Case Study 1: Technical Violation.
Situation: We sent out letters on behalf of the Consumer to specific debt collectors and one of the collectors violated the requests in the letters we sent out by not communicating to Consumer in requested way and did not update account as “disputed” in Credit Reports.
Outcome:
– $4,000 debt completely forgiven.
– Collections account (tradeline) in question deleted from all Credit Reports.
– Consumer received $1,000 in statutory damages.

Case Study 2: Repeated Violations.
Situation: Consumer previously settled a debt with a debt collector and then the collector tried to sue Consumer for that previously settled debt.
Outcome:
– Consumer received $50,000 in damages.
– Collections account (tradeline) in question deleted from all Credit Reports (even though it could/should have been reported as negative from original settlement).

Case Study 3: Serious Violations.
Situation: Consumer rented an apartment that turned out to have mold issues and she moved out (which is within her legal right) and debt collectors tried to collect on the remaining, illegitimate debt.
Outcome:
– Consumer received multiple 100s of thousands of dollars.
– $20,000 debt completely forgiven.
– Collections account (tradeline) in question deleted from all Credit Reports.

FCRA Case Examples (ID Theft and Errors on Credit Reports Lawsuits):

Case Study 1: Technical Violation.
Situation: Consumer filed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (BK) and discharged several credit cards. Two creditors kept accessing the Consumer’s Credit Reports via Account Review Inquiries for 9 months (something they’re not allowed to do).
Outcome:
– Creditors deleted the inquiries from Credit Reports.
– Consumer received $2,500 from each of the creditors.

Case Study 2: Status Violations.
Situation: Consumer previously settled a debt with a debt collector and then the collector tried to sue Consumer for that previously settled debt.
Outcome:
– Consumer received $50,000 in damages (this is in addition to the other $50,000 received from the FDCPA violations).
– Collections account (tradeline) in question deleted from all Credit Reports (even though it could/should have been reported as negative from original settlement).

Case Study 3: ID Theft Violations.
Situation: Consumer’s WiFi is hacked at a hotel and a result the hackers are able to open a bank account in Consumer’s name. Consumer disputed with bank many times with police report and other evidence, but the bank never fixed the problem.
Outcome:
– Consumer’s illegitimate “debt” was waived/forgiven.
– Collections account (tradeline) in question deleted from all Credit Reports.
– Consumer received many multiples of HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars.