to on 3/17
Business Response
Date: 04/25/2025
To whom it may concern:
Thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry. We have reviewed the complaint submitted by ****** ****** (Mrs. ******* and received by our office on April 14, 2025. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by ********** and provide the following response.
Pursuant to records provided by our client, ********************** d/b/a ***************************, the subject claim originated as an agreement for the financing of a motor vehicle purchased on or about January 27, 2022. The account was issued a reference number ending in 5093 and was subsequently charged-off as a delinquent debt on May 31, 2023, with a remaining balance of $11,806.72.
The claim was placed with our office for collection on or about December 26, 2024.The Firms collection efforts began on January 14, 2025, with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to Mrs. ****** at **************************************** Our records show that on February ******, the Firm received a response to the notice from Mrs. ******* The response requested verification of debt and other account information. As per the Firms standard operating procedure, the account was placed on hold from further collection attempts and a response was prepared and provided on February ******** The response included account details and copies of the contract,deficiency balance notice and transaction history.
On or about March 14, 2025, we prepared the proposed suit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account. The suit was reviewed and approved by one of the Firms attorneys on that same date. The suit was then mailed to the court for filing on March 17, 2025. This particular court requires that any suit be physically filed. This is common in ******** Magistrate Court. On or about March 21, 2025, the court received the suit and filed same as a matter of record. ********** was served with the lawsuit on April 4, 2025, at the same address noted above.
On March 17, 2025, after 4:00PM, ********** contacted our office and discussed possible resolution of the claim with one of our agents. During the call, the agent offered a payment plan and ********** agreed and advised that she would make the payments using the Firms online payment portal. The agent queued the account for the preparation of a settlement agreement to be forwarded to Mrs. ******* In the interim, the Firm received the suit filing information from the court. As such, a settlement stipulation and consent to judgment was prepared and forwarded to Mrs. *******This court requires a physical copy of any such document. As a result, a physical copy was printed and mailed to Mrs. ****** address on file on March 26, 2025.
********** contacted our office by telephone on April 7, 2025. During the call ********** complained that the stipulation was not yet received. The agent advised her that the stipulation was already sent and offered to email her a copy. However,the agent relayed that the Firm would need the original physical copy of the stipulation because of court requirements. Mrs. ****** also complained about a process server having come to her home as a result of the suit having been filed. The agent explained to Mrs. ****** that the suit had already been approved and forwarded to the court for filing by the time of her call on March 17, 2025.

Over the following days Mrs. ****** emailed and/or called the Firm on several occasions regarding the stipulation and suit filing. She was surprised by the suit having been filed although she had resolved the matter. She was advised on multiple occasions that the suit filing was initiated prior to her call and that the Firm was unable to recall the suit since it had to be mailed to the court. As a compromise, the Firm offered to honor the same arrangement agreed to by Mrs. ****** and to waive any court costs incurred as a result of the suit filing. However, the Firm would need the executed stipulation in order to report the settlement agreement to the court. To date, Mrs. ****** has failed to return the executed agreement.
In specific response to the claims made by Mrs. ****** in her complaint, the Firm provided validation of the subject debt in response to Mrs. ****** request. Said response included documentation in support of our clients claim. The suit filing was the result of the timing of Mrs. ****** call. The suit process had already been initiated and the Firm was unable to recall the filing. The Firm has tried to find a mutually agreeable solution to her concerns and has offered to waive court costs as long as Mrs. ****** makes the agreed upon payments.
Should Mrs. ****** have any additional questions or a willingness to resolve this claim, we invite her to contact us at ************* between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

Andreu,Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 04/25/2025

Complaint: 23198541
I am rejecting this response because they fail to take accountability or be honest in what occurred. The court does NOT require this to be mailed as they stated, and this screenshot shows that they E FILED this suit on March 21st on the deadline they sent via mail; knowing they had intended to sue regardless of mailing for an outside settlement arrangement.
The company Lied that this
Must be filed with my court by mail? It is
Only to be filed electronically. You can however come by in office in person to fill things out , but with this office for andreu not being in ******** ga it would make sense for them to use the electronic filing option that is listed and showed as filed on 3/21 where they put the date as 3/24.
If the company did choose to mail this in instead of filing electronically, that would again further prove they had no intent to honor the deadline of March 21st as they had already prepared for and sent filing by mail (as they stated) on 3/14.

The other screenshot also shows that they sent the server on 4/1 and again on 4/4 , so at what point was the ball unable to be stopped they say? The server filed the proof of service over a week later. Throughout the duration of this time I called in asked for the arrangement I made from the letter they sent after I received debt verification with a bill and stating for me to call their number to make arrangements to prevent further action by March 21st.
They take zero accountability for their lack of customer service because if the call records were pulled for March 17 as I was told I was on a recorded line it would also show that the agent said nothing about a payment portal only that I would receive something via email which I never did , to show my arrangement and dates / amount I agreed on. They say they mailed this same agreement that I made via phone on March 17; on March 31st?

But it didnt even arrive by mail from ******* to ******** ga until April the 9th or there after. Furthermore , they have yet to respond to my email from the last time I spoke to them when the attorney acknowledged the gap in time but said best he could do was a consent judgement and set the payment plan for whatever date I agree to as the 4/15 date that I had set originally had already passed. Again, imagine you had set a payment arrangement with intent to pay on 4/15; and server comes on 4/1 and THEN you go online to see that they have ELECTRONICALLY processed a lawsuit on March 21st, even after you called on March 17th before the given deadline they provided.
IF the case was already prepared and reviewed for filing on March 14th? Why was I not informed of this when I called on March 17th?????? That makes no sense ? And does not seem like a reasonable time of lack of communication or error but instead appears that I was falsely told to agree to something they provided as an outside settlement voluntary payment plan and no legal filing of a. Lawsuit when they already had intent to file and do something else .

I would prefer all contact / information from the business be in writing and a response to the email I sent to them on asking for clarity on the consent order vs the consent judgement they originally sent after I called in on 4/4 regarding the suit they had filed and how they would Honor the date that works best in future , in writing. As the attorney this week said he could get something to send back to me as a consent order but it would take a few days because hes busy , but I have yet to see it to review it and agree , nor has he replied to the email. Instead replied to this case as though I have been uncooperative and that they have been accommodating and that is not the case.

Again , from the time line I originally provided AND the company timeline shows , the company had no plans to do an outside settlement arrangement and had every intention of filing it as a lawsuit with a legal binding order in place .This should be told to people before hand when they are trying to resolve their debts amicably outside of court and instead of telling people that is what is occurring , they should
Tell people their true intentions of filing lawsuits with court ordered payment plans.

