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FL: Tampa Firms Sued For Child Support Collection Scam



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 15th 06, 12:10 AM posted to alt.child-support,alt.support.divorce
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Default FL: Tampa Firms Sued For Child Support Collection Scam

http://www.northcountrygazette.org/a...pportScam.html


Tampa Firms Sued For Child Support Collection Scam
TALLAHASSEE - Two Tampa companies have been sued by the Florida
Attorney General's office for victimizing children in a child support
collection scheme. Nationwide Child Support, Inc., and Child Support
Network, Inc., along with two corporate officers, allegedly took support
payments designated for children and threatened those responsible for the
child support.

An investigation by the Attorney General's office revealed that
Nationwide and Child Support Network masqueraded as child support collection
agencies. They recruited custodial parents through deceptive advertising and
had them sign contracts for collection services. The defendants then skimmed
a 35% commission fee from the payments that were collected, depriving
children of more than one-third of the court-ordered amount for child
support payments.

The companies' tactics also included creating bogus child support
orders, posing as employees of the Department of Revenue (DOR) - the state's
child support enforcement agency, violating existing child support orders,
resisting consumer requests to cancel contracts and other abusive practices.
The companies have been in business for at least two years.

In addition to depriving the children of their money, the companies
often obtained money by posing as DOR representatives and threatening
non-custodial parents with arrest if they did not submit their payments to
the companies. After receiving payments, the defendants would continue to
collect from the parents, redirecting the money to their companies and
keeping one-third of the payment before sending the money to the custodial
parents. One man discovered that the companies were garnishing his wages for
child support payments, but he was not receiving credit from the state for
the payments. As a result, his driver's license was suspended by the state
for non-compliance.

Stuart Cole and Michelle Cole were named in the lawsuit as officers of
the two companies responsible for six violations of the Florida Deceptive
and Unfair Trade Practices Act. In addition to civil penalties of $10,000
per violation or $15,000 if victims were elderly or disabled, the state is
seeking restitution for victims, as well as an immediate injunction to stop
the unlawful practices and to recover funds owed to children receiving child
support.

A copy of the Attorney General's complaint is available at:
http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/JFAO-6NSMST/$file/Child_Support_complaint.pdf

Pictures of the signs suggesting the companies are legitimate Child
Support Enforcement agencies are available at:
http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/JFAO-6NSJDN/$file/groundsign.jpg
and http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/JFAO-6NSJE7/$file/wallsign.jpg
4-12-06



  #2  
Old April 15th 06, 05:31 AM posted to alt.child-support,alt.support.divorce
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Default Tampa Firms Sued For Child Support Collection Scam


"Dusty" wrote in

The companies' tactics also included creating bogus child support
orders, posing as employees of the Department of Revenue (DOR) - the
state's child support enforcement agency, violating existing child support
orders, resisting consumer requests to cancel contracts and other abusive
practices. The companies have been in business for at least two years.

In addition to depriving the children of their money, the companies
often obtained money by posing as DOR representatives and threatening
non-custodial parents with arrest if they did not submit their payments to
the companies.


SO what's the difference between these private scumbags and the Government?




  #3  
Old April 15th 06, 10:21 PM posted to alt.child-support,alt.support.divorce
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Default Tampa Firms Sued For Child Support Collection Scam

I actuallly used to work for an attorney who's primary area of practice
was "Father's rights" We had a client, (I can't get into too much
detail for confidentality reasons), that paid his child support
regularly....well, the mother, contacted one of these agencies, and
claimed "non payment." This agency didn't verify the mother's
statements and started harassing this man, stating that he owed back
support. Here's the kicker. The agency's name included the
words..."State of Texas"...the man got confused and Actually Paid It
all in One lump Sum! The crazy part is this....his child support order
was from the State of Kansas...he lived in the State of Oklahoma....so
why he thought the the State of Texas would have anything to do with it
is beyond me....but, he PAID it. The agency, then kept a large
percentage of the money, and paid the rest of the money to the mother.
Only after he paid it...did he realize, hey....this doesn't make
sence....anyways....long story shortened....we suied both the mother
and the collection agency....and got the man's money back, plus
interest....but....it took months and months to get it back. THESE
COLLECTION AGENCIES ARE A SCAM! Even if you do pay them...they do not
turn the money over to the state first to be credited as a child
support payment. So paying them is just a "gift" to your child with a
large percentage being withheld by them first, unless you can prove
fraud. YOU DO NOT GET CREDIT FOR THESE PAYMENTS TOWARDS YOUR CHILD
SUPPORT!

 




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