ComplaintsforLinebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have Received a Letter stating that I owe taxes. I, personally, know that I do not, because 5- 6 years ago I had everything taken from my return and settled. This is the only time I have ever received a letter in the mail and it is stating that this is their FINAL DEMAND! Says I owe $1,315.48. This is what I need from them. I Need:-The name of the original creditor and the amount due.-Calculation of any extra interest or penalties on the account.-Evidence of your last interaction with the account.-Proof that ********************** owns this debt.-A calculation of the statute of limitations for the debt.Once these things are proven to me in Writing, then I will be willing to talk and discuss the matter. The letter and threat from them is very unethical. If they cannot produce these items and continue to harass, I will be taking legal action myself. I do not make threats. Thank you!

  

  Business response

  10/15/2024

  We are in receipt of your complaint dated October 14, 2024 regarding the referenced matter.
  Linebarger Goggan is contracted with the *********************** (OTC) to assist in collecting and resolving delinquent tax accounts.   Your delinquent account was referred to our office by *** in late October 2023.   We have confirmed with our client that the sum of $1315.48 remains due and payable for your tax liability for the tax year 2017.   Records reflect that we have sent written communication to your address on October 31, 2023; February 1, 2024; May 23, 2024; and September 26, 2024.
  We are happy to communicate with you to discuss this matter.   Please contact our office and we will provide courteous and meaningful service to assist you in resolving this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been receiving spam letters saying that I owe a lot of money. Ive been receiving the letters a week or two after expiring date. It has the same citation number and driver license number is wrong. I called the first time that I received the letter and a *** told me that it was a curfew that happened in 2014 in ****** tx. I told him that I was little and i couldnt even drive back in 2014 prior to not being 21 and not having my driver license yet. He then told me to call another number and a lady answered, she said that the case was dismissed to ignore it but yet they sent me a second letter two months after. Ive never even been to *************.

  

  Business response

  10/15/2024

  Dear Ms. ******************** behalf of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP (Firm), I am responding to the complaint submitted on October 10, 2024 with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) regarding our collection efforts on a citation (the Citation). Upon receipt of this complaint, we placed the Citation in a stop work status for review.
  
  The Firm represents the City of Mission in the collection of delinquent fines and fees. The City of Mission forwarded the Citation to our Firm as payment obligations related to this case have become delinquent. The Citation stems from a City of Mission Citation being issued in your name and date of birth for a curfew violation and failure to appear.
  
  After our further review of the Citation and receipt of your correspondence, we have removed ***************************************** as a valid address for the person originally issued the Citation.
  
  Thank you and I hope this response has addressed the concerns in your complaint. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
  
                                                                          Very Truly Yours,
  
                                                                          ***** R. *******
                                                                          Capital Partner

• Initial Complaint

  10/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Toll bill forced into collections unbeknownst to me, paid bill with a debit card to renew my registration in a couple of days. Company has not lifted block on my account even though they have already received payment from my account. Business states it could take up to 14 days to lift block? Why? With todays technology? Ridiculous.

  

  Business response

  10/04/2024

  I am responding to the consumer complaint filed with your office by Evgueni Bannykh.  Evgueni Bannykh’s complaint regards an account for tolls and fees paid to our client, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
  
  A vehicle with Massachusetts license plate 2PNF69, registered to Evgueni Bannykh incurred tolls on Massachusetts Department of Transportation toll lanes.  Multiple invoices were mailed by MassDOT for the violations, which totaled $40.95, representing the amount of the tolls incurred, plus accumulated fees and penalties. The invoices were mailed to the address MassDOT received from the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).  Please note it is the responsibility of the registered owner of the vehicle to update the mailing address on their registration.
  
  When no response was received to the invoices, the account was referred to the Firm for collection.  A notice was mailed on February 1, 2024. The Firm continually tried to reach Evgueni Bannykh and last notice was mailed on September 17, 2024, in the amount of $40.95. On September 28, 2024, Evgueni Bannykh called the Firm and made a payment in the amount of $40.95.
  
