Debt Collector Dorsey Thornton & Associates Enters into $15.5 Million Settlement with the Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection
February 29, 2012
ATLANTA, GA – Dorsey Thornton & Associates, LLC, a Georgia debt collections company, and its principal officers Wyteria Dorsey and Michael Thornton, have entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with the Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP), resolving charges that the company committed multiple violations of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act. OCP’s investigation stemmed from a series of reports from consumers that Dorsey Thornton & Associates harassed and deceived consumers by:
•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 that they were debt collectors attempting to collect a debt;
•Contacting third parties and divulging information about the debtor’s account;
•Calling consumers before 8:00am or after 9:00pm
•Continuing to contact consumers even after they told the company to stop calling them;
Under the Assurance, Dorsey Thornton & Associates has agreed to forego collection of 31,433 accounts, representing a total of $15,491,899.36 in consumer debt. The Assurance also requires the company to pay a civil penalty and to reimburse OCP for investigative and legal expenses.
“Debt collectors who engage in this kind of harassment, deception and other illegal behavior in the state of Georgia must and will pay a steep price,” said John Sours, Administrator of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection.
I got this call from two different people (404-996-0736) and the first person David Allen is the name he gave tells me the debt if for a payday loan I took out in 2007 which is A LIE. The dates he tried to give me I was in the hospital having my child via caesarean—I have a child and hospital records to show that. I wasn’t taking out any loans at all! Also I told her I have reported them to BBB and Georgia State Attorney and my next move is local authorities and FTC and further if I must. I will not allow these people to harass me and I DO NOT OWE them. I am no deadbeat. I work hard every day and have been on my job for 17 years so I am not sure what people do but I am not one of the ones that does this and I will not stand back and take this mess for something that isn’t mine. No way!
I called this lady (Mrs Williams) back today and she states she will contact my HR well go for it. I have made all of my information available to my managers and HR reps so they are aware of what is going on. This company is shady, unethical kind of place. I plan to fight this until the end.
I have been recieving messages from them also. They never say what its in reference to and I HAVE NOT recieved anything in the mail, sssoooo until i get something in writing from a company with a legit claim (I currently have no bad debts) then they will not be hearing back from me so thwy can leave all the voice mails they want!