Wage garnishments and collections

boldseal22 said:My bad, just realized how "brilliantly" the lawmakers handled Article 252d.
Which pretty much means the law itself is trampling all over constitutional rights to a defense. 🙂

Look, just file a private lawsuit and PROVE you're right. I mean, seriously—how on earth do they end up mailing legal notices to the wrong address in the first place!!??
Who exactly gave them the wrong info?

Benjamin Taylor6 said:Look, just file a private lawsuit and PROVE you're right. I mean, seriously—how on earth do they end up mailing legal notices to the wrong address in the first place!!??
Who exactly gave them the wrong info?

Well, he did it himself, I suppose—by failing to notify the FTC or whoever issued the garnishment about his change of address. But honestly, it’s not really an excuse, because if we're talking about a corporation, the notices get sent to the registered business address filed with the Secretary of State. If he actually moved the headquarters, then he should have updated those records with the state.
What can I say... it's just classic negligence... and then everyone else gets blamed, when really, he's the one at fault for not staying on top of his obligations or even keeping track of his own bills, let alone making sure his contact info was current...

So, I put in a formal request for HBO to move my phone service to a new address within that standard 30-day window they’re supposed to follow, but—surprise, surprise—they just didn't do it...
They kept sending bills to my old place, which I had already moved away from, so technically there wasn't even a contract left to fulfill—just that pending request for the move from $133...
I’ve paid everything I owe, except for that specific moving fee for a service that was never actually performed.
Now, HBO keeps mailing invoices to an address where I haven't even set foot, let alone picked up any equipment.

And get this: because of that failed move request, the local collection agency is now trying to garnish my wages. I don't even get notified by them because, well, I haven't lived at that residence for six months—especially during the summer—so they just slap the notice on a public bulletin board and suddenly it's "legally binding."

In all this time, nobody has even bothered to give me or my family a single phone call. No nothing. They just go straight for freezing my accounts, piling on fees that end up being three times the actual amount of the original debt, which is totally baseless.

Look, I know I have to pay, I really do, but I honestly can't wrap my head around how a company can operate like this...
I've dealt with plenty of court stuff and police matters before, so maybe I'm just losing my mind, but this kind of one-sided behavior is infuriating—where it seems like they're obsessed with fast-tracking collections while completely ignoring a citizen's right to actually defend themselves against a mistake.☕

To whom it may concern,

My apologies if this is a bit off-topic, but I honestly have no idea who else to turn to or where else to go with this.

So, here’s the deal: we had this contract with AT&T that wrapped up back in 2011. Eventually, our outstanding debt was sold off to some specific collection agency based out of New York City. Since then, they’ve been relentlessly hounding us to settle the bill.
Back in 2012, since Supug wasn't exactly hanging around the States all the time, they reached out to him over the phone. And, naturally, he just went ahead and wired the money without a second thought.

Let me be crystal clear right off the bat: I never received a single damn bill from AT&T. Not one. We didn't get anything sent to our house from the debt collector later on either—nothing at all related to AT&T. At the time, we were right in the middle of moving, so when the bills failed to show up, we just assumed our subscription had expired and the matter was settled. Just to reiterate, everything was handled over the phone directly with the debt collection agency.

Back in October 2013, we got hit with a sudden garnishment from some law firm claiming we owed money to AT&T. And wouldn't you know it—AGAIN, we never received a single shred of notification at our home address. It’s infuriating because they have our correct address on file! We were left completely in the dark. We had zero clue about: 1. the initial debt, 2. the demand for payment, or 3. the actual garnishment itself until the funds were already snatched from our bank account. To top it all off—and I mean this as the absolute icing on this miserable cake—I eventually sent my husband down to an AT&T location to settle things once and for all, since we aren't even customers anymore and thought the debt was cleared. But when he actually showed up? They just brushed him off and told him he had to deal with some third-party entity—some other law firm entirely. Unbelievable.

Out of four unpaid bills—where one was bought out by a collection agency and the other three were paid directly to the same provider—I’ve suddenly been hit with two garnishments for absolutely INSANE amounts. To make matters even worse, they’re all claiming to represent AT&T. After I made five different calls to various service providers just to sort this out, they still haven't fixed the mess. It's ridiculous. $0.00 The tenth operator on the line is trying to tell me we actually owe them money—as if we’re somehow in the black—simply because SOMEONE sent them a tiny little payment at the end of December. Let me be perfectly clear: that wasn't us. Not by a long shot.