As a resolve and to dismiss my response with the courts to resolve this matter I would like
For the company to put in writing what was told
To me as a consent order and the amount of payments I agreed to and due to the timeline processing of how they seem to
Operate , a start date of payments for
5/31/2025.

Sincerely,

****** Aikens *******
Business Response
Date: 04/25/2025
As per your request, we will prepare a consent order with the terms previously agreed to and forward same to you via email. The new payment start date will be 6/1/2025 and the first of each month thereafter. Payments on the 31st day of the month cause confusion on months without that many days. Thank you.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/25/2025
Lastly I spoke directly with magistrate court and they said this company is one of their frequent filers and no paper work/ printed is REQUIRED in ************** for this particular court. Someone feel free to look this court up themselves / call themselves to verify. I asked them if I would
need to have a printed paper of signing the consent form etc and they said No it can be efiled , mailed or brought by hand . That this company knows this
as they are their Frequent filer.
so if this company is choosing mail as they say they used and not the efile (even though the lady I spoke with also saw and pulled up that it was EFILED not MAILED) then that would
raise further concern as well. However again, its ALL BAD. ALL FALSE.
Customer Answer
Date: 04/25/2025

Complaint: 23198541

I am rejecting this response because:
you are saying you will email it but prior , since I have been calling , it was email it and it also has to be mailed back by me to sign in blue ink. I just need to acknowledge/ accept it in email? Or do I need to print and sign in blue ink and send back by mail to your office?
Please also see where I called eastern standard time ; exact time , date and amount of time Spent on the call.

Sincerely,

****** Aikens *******
Customer Answer
Date: 04/25/2025

I respectfully reject the business's response and would like to further clarify and expand on my concerns regarding their handling of this matter.

First, I contacted the firm on March 17, 2025, after 4:00 PM, and reached an agreement with one of their agents for a voluntary payment plan. Despite that agreement, the firm proceeded to file the lawsuit, claiming that it had already been mailed earlier that day and could not be stopped. However, the court did not receive or file the lawsuit until March 21, 2025 after my call. At no point was I advised that the lawsuit was already finalized or that my payment plan would not halt court action.

The firm also inaccurately stated that Chatham County Magistrate Court requires physical filing of lawsuits and stipulations. This is false. According to the courts own procedures, filings are accepted via mail, in person, and e-filing. This is outlined on the Chatham County Magistrate Court website at:
[*********************************************](*********************************************)

Misrepresenting the courts procedures raises serious concerns about the firms credibility and transparency.

Furthermore, I was served after April 1, 2025,and promptly responded to the court. A hearing is now scheduled for May 23, 2025. The firm is offering to resolve the matter only through a consent judgment with a payment start date of June 1, 2025, which is after the court hearing. This contradicts the original agreement and creates further confusion about their intentions.

The firm now claims they are unable to dismiss the case due to it already being filed. This is not accurate. According to the Chatham County Magistrate Courts dismissal forms, a plaintiff may voluntarily dismiss a suit that has already been filed. The form titled Paid and Satisfied Letter confirms this process and is publicly available here:
[*********************************************/Forms](*********************************************/Forms)

Additionally, the ******************************** explains that parties may resolve disputes before judgment and that courts can assist in establishing payment plans. It further notes that agreements reached before the hearing may lead to case dismissal:
[**************************************************************************************](**************************************************************************************)

Therefore, the law firm does have the ability to dismiss the case and proceed with the payment plan we originally agreed to on or about March 17, 2025. Their refusal to do so and their attempt to shift blame while withholding resolution until a court judgment is in place raises serious concerns about fairness and good faith.

I am still willing to resolve this matter cooperatively, and am aware and intend to pay the debt, outside of a court order, but I ask the BBB to consider that this firm had the opportunity to dismiss the case, has misrepresented court procedures, and continues to pressure me toward a post-judgment settlement rather than the pre-filing agreement I originally accepted. This is not the conduct of a firm acting in transparency or integrity. Why is it that the voluntary payment plan I made on March 17 before the March 21st deadline not able to be honored?

Sincerely,
****** ****** Johnson
Customer Answer
Date: 04/25/2025

RESPONSE TO BUSINESS REPLY:**

I respectfully reject the business's response and would like to further clarify and expand on my concerns regarding their handling of this matter.

First, I contacted the firm on **March 17, 2025, after 4:00 PM**, and reached an agreement with one of their agents for a voluntary payment plan. Despite that agreement, the firm proceeded to file the lawsuit, claiming that it had already been mailed earlier that day and could not be stopped. However, the **court did not receive or file the lawsuit until March 21, 2025** *after* my call. At no point was I advised that the lawsuit was already finalized or that my payment plan would not halt court action.

The firm also inaccurately stated that Chatham County Magistrate Court requires physical filing of lawsuits and stipulations. This is **false**. According to the courts own procedures, **filings are accepted via mail, in person, and e-filing**. This is outlined on the ************** Magistrate Court website at:
[*********************************************](*********************************************)

Misrepresenting the courts procedures raises serious concerns about the firms credibility and transparency.

Furthermore, I was **served after April 1, 2025**, and promptly responded to the court. A hearing is now scheduled for **May 23, 2025**. The firm is offering to resolve the matter only through a **consent judgment** with a payment start date of **June 1, 2025**, which is after the court hearing. This contradicts the original agreement and creates further confusion about their intentions.

The firm now claims they are **unable to dismiss the case** due to it already being filed. This is not accurate. According to the **Chatham County Magistrate Courts dismissal forms**, a plaintiff may voluntarily dismiss a suit that has already been filed. The form titled **Paid and Satisfied Letter** confirms this process and is publicly available here:
[*********************************************/Forms](*********************************************/Forms)

Additionally, the *************************** Office** explains that parties may resolve disputes before judgment and that courts can assist in establishing payment plans. It further notes that agreements reached before the hearing may lead to case dismissal:
[**************************************************************************************](**************************************************************************************)

Therefore, the law firm **does have the ability to dismiss the case** and proceed with the payment plan we originally agreed to on or about March 17, 2025. Their refusal to do so and their attempt to shift blame while withholding resolution until a court judgment is in place raises serious concerns about fairness and good faith.

