This lawsuit alleges that Firstsource Advantage, an independent debt collection agency, while attempting to collect on an American Express debt violated federal and state laws by designing its collection letters to make it appear that this letters were in fact coming from American Express and not a third party debt collection company.
Firstsource Advantage is a debt collection company and as such it collects, or attempts
to collect, debts owed or alleged to be owed third parties.
One such third party is American Express.
The plaintiffs in this case allege that in 2014, they received several collection letters alleging they could pay off an American Express bill (which they had apparently defaulted on paying) for 60% of the face value then owing.
The lawsuit alleges that the collection letters appeared to be from American Express. The letters had the distinctive American Express logo. The letters were signed “American Express Global Collections.” Further the letters stated that “In order to accept the offer, please call American Express at 1-877-443-0144.” Allegedly, when the plaintiffs called the number someone identifying themselves as a representative of American Express answered the phone.
The lawsuit alleges that in fact, American Express had nothing to do with these letters and in fact at all times it was Firstsource pretending to be American Express.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Firstsource intentionally masqueraded as American Express and uses its logo on its collection letters to deceive consumers, into believing:
- that the collection letters were prepared and sent by American Express;
- that American Express can be reached at the addresses on the collection letters;
- that any payment sent to those addresses would be received by American Express;
- that any call to 1-877-443-0144 would connect the caller with a representative of American Express and
- that American Express was attempting to collect the debt referenced therein rather than a third-party debt collector.
Topic: Consumer