Moving forward, I’ve decided to reach out to this second law firm because our original legal counsel basically robbed us blind and then completely ghosted us—they wouldn't even send over the documentation we needed. So, after being forced to deal with an attorney who refused to even give me her name—yes, I was literally handing my private information over to a total stranger—I finally get some answers. Or rather, I get a lecture. To quote her directly: "We don't owe you any documentation. I was told you actually owe AT&T a massive amount of money, and quite frankly, I cannot overlook such debts." Now, I responded quite politely, pointing out that I actually have a credit balance with AT&T, and even the debt collection agency that bought the account claims my balance is exactly zero. It’s hilarious, really—EVERY single party involved in this mess insists there is no debt. So, I asked her point-blank: give me a name or a phone number for this mysterious gentleman at AT&T who supposedly holds this grudge, so I can talk to him myself and find out where this imaginary debt came from, or just send me the paperwork. Her response? "HE said he WON'T provide you with any documentation whatsoever." Unbelievable.

I won't beat around the bush, and I’ll say it again: we haven't received a single shred of written documentation. Not one bill from AT&T, no formal warnings, nothing regarding the debt being sold off, and certainly nothing from those two different law firms. We haven't seen any enforcement orders either—absolutely nothing. Because if we actually had, you can bet your life we would have reacted to it.

I’m trying to figure out who I can actually talk to about this. Seriously, how am I supposed to resolve this mess? Do I need to file a lawsuit? If so, who exactly am I suing?

Is it actually legal for them to refuse to give me a single player's actual name? I mean, is there some loophole where NO ONE is required to identify themselves by name?

It’s honestly pathetic. They are legally draining our bank accounts through these billing errors, and we’re left completely stranded. We have absolutely nowhere to turn for help, and even if we try to demand proof, they just stonewall us—telling us point-blank that they WON'T send over any documentation. It's a total dead end.
The only thing we actually have going for us—and honestly, it’s the only thing that carries any weight—is that we don't owe a single cent to AT&T or that specific firm that bought up the debt. That's it. That's our only leverage.
That second law firm is legendary—one of the absolute best in the entire country. And when a powerhouse like that decides to represent those thieves? It makes you wonder how any regular citizen stands a chance. How are we supposed to beat them on their own turf when they have all that muscle behind them?
I find it absolutely incomprehensible, if not outright unacceptable, that someone can just reach into my bank account and start pulling money out without any prior communication whatsoever. There’s no documentation provided, no heads-up, nothing—not even a courtesy call. If they’re actually trying to take me to court, why on earth am I being denied the basic opportunity to defend myself? It makes zero sense.

We don't owe a single cent to anyone, so on what possible authority are they trying to collect these imaginary debts? Every last one of our obligations has been settled. I am asking you, please, help me out here—we simply cannot afford to hire a lawyer right now. I refuse to let them keep robbing me blind!

🙂🙂

Reading through your post actually leaves me wondering about a few specific details...

1. I mean, I assume you’re aware that these subscriptions don't just magically expire—you actually have to manually cancel them, right? It lasts for two years, and then it just keeps rolling over indefinitely on an ongoing basis unless you step in to opt out.
2. And regarding your residency—the address you have on file with local law enforcement needs to be the exact same place where you were actually living at the moment the legal action was initiated.

So, if the answer to either point 1 or 2 is "no," then—honestly—I don't think there's much left for us to discuss here!!!!

John Clark6 said:Reading through your post actually leaves me wondering about a few specific details...

1. I mean, I assume you’re aware that these subscriptions don't just magically expire—you actually have to manually cancel them, right? It lasts for two years, and then it just keeps rolling over indefinitely on an ongoing basis unless you step in to opt out.
2. And regarding your residency—the address you have on file with local law enforcement needs to be the exact same place where you were actually living at the moment the legal action was initiated.

So, if the answer to either point 1 or 2 is "no," then—honestly—I don't think there's much left for us to discuss here!!!!

