The Attorney General of New Mexico announced yesterday his office has filed three lawsuits against debt collection companies, accusing them of making misrepresentations about debts, engaging in abusive practices, and forcing individuals to make payments on non-existent debts
The lawsuits, filed against LVNV Funding, Central Mediation Services,
and Capio Partners, LLC, was announced as part of Operation Corrupt Collector, a joint state and federal initiative aimed at protecting consumers from abusive collection practices and collectors seeking to collect on non-existent debts. The AG — Hector Balderas — also announced his office has sent a cease and desist letter to a fourth agency, Ability Recovery Services.
Unfortunately, the AG’s office did not provide links to the complaints that were filed against the three agencies, and a quick search yielded no results.
In a press release announcing the suits and his office’s participation in Operation Corrupt Collector, Balderas said the companies being sued:
- Illegally induced consumers into paying debts by making fraudulent misrepresentations about the debts,
- Engaged in abusive and predatory practices
- In some cases, forced consumers to pay debts they did not owe
“I will not tolerate any company coming into New Mexico that abuses and intimidates our families and consumers,” said Balderas, in a statement. “We always seek to protect New Mexico consumers and will hold abusive and unconscionable debt collectors accountable to the laws of New Mexico.”
A number of other state Attorneys General, including Indiana, Ohio, and Arizona
