I have been contacted over the years by both Natale Law Offices and just recently Sheikh Law Firm.
I have done my best to educate myself on my rights in regards to this type of thing.
What I have discovered, and I think I'm correct, is that the 'so called' lawyers are paid by the collection agencies to use their name in order to scare people into thinking that legal action is being taken.
The number of debtors that are actually taken to court are 1 in 10,000. I got this number from a CBC show http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2011/debtcollectordread/ Please check this link out yourself. The video is worth watching.
The best thing to do I've learned is to just ignore, ignore, ignore. If you reply to them, they are like sharks in the water smelling your blood. Don't return their mail, but most importantly, don't call them back. Once they hear from you, they will not stop.
Remember that the person on the other end of the line is usually a young person with little or no education. That's why they have the lousy job they have, harassing people for commission. They take advantage of the elderly, the weak minded, and the easily intimidated. Don't fall into this category.
I hope this information helps someone. It was years ago that I got a call from one of these collection agencies and the information I found on the internet was what saved me from the aggravation and fear that these agencies specialize in.
Good luck and don't let yourself be bullied. :)
i got letter from this ppl, it says SALMA SHAIKH barrister and solicitor and the letter said i have to pay about 630 dollar to TD Bank, which is overdraft, and i didnt take the money, and they said if u dont pay in 10 dayz we will take a legal action against me, and they will take me to court... i need a help regardin this matter, i dono wat to do... i keep telling them that i didnt take the money but they were talkin to me very rudelly... wth so help any one and they told me i have to contact Mr. R Walker..... help help help
'Mr/Ms unknown'
if you have not already 'taken action' (done as 'standard format letter' outlines...and by the way, jist of your letter and phone conversation sounds intimdating and rude to me too if what you allege is true), then visit your TD branch and try and work out your situation with them.
It's worth a try....bank reps are generally decent human beings, usually willing to help 'their customer' resolve banking situations that come about at times not due to fault of their own. The same cannot be said for 'others', in my opinion, who are biased (toward their client, usually BIG business), and will used all means legal and questionable?? to harass & intimidate the common man.
If there is one thing to be said about this economic meltdown (our severe depression) and that is, it's 'leveling the busines playing field' by doing away with businesses that 'prey upon' the most vulnerable in our society. And it's happening at an alarming rate...take a clue from radio & TV! I wouldn't be surprised that this one would go away too!
This is scary! We too got a letter from these people with that phone number, but we thought it could have been legit, because they seemed to know the exact amount of money that we owed a Visa card. They too said that we had to send the full amount to their address (not to the Visa address)within 10 days or they threatened legal action. Thankfully, we read this page online before we sent them any money. However, we sent a letter to them asking for more time, but the letter was returned unopened by the post office, saying that the P.O.Box had been closed. What legitimate law firm uses a P.O. Box #, and if they changed their address, why not have the Post Office forward their mail to their new address?? The whole thing smells fishy, but the scary thing is that they seem to have some sort of access to people's private credit information! Another weird thing is that the address on the top of the letter didn't match the address on the bottom of letter (both of Mississauga, Ontario. The top address was: 2985 Drew Road, Suite 221, L4T 0A4
The address at the bottom of letter was: 1105 Crestlawn Drive, Unit D1, P.O. Box 1067, Stn. B, L4Y 3W4
I too get the letter just with a different addresses (one of them was B.O.Box 4000) the other: 2985 Drew Road, Suite 221, L4T 0A4. Thanks to this comments I am more stable now. Yes, they have a access to your information ... I just wonder from who ????