Listen, boldseal22, a subscription is basically just a contract between you and the service provider. It lasts maybe 12 to 24 months, and after you miss two payments, the company just tears up the deal... though obviously, individuals can walk away too, if they want to deal with the penalties....
As for residency, you’ve gotta be there for 181 days. Beyond that, the law isn't going to breathe down your neck if you're traveling for work or whatever...
Besides, you aren't exactly a lawyer—more like someone with a very narrow view of things—because you're approaching this like we're all out here committing felonies. Maybe you are, who knows? But hey, maybe dial back the intensity a bit—nobody came here to vent their life struggles just so you could play hard-boiled COP on us.....
There's free legal aid for regular citizens, and honestly, maybe even some counseling for you too.....🙂

boldseal22 said:My bad, just realized how "brilliantly" the lawmakers handled Article 252d.
Which pretty much means the law itself is trampling all over constitutional rights to a defense. 🙂

But who exactly stripped away your right to defend yourself?
Did they call you twice to come "defend" your position, just like you mentioned? They did. And since you didn't want to show up, they just decided you weren't interested in "defending" yourself... 🤷
How many times is a court supposed to send out a summons before it counts?

At the end of the day, you've always got the option of an administrative appeal—so just go ahead and pull the trigger on that. 🤷

hey everyone...
I'm pretty new to this thread, so if anyone could help me out before I head over to FINRA...

here's the deal:
my account has been frozen since September 2011 because of a debt totaling $233
I never actually opened a protected account, and honestly, I don't really have any use for one.
I get my unemployment benefits deposited into this account, and I'm trying to use that money to pay off the debt (however long that takes).

so, I was wondering, what would the total amount "roughly" be by now!?

and does FINRA just unfreeze the account automatically once everything is paid up, or am I going to have to deal with a bunch of paperwork myself to get it sorted!?

thanks in advance for the help

Laura Carter6, I’m a little lost here.
Your account was frozen back in 2011 because of some $233 debt you haven't cleared yet, but money keeps hitting the account anyway. 😕 Am I reading this right?
Look, if you can actually withdraw cash from that account when it gets credited, then your account isn't technically frozen.

Unemployment benefits are considered protected funds, which means they’re supposed to go into a protected account. If you don't have one, that money just lands in your regular checking, and the collectors will snatch it up instantly—and let me tell you, that debt from 2011 has probably ballooned into a massive mountain by now.

If you're still waiting on those unemployment checks to arrive, do yourself a favor and open a protected account immediately. Once you get the cash, head down to the bank and pay off whatever chunk you can just to chip away at that freeze.

You’ll need to contact FINRA to find out exactly how much you owe in total.

ruggedmaker2 said:Laura Carter6, I’m a little lost here.
Your account was frozen back in 2011 because of some $233 debt you haven't cleared yet, but money keeps hitting the account anyway. 😕 Am I reading this right?
Look, if you can actually withdraw cash from that account when it gets credited, then your account isn't technically frozen.

Unemployment benefits are considered protected funds, which means they’re supposed to go into a protected account. If you don't have one, that money just lands in your regular checking, and the collectors will snatch it up instantly—and let me tell you, that debt from 2011 has probably ballooned into a massive mountain by now.

If you're still waiting on those unemployment checks to arrive, do yourself a favor and open a protected account immediately. Once you get the cash, head down to the bank and pay off whatever chunk you can just to chip away at that freeze.

You’ll need to contact FINRA to find out exactly how much you owe in total.

I started some professional training for $533 about two months ago, and it's listed as unemployment benefits (at least that's what the contract says), so I really wouldn't want to use a protected account.

Laura Carter6 said:hey everyone...
I'm pretty new to this thread, so if anyone could help me out before I head over to FINRA...

here's the deal:
my account has been frozen since September 2011 because of a debt totaling $233
I never actually opened a protected account, and honestly, I don't really have any use for one.
I get my unemployment benefits deposited into this account, and I'm trying to use that money to pay off the debt (however long that takes).

so, I was wondering, what would the total amount "roughly" be by now!?

and does FINRA just unfreeze the account automatically once everything is paid up, or am I going to have to deal with a bunch of paperwork myself to get it sorted!?

thanks in advance for the help

Okay, so there are a few things to consider. That amount of $233 might be just the base debt, or it could include collection costs (like lawyers or notary fees)—though I guess interest shouldn't have skyrocketed too much. It might be best to just call the law firm and ask, although that might be a bit late at this stage, since the moment you receive any money, I suspect FINRA will just grab it immediately... along with their own processing fees. Actually, it might be better if you have enough to cover everything in one go; otherwise, if you can't pay it all at once, FINRA might keep chipping away at those extra costs with every attempt to collect, and—believe me—those little fees can really start to pile up into an unnecessary mountain of debt.

