JACKSONVILLE – An Orange Park woman alleges a law firm engaged to collect debts did not investigate a disputed debt.
Yvonne P. Hill filed a complaint on May 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division against Rolfe & Lobello PA alleging that it violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on July 2015, she made a payment for her past-due account from Compass Bank amounting to $8,165.27. On Aug. 27, 2015, she received a letter from the defendant that showed the past due amount of $9,205.84 and a total balance of $151,396.01. She immediately disputed said amounts, the claim states.
On Jan. 25 she was served a summons and complaint to foreclosure mortgage, according to the suit. She alleges the amount due was $148,177.69, which still did not properly account for the July payment. Prior to filing the foreclosure complaint, defendant never contacted her, she claims.
The plaintiff holds Rolfe & Lobello PA responsible because the defendants allegedly engaged in a practice of refusing to properly account for payments made on a consumer debt and failed to investigate the validity of a consumer debt when it is disputed.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment declaring that defendant violated the FDCPA and the FCCPA, judgment enjoining defendant from seeking inflated and improper amounts which represent the legal statue of the debt, compensation for all damages, attorney fees and costs and such other relief as may be just and proper. She is represented by Helen H. Albee of Henrichsen Siegel PLLC in Jacksonville.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division Case number 3:16-cv-00540