I am still willing to resolve this matter cooperatively, but I ask the BBB to consider that this firm had the opportunity to dismiss the case, has misrepresented court procedures, and continues to pressure me toward a post-judgment settlement rather than the pre-filing agreement I originally accepted. This is not the conduct of a firm acting in transparency or integrity.
Initial Complaint
Date:03/14/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am a retired person who lives on Social Security. Last November I fell behind in my payment of the Credit One Credit card. I joined ******************* then ******************* Wellness in order to recieve help negotiating what I owed so that I could catch up. In November 2024, those agencies started making payments, with my money, of $97.00 per month through todays date; 5 months. Also in November of 2024, Andreu, Palma, ****** and Solis filed a law suit against me in Brevard County seeking a default judgement. Even though they received and cashed my montly payments for the last 5 months, they pursued the lawsuit. On 3/07 2025, they recieved the default judgement against me. The intent must be to damage my reputation, which it will event though I was paying. This damage was not justified, they have treated me as someone who never paid them anything. I am writing today to announce to the BBB that this lawfirm is not credible and should not have a good rating with you. They think it's funny to go after a client that is paying them; I did the right thing and am being punished for it. They deserve an F rating and should be in a business that they know what they are doing, because, they don't understand the principles of law; or what a resonable person would do in my circumstances. ****** ******
Business Response
Date: 03/26/2025
To whom it may concern:

Thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry. We have reviewed the inquiry filed by Mr. ****** ****** **** ******) and received by our office on March 17, 2025.We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by Mr. ****** and provide the following response.

Pursuant to the records provided by our client, ****************, this account was originated by ***************, N.A. on or about February 19, 2021, with an account number ending in 1726. The account was subsequently charged-off as a delinquent debt on November 5, 2023, with a remaining balance of $2,311.29.

The account was sold and assigned to our client on or about December 20, 2023, and placed with our office for legal collection on or about August 19, 2024. The Firms collection efforts began on August 29, 2024, with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to Mr. ****** at *****************************************************************************

Our records show that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service. On November 1, 2024, the Firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance. Service of process was completed upon Mr. ****** on November 13, 2024, at the same address referenced above.

On October 24, 2024, Mr. ******* debt settlement agency, ***************************** (Green Path), contacted our office and discussed possible resolution of the claim with one of our agents. During the call, Green Paths agent offered to settle the claim for the full balance in payments of $97 per month. The Firm declined the offer and countered with an offer of $150 per month on the full balance. *********** agent advised that they would confer with their client and call us back regarding the same. Unfortunately, ********** did not call our office regarding our counteroffer and never entered into a mutually agreed upon arrangement on behalf of Mr. ******* As such, the subject lawsuit was filed.

The Firm began to receive monthly payments of $97 on November 12, 2024, although there was no agreed upon arrangement. The Firm has dutifully applied the payments received and has lowered ********** remaining balance accordingly. However, without an agreed upon arrangement the Firm has not forestalled its collection efforts on behalf of its client. Mr. ****** did not appear for a pretrial conference held by the court on February 19, 2025, and a default was entered. The Firm has submitted a motion for default final judgment in accordance with the courts procedures.

In specific response to the claims made by Mr. ****** in his inquiry, while the Firm did have a conversation with **********, no agreement was reached, and no response was received to the Firms counteroffer. Green Path appears to have simply started making payments in an amount that was not agreed to. As such, the Firm has continued with its collection efforts. ********* was served with the lawsuit and failed to appear for the pretrial conference although there was no payment stipulation or agreement. The Firm has attempted to contact Green Path in order to enter into a formal arrangement. We are willing to motion the court to vacate any judgment entered if ********* is willing and able to enter into a mutually acceptable payment arrangement.
Should Mr. ****** have any additional questions or wish to discuss this matter, we invite him to contact us at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 03/26/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to **** will contact the business, and attempt to make a payment schedule that is satisfactory to both parties. If we can work out a payment schedule that is more than the $97.00 per month that I am already paying, I will drop this compliant; if I get the resolution in writing and if the law firm submits the motion to vacate the judgement to the court and I receive a copy of that. I will call them today to try to resolve this matter.

Sincerely,

****** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:03/01/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am disputing an invalid account reported by ********************, PALMA, ********************************************** on my credit report. This account is inaccurate, unverified, and violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Since it does not meet the legal standards for reporting, I request its immediate removal. If the furnisher cannot provide proper validation, it must be deleted per federal law.
Business Response
Date: 03/12/2025
To whom it may concern:
Thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry. We have reviewed the complaint submitted by ****** ****** (**** ******* and received by our office on March ******. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by ********** and provide the following response.
Pursuant to records provided by our client, ********************** d/b/a **************************** the subject claim originated as an agreement for the financing of a motor vehicle purchased on or about March 8, 2019. The account was issued a reference number ending in 4664 and was subsequently charged-off as a delinquent debt on October 31, 2021, with a remaining balance of $6,159.49.
The claim was placed with our office for collection on or about July 6, 2022. The Firms collection efforts began on July 29, 2022, with the mailing of the Firms initial demand letter to **** ****** at ********************************. Our records reflect that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service.
On or about September 16, 2022, the Firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account. **** ****** was served with the lawsuit on November 28, 2022, at the same address noted above. On December 27, 2022, a pretrial conference was held by the Court. **** ****** attended the hearing and acknowledged having entered into the subject agreement. She indicated that the subject vehicle had been repossessed due to the financial hardship she was experiencing because of the pandemic.
On or about June 28, 2023, the Firm filed a Motion for Summary Disposition to reduce this matter to a final judgment. A hearing on the motion was held before the Court on August 31, 2023,and **** ****** failed to appear. The Court granted the motion and on September 11, 2023, a Final Judgment was entered in favor of our client, awarding the principal sum of $6,159.49 along with court costs in the amount of $426.50. As per the judgment, the total sum of $6,585.99 was to accrue interest at the legal rate, until paid.
On January 19, 2024, at the Firms request, the Court executed a Continuing Writ of Garnishment against *********** employer. The writ was requested and issued to collect the outstanding judgment. On or about January 26, 2024, service of the writ was completed on the Garnishee. The Garnishee filed its answer to the writ indicating ********** was no longer their employee as of January 16, 2024. Thus, the Firm dismissed the Garnishment on February 13, 2024.
On February 5, 2025, **** ****** contacted our office seeking validation of the subject debt. On February 14, 2024, the Firm provided a response to the request.The response included a copy of the judgment and documentation in support of our clients claim.
********** contacted our office on February 27, 2025, and complained that the information being sent to credit bureaus was incorrect and that the Firm was to cease all further communication. The Firm marked the account in a cease-and-desist status and suppressed all further communication with **** ******.
In specific response to the matters raised by **** ******* any credit reporting pertaining to the subject account is the result of the obligation still being unpaid.Our client may report the account accordingly. The Firm provided validation of the subject debt in response to **** ******* request. Said response included the lawfully entered judgment and all available documentation in support of our clients claim.
Should **** ****** wish to discuss possible resolution of this matter or have any additional questions, we invite her to contact us at ************** between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Initial Complaint
Date:01/30/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I had a credit card that I was paying through out a lawyer. My husband has been ill for several months and I have to stop paying it. The lawyer through out a court order put in hold my bank account to get the money and I contacted them and provided with all the documents they requested. Last week they call me to get into an agreement and they said they will take off the hold on my account. Never call me back and now I am trying to contact them to make sure everything is good and no response at all. This is very frustrating since I havent make any payments (water bill, electricity,etc) due to this situation.
Business Response
Date: 02/13/2025
To whom it may concern,thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry. We have reviewed the inquiry submitted by ******* ***** ***** *****) and received by our office on January 30, 2025.We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by Mrs. ***** and provide the following response.
Pursuant to the records provided by our client, ******************************** the subject account was issued by ************** as a ****** branded credit account ending in 5856. The account was opened on June 12, 2019. After incurring various charges, Mrs. ***** defaulted on her obligation to repay the credit account, and the account was charged off as a delinquent debt on February 16, 2020, with a balance of $2,394.42. The subject account was placed with our office for collection on or about December 10, 2020.