  Upon receipt of this complaint, we reviewed the account with our client. Per MassDOT, this debt was valid. The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) placed a hold against Evgueni Bannykh as an enforcement measure after numerous attempts to collect the overdue amounts.  The Registry of Motor Vehicles will only release the hold at the instruction of MassDOT, and Linebarger does not have any direct involvement in placing or releasing RMV holds.  In the normal course of business, in order to obtain the release of an RMV hold, payment must be issued to Linebarger and processed, Linebarger must report and remit the payment to MassDOT, and then MassDOT must request that the RMV process a release of the hold.  This entire multi-step process can take up to ten days.  It should be noted that Linebarger first notified the debtor of this overdue account months ago, and there was an opportunity to resolve this issue at that time.  MassDOT has verified the registration has been cleared with the RMV, as of October 3, 2024. 
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I filed bankruptcy on December 1st 2023 and the judge dated my chapter 7 on March 6th 2024 and my tolls were included in my bankruptcy and I need the registration stop removed because I need to renew my tags they are violating a court order my attorney name is ***** k ****** his cell number is ************ so I am demanding this gets fixed before my situation down interview with fox13 on Monday to expose this for what it is and seek punitive damages

  Customer response

  10/06/2024

  Complaint: 22349688
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I have filed bankruptcy and the judge stamped my court papers on March 6th 2024 and this was all included in my chapter 7 case and this was a no assets case so I demand you remove this before I take legal actions and have you sanctioned since I've already reached out to you guys regarding this matter and you still want to break the law by sending me a bill when you guys in fact can and will be fined I'm not sending these documents again my lawyer is ***** ****** he can be reached at ************ 

  

  Business response

  10/07/2024

  This is an amended response to the consumer complaint filed with your office by ****** ****.  Mr. ***** complaint regards an account for tolls and fees that were allegedly owed to our client, the *************************** (FTE).

   

  As stated in our original response, a vehicle with Florida license plate ******, registered to ****** ****, incurred numerous  tolls and related fees for use of the *************************** toll lanes, of which $709.31 was turned over to the Firm for collection. The tolls that were turned over to the Firm for collection were incurred during a timeframe beginning on February 4, 2019 and ending on September 26, 2024.

   

  Upon further review of Mr. ***** bankruptcy documents and the relevant dates, we are amending our response to recognize the discharge of the tolls incurred before the filing of Mr. ***** Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The pre-petition tolls total $198.14. The post-petition toll balance is $511.17, which was not discharged and which remain due. The client is recalling the $198.14 in pre-petition tolls from collection.

   

  As stated in our original response, Mr. ***** registration hold is not with FTE. The *** listed for the plate shows the registration hold is with Tampa Hillsborough Expressway ******* which is a separate tolling agency. Also as stated, there are additional unpaid toll incurred with FTE that have not been assigned to the Firm.

   

  Please accept the above information as our amended response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

  Customer response

  10/07/2024

  Complaint: 22349688
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Can you send the updated balance toy email at ****************************** and you can send me a updated bill to my home address at ***************************************** so I can mail you the balance that I owe after my bankruptcy date 

  

  Business response

  10/16/2024

  An email with the adjusted balance will be sent directly to Mr. *********** A new letter to him with the same information has been requested.

  Customer response

  10/16/2024

  Complaint: 22349688
  
  I am rejecting this response because:You have not recalled all my tolls from after March 6th when the judge stamped my paperwork and you only recalled 198 dollars of it after avoiding my calls and my lawyer you only did this because I filed a complaint with the BBB if it's not corrected ***************************************************************************************** pay a bill that's obsolete so this is my last ditch effort to work with you in regards not to mention charging me late fees because you refused to even acknowledge my bankruptcy so i ask of you to re-look at what you are trying to make me pay there's no way I should owe $714 according to *********** I look forward to your response 
  

  

  Business response

  10/23/2024

  An email with the adjusted balance will be sent directly to Mr. *********** A new letter to him with the same information has been requested.