My main account is frozen, and my only access is through a protected account used solely for child support benefits since I'm currently unemployed.

I have a bank loan that I am paying off on my own.

I also owe money from other agreements—one court judgment and some bills from AT&T—but right now, no one is actually collecting. They are all just sitting in a queue waiting for payment.

I was recently gifted a car. Now I'm wondering: if I register it in my name, will FINRA flag it with the IRS (or the Department of Justice)? Could they seize it?

Or would it be safer to transfer the title to someone else?

Thank you.

Donna Adams said:My main account is frozen, and my only access is through a protected account used solely for child support benefits since I'm currently unemployed.

I have a bank loan that I am paying off on my own.

I also owe money from other agreements—one court judgment and some bills from AT&T—but right now, no one is actually collecting. They are all just sitting in a queue waiting for payment.

I was recently gifted a car. Now I'm wondering: if I register it in my name, will FINRA flag it with the IRS (or the Department of Justice)? Could they seize it?

Or would it be safer to transfer the title to someone else?

Thank you.

Honestly, anything registered in your name can potentially be subject to garnishment or seizure—especially if we're talking about something with significant value.

Donna Adams said:My main account is frozen, and my only access is through a protected account used solely for child support benefits since I'm currently unemployed.

I have a bank loan that I am paying off on my own.

I also owe money from other agreements—one court judgment and some bills from AT&T—but right now, no one is actually collecting. They are all just sitting in a queue waiting for payment.

I was recently gifted a car. Now I'm wondering: if I register it in my name, will FINRA flag it with the IRS (or the Department of Justice)? Could they seize it?

Or would it be safer to transfer the title to someone else?

Thank you.

Look, FINRA isn't going to go digging for that. That's not their lane. They don't just show up at your house to grab cars or property; they deal with freezing your cash and bank accounts.
But here’s the catch: if one of your creditors decides to switch things up and goes through the court system to target your physical assets—like your house or your car—then yeah, a judge can absolutely order that car to be seized.

Hey everyone, I could use some advice here:

It’s regarding the Water Authority. Today, the mail carrier dropped off some legal notices for me, my brother, and my father (we are my mother's heirs) concerning a court-ordered seizure process that dates all the way back to 2003.

My mother passed away in 2007.

I have an 8-day window to file an appeal. Is it possible to contest this and argue that the statute of limitations has already run out?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Can someone provide a clear definition of absolute statute of limitations and explain how it actually plays out in real life?

Specifically, I'm looking at an old debt owed to AT&T dating back to 2005.
Has the absolute statute of limitations already kicked in—and if so, when—or is there some way certain actions can reset the clock? The legal language itself isn't making things any clearer.
In other words, is pursuing an enforcement action starting from September 2013 even legally justifiable?

Thanks in advance.

Honestly, everything you need to know is laid out right here in this thread—I feel like I’ve explained it at least thirty different times by now! I guess what I’m trying to say is that there really isn't such a thing as an absolute statute of limitations on your debts. If they initiate the collection process within that first year, you can pretty much forget about any hopes of the debt expiring due to a statute of limitations.

quietmason55 said:Hey everyone, I could use some advice here:

It’s regarding the Water Authority. Today, the mail carrier dropped off some legal notices for me, my brother, and my father (we are my mother's heirs) concerning a court-ordered seizure process that dates all the way back to 2003.

My mother passed away in 2007.

I have an 8-day window to file an appeal. Is it possible to contest this and argue that the statute of limitations has already run out?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Could you maybe clarify things a bit? What kind of drainage issue are we talking about—like a connection to the municipal sewer system or something else entirely?

John Clark6 said:Could you maybe clarify things a bit? What kind of drainage issue are we talking about—like a connection to the municipal sewer system or something else entirely?

The Overseer - Holding Company, Water Authority branch, Washington, D.C., Folnegović

Yeah, I’m assuming it's the sewage system...

Hello everyone! My brother has been dealing with an enforcement order regarding his phone and internet services for about three years now, and I was wondering if there is any possibility of the statute of limitations applying here? Specifically, if they don't initiate a new enforcement proceeding, after how much time would the debt effectively expire? Thanks for any insight! 🙂