The Firms collection efforts began on December ******** with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to Mrs. ***** at ******************************************* Our records reflect that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service.
On February 17, 2021, the Firm filed a legal action to collect the outstanding balance and service of process was completed via personal service on February 23, 2021, at the address listed above. On April 1, 2021, at a hearing before the Court, Mrs. ***** accepted a repayment arrangement on the full balance plus court costs in payments of $75 per month beginning on the 23rd day of April 2021. The Order Adopting Stipulation and Dismissing Action was submitted to the Court for execution and was entered on December 8, 2021.
Mrs. ***** failed to comply with the terms of the Stipulation. As a result, a Final Judgment of Non-Payment was entered by the Court on September 7, 2022, for the remaining principal sum of $1,869.42 together with costs in the amount of $245. The judgment indicated that it would accrue interest at the Florida legal rate.
On August 31, 2023, ********* contacted our office via telephone and agreed to a new payment arrangement of $50 per month on the outstanding balance due of $2,204.43. She then contacted our office on September 18, 2023, and established recurring electronic debits for the agreed upon payments. Mrs. ***** subsequently failed to fully comply with the arrangement.

On December 31, 2024, the Firm filed a Motion for Writ of Garnishment against **************** account in order to collect the sums due on the outstanding judgment. On January 13, 2025, ********* contacted our office via telephone and advised one of our agents that she was under financial hardship due to her husband not working since August of 2024 and that she was head of her household. Our agent advised Mrs. ***** to provide documentation in support of her claim that she was head of her household and one of our attorneys would review same upon receipt.

On January ******** after reviewing the documentation provided by Mrs. ****** we contacted her to advise that we were in agreement with dissolving the Writ of Garnishment and proceeding with a new payment arrangement. Mrs. ***** agreed to a payment arrangement of $50 per month on the outstanding balance. We immediately prepared and filed a Voluntary Dissolution of the Writ of Garnishment and forwarded a copy to the Garnishee. Unfortunately, the Firm has no control over the time a Garnishee takes to process a dissolution and return an individuals funds.

On January ******** Mrs. ***** contacted our office. The agent that was assisting her was unavailable at the time. Her call was escalated by our team for a return call. On January 30, 2025, our agent attempted to contact Mrs. ***** and there was no answer. Mrs. ***** returned our call on the very same day. She inquired about the access to her funds. She was advised that the dissolution had been filed on January 22, 2025 and was forwarded to the Garnishee. The agent again emailed a copy of the document to the Garnishee during the call.

On January 31, 2025, Mrs. ***** again contacted our office regarding access to the funds at her bank. The agent replying to the call advised her that we have no control over the timing in which the Garnishee would release the funds. The agent advised that another copy of the dissolution was faxed to the Garnishees representative in order to attempt to further expedite release of her funds.

In specific response to the matters complained of by Mrs. ****** we would note that the Firm advised Mrs. ***** that the dissolution had been filed and forwarded to the Garnishee. The Firm took every measure it could to escalate this request to the Garnishee so that Mrs. ***** would be given access to her funds. We also addressed ********** calls either at the moment they arrived or on the following business day.
Should ********* have any additional questions, we invite her to contact us at ************* between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 02/25/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

******* *****
Initial Complaint
Date:01/03/2025
Type:Customer Service Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have called this firm multiple times just to be put on hold for over 45 minutes and no call back and no answer. I have also sent them two emails and no response. Trying to communicate with them is nearly impossible. Terrible customer service.
Business Response
Date: 01/17/2025
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma,Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry.We have reviewed the complaint submitted by ****** **** (****) and received by our office on January 3, 2025. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by Mrs. **** and provided the following response.
Pursuant to the records provided by our client, *******************************, the subject claim originated as a Credit One Bank,N.A. credit card, under an account number ending in 0249. The account was charged-off as a delinquent debt on March 5, 2023, with a balance of $1,565.01. It was placed with our office for collection on or about October 17, 2024.

The Firms collection efforts began on October 23, 2024,with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to Mrs. ***** Our records indicate that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service. On December 23, 2024, the firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account.

On January 2, 2025, Mrs. **** emailed the Firm and advised that she had contacted our firm via telephone and was on hold for a prolonged period with no answer. She also requested that we update her address on file within our system of record. Mrs. **** further indicated that she was interested in resolving the account by entering into a payment arrangement.

On January 2, 2025, Mrs. **** contacted the Firm and spoke to one of our agents. The agent was able to discuss the particular circumstances of her account and agreed to a payment arrangement. Mrs. **** was advised that a stipulation would be forwarded to her attention by email through the Firms esignature portal.

On January 3, 2025, Mrs. **** again emailed the Firm indicating that she was on hold again for a prolonged period. She indicated that she had made a payment on our payment portal earlier in the day and that the funds had not yet been withdrawn from her account. We would ask Mrs. **** to note that an ACH transaction does not instantly withdraw funds from the account used for the payment. The transaction is batched and there is often a delay between the time it is processed and the time in which the funds are actually withdrawn from the account. To date, there have been 2 $100 payments applied and credited to Mrs. ***** account, both on January 3, 2025.

