Mar 4, 2012
Dorsey Thornton & Associates in $15M settlement
Atlanta Business Chronicle
The Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection said it investigated a series of reports from consumers that Dorsey Thornton & Associates harassed and deceived consumers in several ways:
Debt collection agency Dorsey Thornton & Associates LLC and its principal officers Wyteria Dorsey and Michael Thornton agreed to a $15.5 million settlement with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection after an investigation into alleged harassment and deception of consumers.
The Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection said it investigated a series of reports from consumers that the debt collector harassed and deceived consumers in several ways:
Threatening consumers with arrest or imprisonment if they did not pay the debt.
Refusing to send consumers written proof of the debt owed.
Identifying themselves as investigators rather than disclosing they were debt collectors attempting to collect a debt.
Contacting third parties and divulging information about the debtor’s account.
Calling consumers before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
Continuing to contact consumers even after they told the company to stop calling them.
Following the investigation, Dorsey Thornton & Associates denied the allegations but agreed to forego collection of 31,433 accounts, representing a total of $15.5 million in consumer debt. It also will pay an undisclosed civil penalty and reimburse OCP for investigative and legal expenses.
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2012/ ... tes-in-15m.html