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had to pay for them to remove hold on my registration, the money was taken immediately but then told it will take 14 days to clear in the pay by plate system. I contacted pay by plate and they informed they need to get confirmation number of payment from them to remove hold. If the money was taken immediately and I was given confirmation number then the time to send confirmation to pay by plate should not take 14 days. I would like the confirmation sent

  

  Business response

  10/01/2024

  I am responding to the consumer complaint filed with your office by Aiesha Gordon.  Ms. Gordon’s complaint regards an account for tolls and fees paid to our client, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
  
  A vehicle with Massachusetts license plate 5BL619, registered to Aiesha Gordon incurred numerous tolls on Massachusetts Department of Transportation toll lanes.  Multiple invoices were mailed by MassDOT for the violations, which totaled $77.90, representing the amount of the tolls incurred, plus accumulated fees and penalties. The invoices were mailed to the address MassDOT received from the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).
  
  When no response was received to the invoices, the account was referred to the Firm for collection. Multiple notices were mailed.  On May 10, 2024, Ms. Gordon called the Firm and was advised the process would take 14 days to complete.  Ms. Gordon stated she would pay online. The Firm continually tried to reach Ms. Gordon when no payment was made, and a probable new address was found: 4 1st St. Apt 7108, Salem, MA 01970. The last notice was mailed on September 17, 2024, in the amount of $77.90. On September 26, 2024, months after our initial collection notice was sent, and Ms. Gordon was advised of the 14-day process, a payment was made to the Firm, in the amount of $77.90.
  
  Upon receipt of this complaint, we reviewed the account with our client. Per MassDOT, this debt was valid. The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) placed a hold against Aiesha Gordon as an enforcement measure after numerous attempts to collect the overdue amounts.  The Registry of Motor Vehicles will only release the hold at the instruction of MassDOT, and Linebarger does not have any direct involvement in placing or releasing RMV holds.  In the normal course of business, in order to obtain the release of an RMV hold, payment must be issued to Linebarger and processed, Linebarger must report and remit the payment to MassDOT, and then MassDOT must request that the RMV process a release of the hold.  This entire multi-step process can take up to ten days.  It should be noted that Linebarger first notified the debtor of this overdue account months ago, and there was an opportunity to resolve this issue at that time. 
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP regarding their handling of a toll violation that has been referred to collections. The violation number is ********, associated with my license plate number KQAMILA.On August 3, 2023, I allegedly failed to pay a $4 toll, but I have evidence from my ****** statement confirming that the toll was charged to my account. Despite this proof, Linebarger has insisted that I resolve the matter directly with them, despite the clear documentation showing the violation was issued in error.I find this situation to be not only frustrating but also unnecessary, as I have already reached out to ******** E-ZPass for clarification and resolution. I have requested that Delaware E-ZPass clear my account, as the violation was incorrect from the beginning, and I do not believe I should have to deal with a collection agency for an error that is not my fault.For your review, I have attached the relevant documentation, including my EZPass statement, which confirms the payment of the toll in question.I would like to bring this matter to your attention in hopes of seeking a resolution. I am requesting that Linebarger cease any collection efforts regarding this violation until the matter is resolved with Delaware E-ZPass.Desired Resolution:An investigation into this matter by the BBB.A cessation of collection efforts by Linebarger regarding this erroneous violation.Clear communication from Linebarger regarding the status of my complaint.Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I look forward to your response.Sincerely,

  

  Business response

  09/27/2024

  I am responding to consumer complaint filed with your office by **** Ni. **** Nis complaint regards an account for unpaid tolls and fees owed to our client,the ************************************* (******).
  