Once Mrs. **** contacted our office, we were able to work with her and enter into a mutually acceptable payment arrangement. The stipulation was forwarded to Mrs. **** on January 7, 2025, for execution and return to the Firm for filing with the court. The Firm apologizes for any delay or difficulty Mrs. **** had in contacting our office. ** times, the Firm experiences higher than normal call volume and its agents address incoming calls in the order in which they arrive. The Firm encourages all individuals to also contact the Firm via email and to use the self-help services provided, such as the payment portal.

We look forward to continuing to work with Mrs. **** in her effort to satisfy this outstanding matter. **************** have any additional questions, we invite her to contact us at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 01/17/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

****** ****
Initial Complaint
Date:12/20/2024
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Called and tried to make a payment for credit card debt this company represents. They do not answer their phones and they did not call me back. I am now going to miss my first payment that was court ordered because this establishment cannot answer their phones or call back. I am now freaking out and stressed because the due date of the payment is on the weekend and they are closed. The call attempt was on December 20th 2024 at 1:52 p.m. I was on the phone for 15 to 20 minutes with no answer or response. The court is forcing me to make this payment and I cannot do it, how do I make a payment when they do not answer the phones. Please help I am terrified
Business Response
Date: 01/03/2025
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma,Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this complaint. We have reviewed the complaint filed by *** ******* ******* **** *******)and received by our office on December 23, 2024. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by *** ******* and provided the following response.

Pursuant to the records provided by our client, *******************, N.A., this account originated as an Amazon branded credit account on or about May 17, 2022, with an account number ending in 2250. The account was subsequently charged-off as a delinquent debt on February 29, 2024, with a remaining balance of $6,262.88.

This account was placed with our office for legal collection on or about July 15, 2024. The Firms collection efforts began on July *******, with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to *** ******* at ************************************************************************************************. Our records show that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service.

On September 6, 2024, the Firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance and service of process was completed via personal service on September 20, 2024, at the same address listed above. On November 21, 2024, *** ******* entered into a settlement arrangement to resolve the outstanding balance. The total amount of the arrangement was $4,885.05 and *** ******* agreed to make payments of $410 per month beginning on the 21st day of December 2024, and continuing on the same day of each month thereafter until paid in full.

The settlement was memorialized in the form of a court order entered by the presiding judge. The order indicated that *** ******* could either mail his monthly payment to the Firm at the address provided, call the Firm at one of its toll-free numbers in order to make an electronic funds transfer payment via the Firms interactive active voice response system or speak to one of the Firms agents for assistance with the payment. *** ******* was also provided the web address to the Firms self-help payment portal.

In specific response to the matters complained of by *** *******,we would note that he called the Firm on December 20, 2024, was on hold for 5 minutes and was directed to leave a voicemail that would be addressed by the Firms agents as soon as possible. A Firm agent returned *** ******** call the following business day, December 23, 2024 at 8:39AM. *** ******* answered the call and the agent was able to confirm that *** ******** payment made on the Firms payment portal on December 21, 2024 was received and applied to his account. *** ******* thanked the agent and terminated the call.

We would note the *** ******* is able to make a payment to our office with or without the assistance of one of the Firms agents. There is no additional charge for any of the available payment methods. *** ******* can make a payment online at *******************************************************. He will need his file number and the last 4 digits of his social security number to access the portal. He can call our toll-free number, *************, and make his payment over our interactive active voice response system. Lastly, he is also welcome to mail his payment to our office address at *********************************************
Should *** ******* have any questions or require additional information, we invite him to please contact our office at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday or via email at *****************************************************************************************************.
Sincerely,

Andreu,Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Initial Complaint
Date:12/09/2024
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
As you can see, I'm not disputing the charges; I'm disputing cause this company refuses to call me back about my refund where I've overpaid them and they refuse to stop the garnishment. I sent the last paycheck and the first one with the garnishment and it has the amount. They have refused to call back or even let me know about the refund. One of the gentlemen even told me they only received 4 checks, when clearly 7 checks have went out with an overage amount. Please help and if not, I'll have to go another route.
Business Response
Date: 12/18/2024
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry. We have reviewed the complaint submitted by ******* T. ****** (******) and received by our office on December 9, 2024. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by Ms. ****** and provided the following response.

Based upon our review of the records pertaining to the subject claim, the account originated with Citibank, N.A., on or about August 7, 2010, and with an account number ending in 3813. The account was branded as a ********** consumer credit card account and was charged-off as a delinquent debt on or about May *******, with a remaining balance due of $1,966.55.

The account was sold and assigned to our client, Cavalry *** I, LLC, on or about March 22, 2018, and placed with our office for legal collection on or about August 9, 2019. On August 20, 2019, the Firm mailed an initial validation notice to Ms. ******* The notice contained the name of our client, name of the original creditor, the balance due and contained the disclosures required by consumer collection regulations. The Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service.

On or about October 19, 2019, the Firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account. Ms. ****** was served with the lawsuit on July 30, 2020. She did not file an Answer in the lawsuit. On August 30, 2121, the court awarded judgment in favor of our client and against Ms. ******* The judgment awarded the principal sum of $1,966.55 along with court costs in the amount of $308.20. As per the judgment, the total sum of $2,274.75 was to accrue interest at the statutory rate of 6.25%.

On August 1, 2024, at the Firms request, the Court executed a Summons of Continuing Garnishment against Ms. ******* employer. The writ was requested and issued in order to collect the outstanding judgment. On or about August 7, 2024, service of the writ was completed on the Garnishee, Ms. ******* employer. In accordance with the writ, the Garnishee commenced withholding a portion of Ms. ******* salary or wages in order to pay the judgment balance. On October 3, 2024,the court entered an order authorizing the distribution of the garnishment proceeds to our client.

On August 29, 2024, Ms. ****** contacted our office and alleged that she had never received any information about the account nor was she ever served. She claimed that she had only received the garnishment. The agent provided the account details and advised her that a judgment had been entered against her. On November 26, 2024, ********* again contacted our office to discuss the balance remaining on the account. The agent that serviced the call advised her that we had received 4 payments as of the date of her call and provided the remaining balance. ********* stated that we should have received 6 payments as per her employer. The agent explained that we had not received the additional payments and suggested that she have the employer send payment copies demonstrating proof of deposit. The Firm could then review the payments made and reconcile the balance,if necessary.

On December 9, 2024, Ms. ****** again contacted our office and stated that she might have been over garnished. She stated that the Firm was missing 3 payments and that either the Firm or the Garnishee was not providing accurate information. The agent advised Ms. ****** of the amount the Firm had received and that we were waiting to receive additional funds from the Garnishee. The agent assured Ms. ****** that any over payment would be refunded to her by the Firm and/or the Garnishee.

