The Better Business Bureau of Central and South Alabama is warning consumers about a collection law firm that allegedly is telling people to pay or go to jail.
Two months ago, the BBB had never heard of Brewton Law Firm in Atlanta. Then, the calls began pouring in from people in Alabama complaining that the law firm was harassing them. The BBB reports that the law firm is legitimate but that their alleged collection methods violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Brewton Law Firm has an “F” rating and a long list of complaints on the BBB website. The BBB has received dozens of calls about the following kind of collection tactic.
"Where [consumers] were being told they needed to pay up on bad checks written to a grocery store up to 15 years ago," said David Smitherman, president and CEO of the BBB of Central and South Alabama.
Brewton Law Firm officials were not available for comment and a number listed for the firm went to a recording stating it's a non-working number.
According to one consumer, a representative of the law firm repeatedly threatened to “have me arrested if I did not pay a debt which I do not owe or have any knowledge of."
Another consumer wrote:
"Brewton Law Firm is calling me and family members about a bounced check from 1999 that they plan to take me to court over.”
The BBB is reminding consumer that debt collectors are required to send written notice of a debt and where to direct calls if a mistake is suspected.
"It’d be a real big red flag if you get a call from a debt collector that you’ve never heard from before, demanding that you pay up right that minute,” Smitherman said.
