While companies often have a series of hoops for consumers to jump through, such as filing a police report, there are also issues where the “identity theft” is created by the corporation. In addition, more and more companies are withholding services from consumers based on obligations from family members, relatives, or people you don’t even know that these corporations have decided you owe. We have seen many of these actions among utility, cable, and phone companies. Other services that almost every consumer wants or needs are also involved. Maginnis Howard is investigating Duke Energy LLC, a North Carolina-based electric company, along with Online Information Services Inc. (OIS) for rejecting proper documentation related to identity theft. Moreover, Duke is being investigated for unlawfully assigning obligations to utility customers on account of relatives or family members. Recent lawsuits have been filed against Duke alleging exactly this sort of behavior.
Violations of consumer law by creditors and their collectors
According to the US Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, 7% of adult Americans (over 17 million people, for those keeping count) have their identity stolen every year. Moreover, more and more consumers have become intimately and painfully familiar with identity theft and the disastrous consequences it entails, not only in the short term. Immediate financial losses can be incurred when banking security is breached. There are also long-term, much more insidious effects. For example, the actions of the fraudster can directly affect credit reports. This impacts a consumer’s ability to secure a mortgage or car loan.
As anyone who has ever been through debt collection can attest, the process, even when correctly initiated and handled, is, at best, deeply stressful and troubling. Its effects on daily life can last long after the account has been settled. But what happens when the problem extends beyond the actions of the fraudster? This can occur when a collector disregards ironclad proof of blatant identity-theft fraud for the sake of continued collection attempts.
The law is on your side, and the experienced attorneys at Maginnis Howard are here to make sure it stays that way.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) exists to protect consumers from these violations and their effects on personal finance, privacy, and credit reports. If you, a family member, or a loved one has fallen victim to identity theft and has then faced a creditor willfully refusing to revise the account or simply failing to have adequate identity theft prevention procedures in place, you can sue for actual and punitive damages incurred for every violation of FCRA protocol. North Carolina also provides significant protections against inappropriate conduct by creditors. This is accomplished through its unfair debt collection statutes and the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Representation for Customers Wrongfully Denied Service By Duke Energy
If Duke Energy or any other corporation is withholding services from you or attempting to collect debt from you that is owed by someone else, whether it be a family member, relative, or someone you don’t know, contact us immediately for a free consultation. Additionally, we take identity theft, debt collection, and credit reporting matters on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay our firm anything unless we collect money for you.
Additionally, if you are receiving collection calls or experiencing credit issues due to identity theft, our firm can help walk you through the process of working with creditors and the credit bureaus to stop collection efforts. We can also have the bureaus fix the problem, all at no cost to you. If they don’t fix the problem, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf to compel them to do so and recover damages and attorney fees.
Speak to an attorney at Maginnis Howard today. We know how difficult and taxing these situations can be, and we will treat you with the respect and dignity you deserve. Call us at (919) 526-0450 or submit an online inquiry. We offer free consultations, and our lawyers will take the time and care to make sure you are fairly compensated.