In specific response to the claims made in Ms. ******* complaint,we would note that the Firm has thus far received 5 of the purported 8 payments referenced by Ms. ******* In *******, garnishment payments are processed through the Clerk of Court. Garnishees withhold sums and forward same to the Clerk. The Clerk then processes the payment and forwards the funds to the Firm for application to the subject account. This delays the receipt of funds by the Firm. The Firms procedures are to process the payments upon receipt and then issue a refund of any excess funds received. To date, the Firm has received 5 payments totaling $2,177.78. The remaining balance at this time is $586.46. As stated above, should the firm receive an over-payment on the account, those funds will be returned to Ms. *******

Payments Received (Date & Sum):     10/16/24 - $444.19
                                                            10/31/24 - $444.19
                                                            11/12/24 - $405.81
                                                            11/26/24 - $439.40
                                                            12/10/24 - $444.19

Should Ms. ****** have any additional questions, we invite her to contact us at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Initial Complaint
Date:10/02/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
They are garnishing from my check on a debt that was settled already on my credit report. The debt is from 2019, they filed documentation to an address I have not lived at since 2015. When I finally figured out the company, the refuse to respond to my several emails, numerous phone calls and endless messages I have left. They have put me back into debt, behind on all my bills, probably lose my house and car, because they cannot respond.
Business Response
Date: 10/17/2024
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this complaint. We have reviewed the complaint filed by *** **** ********* (*** ********** and received by our office on October 3, 2024. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by *** ********* and provide the following response.
Pursuant to the records provided by our client, ***************, N.A., this account originated on or about April 9, 2007, with account number ending in 2866. The account was subsequently charged-off as a delinquent debt on August 31, 2015, with an outstanding balance of $3,865.44.

This account was placed with our office for collection on or about December 30, 2019, with a Default Final Judgment dated January 16, 2019. The Default Final Judgment was obtained by a prior servicer and was granted in favor of our client with the principal sum of $3,865.44 and court costs of $453.00, totaling $4,318.44.

On June 23, 2020, the Firm mailed its initial demand letter to *** ********* at her address, ******************************************** We did not receive a response to the demand letter, nor was it returned by the postal service. A Continuing Writ of Garnishment (Garnishment) was then filed with the Court on July 23, 2024. The Garnishment was served upon *** ********** employer, ***** ***************************

On September 26, 2024, *** ********* contacted our office and advised that she was just made aware that her wages were being garnished. She stated that she had not received any notices or correspondence regarding the commencement of the garnishment. *** ********* also stated that she could not afford to pay her expenses with the wage garnishment in place. Lastly, she advised the Firm had an old address on the file. *** ********* provided a new address, ************************************. The agent then provided *** ********* information regarding the account.

On September 27, 2024, the Firm received correspondence confirming that *** ********* now resided in ************** and a screenshot of the garnishment payments that had been withheld by *** ********** employer. The Firm does not service accounts in *************** As such, the garnishment was dissolved and all monies received from *** ********** employer were either refunded to her and/or returned to her employer with instructions to refund same to ************. At this time, the Firm will be closing this account back to its client and providing information regarding *** ********** new address. Our client will then make a determination as to how to proceed with the subject claim.

In specific response to the matters complained of by *** *********,the Firm was unaware of *** ********** new address until she contacted our office regarding the garnishment. We had not received any return mail indicating that the Florida address on file was no longer valid. The Firms agent replied to *** ********** call the day she contacted our office and discussed the pertinent information regarding her account and replied to her inquiry. Upon confirmation of *** ********** new address in **************, the garnishment was dissolved and all funds received through the garnishment were returned.

Should *** ********* have any questions or require additional information, we invite her to please contact our office at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM,Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,

Andreu,Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 10/30/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

**** *********
Initial Complaint
Date:07/02/2024
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
This office is a debt collector, call center representing themselves as an attorney office. I set up payment arrangements with their office, with *********************** on April 4, 2024 ********************************************************* Case # **-2020-SC-030271-XXXX-XX. My payments were to be automatically deducted from my checking account in the amount of $150.00 per month on the 17th of each month, per Exhibit B of the payment agreement letter sent from ******* to myself on 4/4/24. In May 2024 I noticed the payments were not being taken from my account. I called twice in May requesting to speak with the attorney handling this case. To date, I still have yet to receive a call from any attorney from this office. When you call they advise that you can't talk to anyone other than the call center agents as all attorneys and management are always in court. When speaking with their office in May they call center reps refused payment over the phone. Since then an attorney from this office took my bank account information and went into court and placed a garnishment order without any notice. I was never informed of this, never received any court notices, by mail, email or phone. This office never sent any communication to me by mail, email or phone. I have emailed numerous times without a reply. This office is non-responsive and I am not able to speak woth anyone in order to resolve this matter.
Business Response
Date: 07/16/2024
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma,Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry.We have reviewed the complaint submitted by ***************************** (Mrs. ************)and received by our office on July 3, 2024. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by Mrs. ************ and provided the following response.
Pursuant to the records provided by our client, ******************************** the subject claim originated with ****************N.A., under an account number ending in 5494. The account was charged-off as a delinquent debt on March 4, 2019, with an outstanding balance of $1,669.69. It was placed with our office for collection on or about February 28, 2020.
The Firms collection efforts began on March 13, 2020, with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to Mrs. ************ at ********************************************************************************************. Our records indicate that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service.On June 8, 2020, the firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account. Service of process was completed via personal service at *****************************************, on June 27, 2020. A Default Final Judgment was granted in favor of our client on February 21, 2021 due to Mrs. ************* failure to appear at a pre-trial conference scheduled by the Clerk of Court.The judgment was for the principal sum of $1,669.69 together with court costs in the amount of $300, the sum of which was to accrue interest in accordance with Florida law.
On April 1, 2024, Mrs. ************ contacted our office to inquire about her options to resolve the account. She spoke to one of our agents and appeared to be inquiring about an account that we were not servicing. The agent attempted to explain that we were solely servicing her former account with **************** N.A. After further discussion, Mrs. ************ terminated the call. Shortly thereafter, she contacted our office again. She advised the agent of her financial hardship and ultimately agreed to a payment plan of $150/month on the total outstanding balance with payment commencing on April 5,2024. At the conclusion of the call, the agent attempted to address a Do Not Call restriction previously imposed by Mrs.************, which would prevent the Firm from calling her in case of any issue with the payment arrangement. ************** Mrs. ************ terminated the call before this could be addressed. On April 2, 2024, the agent was required to remove the recurring payment arrangement from our system of record because we were unable to finalize the authorization for recurring payments on the prior call. The agent was then unable to contact Mrs. ************ due to the Do Not Call restriction.
On April 16, 2024, we forwarded a letter to Mrs. ************ regarding the payment arrangement and detailed that no payment had been made to or processed by our office. On April 26,2024, Mrs. ************ contacted our office regarding the payment arrangement and stated that the balance of the account had increased on her credit report. The agent was attempting to finish reading the required disclosures, but Mrs. ************ kept interrupting and was very upset. Mrs. ************ was rude to the agent and accused the firm of reporting incorrect information. She terminated the call before the agent could advise her that our firm does not handle the credit reporting on behalf of our clients and that the reason the balance on the judgment had increased was because of the interest that was accruing in accordance Florida law.
There being no active arrangement or payment made on the account, on June 12, 2024, the Clerk of Court issued a Writ of Garnishment in response to a request filed by the Firm on behalf of our client. The Writ of Garnishment was against ******************** N.A. (the Garnishee) and was requested to collect the still outstanding judgment. The Writ of Garnishment was served on May 7, 2024. The Garnishee has 20 days from the date of service to provide its answer confirming whether it is in possession of any monies held on behalf of Mrs. ************. The Firm received the Garnishees answer and forwarded all required notices to Mrs. ************attention.
On July 1, 2024, Mrs. ************ contacted our office on two separate calls. During the calls she stated that she had spoken to other agents in the Firm who were rude and that she was planning on making payments in April. She stated that the payments were not automatically deducted. The agent advised Mrs. ************ that a payment plan was on file in April, but no automatic payments were finalized because the final authorization was not given and the call was terminated prematurely. The agent went through all prior call discussions and advised that the Firms agents did attempt to resolve any issues various times. Mrs. ************ requested an attorney call and the agent advised they can add the call back request to the file within the system of record. Mrs. ************ requested the payment plan be reinstated. The agent advised that they were not able to do that since a Garnishment had been initiated. The agent attempted to further discuss the account and Mrs. ************ terminated the call.
On July 3, 2024, Mrs. ************ contacted our office upset that she had not received the attorney call back and that it had been 48 hours. During the call, the agent advised that they needed to verify Mrs. ************ identity as is done on every call,Mrs. ************ refused to confirm her identity and terminated the call. At this time, Mrs. ************ had already submitted this inquiry to the Better Business Bureau and one of the Firms attorneys had not been given an opportunity to return her call. The subject account was placed on a contact hold upon receipt of the inquiry while the particular circumstances of the account could be reviewed and addressed.
The Firm wishes to resolve this matter with Mrs. ************ and reinstate the payment plan she previously agreed to. We are willing to also discuss resolution of the Garnishment. In the interim, if Mrs. ************ has any additional questions or wish to further discuss resolution of this matter, we invite her to contact us at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,
Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Initial Complaint
Date:05/09/2024
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
This law firm put a hold on my bank account for 7500 dollars! I'm a single parent supporting a minor on my own. I'm not even sure what this hold is for. I'm already on a payment plan to take care of some old debts as it is. With rising inflation, wages not going up, and the cost of EVERYTHING skyrocketing.... this will bury me! I'm not sure if they have mailed me anything or not to be forthcoming. My dad died and I've been trying to save the house that my daughter and I are supposed to inherit. My dad made a trust instead of a will but I am unable to locate it. The 2 banks that hold mortgages on the property are trying to get me out so they can swallow up the equity. Since the foreclosure started, I've been swamped with spam mail etc from blood thirsty attorneys. Sacking somebody for that much money is not realistic. Now I can't buy food for my kid.... or basic necessities. The act of buying up peoples debt is flawed to begin with. These banks print money out of thin air initially... then charge us interest on worthless paper that isn't backed by ANYTHING.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/09/2024
I found out that this situation is stemming from an already closed and written off credit card account. I've not entered into a contract with this collection agency.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/09/2024
I would like the 7500 dollar hold that was placed on my bank account to be removed. I didn't even owe *********** 4000 dollars! I don't know WHERE they got a 7500 dollar number from. This is incredibly messed up! These people who bought up this old debt is Midland credit management. I told that company a long time ago... theyre going to have to be happy with 50 dollars every 2 weeks until the synchrony account is paid off. Then if possible, I would start paying on the *********** debt. Putting a hold that large on someones bank account is extremely disrupting to a person who is already stretched incredibly thin, while trying to save a house and raise a kid by myself. My daughters mom is in prison, she has no grandparents... and its all on my shoulders.
Business Response
Date: 05/20/2024
To whom it may concern, thank you for giving Andreu, Palma,Lavin & Solis, PLLC (the Firm) an opportunity to respond to this inquiry.We have reviewed the complaint submitted by **************************** (******************)and received by our office on May 10, 2024. We have concluded our investigation into the matters raised by ****************** and provided the following response.
Pursuant to the records provided by our client, ******************************** the subject claim originated with **************** (***), N.A., under an account number ending in 5777. The account was charged-off as a delinquent debt on March 15, 2019, with a balance of $2,978.43. It was placed with our office for collection on or about May 11, 2020.

The Firms collection efforts began on June 8, 2020, with the mailing of the Firms initial validation notice to ****************** at ****************************************************************************************************. Our records show that the Firm did not receive a response to the notice nor was it returned by the postal service. On November 3, 2020, the firm filed a lawsuit to collect the outstanding balance due on the account. Service of process was completed via personal service on November 7, 2020. A Default Final Judgment was granted in favor of our client on November 4, 2021, due to Mr.Nerisons failure to appear at a pre-trial conference scheduled by the Clerk of Court. The judgment was for the principal sum of $2,978.43 together with court costs in the amount of $370, the sum of which was to accrue interest in accordance with Florida law.

On April 23, 2024, the Clerk of Court issued a Writ of Garnishment in response to a request filed by the Firm on behalf of our client. The Writ of Garnishment was against ******************** N.A. (the Garnishee) and was requested in order to collect the still outstanding judgment. The Writ of Garnishment was served on May 7, 2024. The Garnishee has 20 days from the date of service to provide its answer confirming whether it is in possession of any monies held on behalf of ******************. To date, the Firm has not received the Garnishees answer and is unaware of the sums being withheld in order to satisfy the judgment.

On May 9, 2024, ****************** contacted our office and advised as to his financial hardship and the issues caused by the garnishment. The agent advised ****************** to send supporting documentation so that we could evaluate his financial condition and discuss available options. The agent provided ****************** with the Firm's email address and ****************** advised he would send the available documentation to our attention for review. There were then further discussions with ***************** regarding his financial hardship and the garnishment.

In specific response to the issues raised by ******************, as of date of this response, the amount owed under the judgment is $3,815.54.Because of interest and other charges, the amount owed may vary from day to day. The Firm and its client do not control the amount withheld by the Garnishee in response to a Writ of Garnishment. Garnishees generally hold a sum in excess of the judgment balance because of possible further interest and court costs incurred through the garnishment process. We are certainly willing to discuss all possible options at resolving this matter.

Should Mr. ******* have additional questions or wish to further discuss resolution of this matter, we invite him to contact us at ************** between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,

Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC
Customer Answer
Date: 05/20/2024

Complaint: 21687548

I am rejecting this response because:
I expect a lawfirm to know the law. I will clarify this for them.
According to Florida Statute ******, a head of household is exempt from wage garnishment if their disposable earnings are $750 or less per week. A head of household is someone who provides at least 50% of the financial support for a dependent, such as children, parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents who live with you and depend on you financially. If a head of household earns more than $500 per week, the amount garnished is calculated based only on the amount earned in excess of $500. For example, if your income is $700 per week, creditors can only garnish a percentage of $200.

Florida Bankruptcy Lawyer

The Head Of Family Exemption And Florida Wage Garnishment Laws
Jan 26, 2022

The ***** Law Firm, P. A.

What incomes are exempt from garnishment in *******? | The ***** Law Firm, P.A.
May 6, 2022

Florida Senate

Chapter 222 Section 11 - 2012 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

To assert the exemption, you can:
File a claim of exemption
File a motion to dissolve the wage garnishment
I haven't filed my taxes for the past few years because I can't afford to I've been trying to get the money together to do the probate process for the house I live in that was supposed to go to my daughter and I when my dad died unexpectedly. The house is in foreclosure because it's an expensive process and I got scammed from legamatch.com for 750. I had a payment plan in place with ************************* for another account. When I setup that account, they asked if I could afford the *********** account simultaneously. I told them that as a single father I can't but once the Synchrony account was paid off we could start on the *********** account. My daughters mother (who I have been separated from for nearly 10 years) is in prison and has been for the past year and a half. She won't get out until, my daughter is 18 (She turns 14 in less than a month TERRIBLE TIME TO HAVE MY BANK FROZE) I have filed the necessary forms and had them notarized to get a hearing about being exempt from the garnishment. The law basically says people in my situation cannot LEGALLY be garnished but it happened anyways... and it has caused a lot a lot of overdraft fees. I honestly dont see how layers and a judge... broke the law? ******* knew I was making those payments every month on time also for at least 6 months. Since they decided to go this route though, I have cancelled my previously set up payment arrangement. They broke our verbal contract that was setup when the Synchrony account was started. My income is more than the 500 or 750 or whatever it is but.... there is also a stipulation pertaining to what's left after bills and after groceries, gas, and bills? There's nothing left at all to take.

Sincerely,

*************************
Customer Answer
Date: 05/20/2024
These are the emails that were sent directly to the firm that should be considered. As far ads calling them to discuss further, I was told my only option is to pay the 3800 dollars and then they will take the hold off of my account. The firm days I was supposed to email them documents but thats not accurate because their email reply says they cant discuss anything through email about the case so I was supposed to call and I did. They said 3800 and they'll take the hold off.

Good Morning,

Please be advised that we cannot discuss by e-mail, the circumstances of this account that our office may be servicing. Please contact our office toll free at ************** between the hours of 8am and 5pm EST Monday-Friday for further assistance in this matter.

Thanks in advance,

*******************************
Customer Service Representative

********************, ********************, ******************** & **********************, PLLC

****************************************
*************************
Phone: **************
2005003303
Did you know you can make an online payment anytime by visiting www.PayAndreuPalma.com

The information contained herein is privileged, confidential and proprietary to Andreu, Palma, Lavin & Solis, PLLC. Unauthorized use and duplication is strictly prohibited. This message is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission.

Please also be advised that we are debt collectors. This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information we obtain may be used for that purpose.

From: ************************* <***********************>
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 7:52 PM
To: Customer Service - ********************** & ******************** <*****************************************************>
Subject: !!!!?!?!??!?!

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Why in the heck did you place a hold for 7500 dollars on my bank account for the *********** debt from Midland Credit? I don't even owe them 4000!!!! I am already on a payment plan with them for Synchrony account with 800 left. I told them a long time ago once the Synchrony account is paid off, we can start on the *********** account. When people sign up for payment plans and they're paid religiously ON TIME, garnishing their bank account is not a good idea. You won't get any money by doing that, and that just makes me want to cancel the original payment plan.... close the bank account or let it rot... and never answer another phone call from a bill collector ever again and just wait for the debts to fall off the credit reports and nobody gets anything. I know dang well all of ya know people are BARELY surviving right now. Would that make you happy to know that your actions put a parent and a kid out on the street literally when the parent is already doing everything in their power to stay above water? My daughters mom is in prison until she's 18..... I have literally NO FAMILY to help me out, and the house we're staying in is in foreclosure because my dad did a trust not a will and he didnt think he was going to die at such a young age so I have no idea where it is. Putting that massive hold on my bank for grossly over what is even owed has to be illegal. I didn't even owe them nearly 4000 way back when it defaulted. I'm really mad over this. Especially at *******. I told them when I started the Synchrony payment plan that Im struggling beyond comprehension already. The lady on the phone said to send tax returns showing head of household. I havent filed taxes in 3-4 years because guess what? I can't afford it! Just like the house is in foreclosure because I cant pay the legal fees and paperwork fees (FEES MONEY PAY PAY PAY GREED YA'LL RUINING HUMAN BEINGS OVER WORTHLESS Paper and that has a price of its own once the next place after here comes for ya!) to do the formal administrator of estate process!

*************************
(Old Address)
***********************
************************

(Actual Address)
*********************************************************************************
Customer Answer
Date: 05/20/2024
As you can see here, Everything I make is gone and THEN SOME. It may seem like Ive made a lot so far, but the busy season in my industry for this area is over now. For the next 4-5 months there will be next to zero work. It doesnt even START to pick up again until the end of September but then dies again after Thanksgiving. I picked up some temp work but the rate is roughly half of what I normally make. It took working every possible shift I could sometimes ***** hour weeks to make what is shown here. That's not even including the 2 mortgages for the house! That's over 3000 a month itself. My dads house has equity in it that I refuse to allow to get absorbed by a bank and same with his car. He is 7k+ in the green and the finance company was trying to come take it. Now I pay on that car and ** letting a friend use the car I have a loan for and hes paying the note on it.

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