  The complaint requested no further contact from the Firm, so this response is submitted to just the BBB, and not to the complainant. The BBB is, of course,welcome to share this response with the complainant.
  
  Upon receipt of this complaint,we reviewed the account with our client. Per DelDOT, **** Nis debt is voided.****** was able to locate the transaction listed on the statement provided, a duplicate toll appears on the *** statement at the time of travel.  As such, ****** has recalled this account from our office. There is no further amount due.
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company refuses to validate debts before attempting to collect them. Regarding plate # FL-LBIA17. They apparently didn't pay a toll. The problem is, it isn't my car and I haven't lived in ******* for 7 years. REMOVE ME FROM THIS IMMEDIATELY. YOU GAVE ME A FAKE FAX NUMBER TO SEND MY DISPUTE TO. I will pursue ***** claims if contacted again or this shows up on my credit report.

  

  Business response

  09/30/2024

  I am responding to the consumer complaint filed with your office by Christopher Lewis.  Mr. Lewis’ complaint regards an account for tolls and fees owed to our client, the Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE).
  
  The complaint requested no further contact from the Firm, so this response is submitted to just the BBB, and not to the complainant. The BBB is, of course, welcome to share this response with the complainant.
  
  Upon receipt of this complaint, we reviewed the account with FTE. After review, the vehicle image from the violation indicated a plate misread. As such, FTE has recalled this account from our office. There is no further amount due by Mr. Lewis.
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a letter from this firm dated 9/4/2024 claiming that I had unpaid parking tickets in *** in the amount of $39,574.70 for a vehicle that is not titled or registered to me. I contacted them regarding this matter and they proceeded to tell me I now had a total of 4 vehicles with violations that were attached to my name. All 4 vehicles are not titled or registered in my name. I contacted the ************************* who verified that they were not my vehicles. I also filed an agency complaint with the ***************. I also contacted ******* who also verified that those vehicles were not in my name. And I contacted my local police department who ran the plates and verified the 4 vehicles in question were not registered in my name. I also filed a police report regarding this matter. I am not responsible for any of this debt. The firm needs to do their research to find who these vehicles are registered to (the responsible parties for these violations) and remove me from their system.

  

  Business response

  09/25/2024

  I am responding to the consumer complaint filed with your office by ********* ********** Ms. ********** complaint regards an account for unpaid parking violations owed to our client, the *********************************** (***).
  
  The complainant requested no further contact from the Firm, so this response is submitted to just the BBB, and not to the complainant. The BBB is, of course, welcome to share this response with the complainant.
  
  On or about August 29, 2024, *** referred ten outstanding parking violations to the Firm which were issued against ************ between February 23, 2024 and June 8, 2024. These violations corresponded to four Pennsylvania license plates (numbers *******, *******, ******* & ******** which DOF determined were registered to ********* **********
  
  One or about September 4, 2024, the Firm mailed a notice to Ms. ********* seeking payment of these violations. A second notice was sent two weeks later. 
  
  On or about September 17, 2024, Ms. ********* contacted the Firms New York office and spoke with an attorney about the violations. She alleged that she doesnt own or have any affiliation with the vehicles or license plates at issue. It was explained to her that the Firm received her name and address from *** and that any dispute she had regarding these violations would have to be brought before DOF. The Firms attorney emailed Ms. ********* a spreadsheet containing the ten parking violations issued against her and she stated to the attorney that she would contact *** to seek dismissal of each violation.
  
  Thereafter, on or about September 20, 2024, the Firm received this complaint. Upon receipt of this complaint, we reviewed the account and saw that *** had recalled it from the Firm on September 19, ******* such, this matter is now closed with the Firm and no balance is due and owing to us from Ms. **********
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

  Customer response

  09/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* *********

• Initial Complaint

  09/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Repeatedly Linebarger Goggan *********************************************** LLP has contacted my Uncle's household, deceitfully claiming I owe money for tickets, on a property I did not come into the possession of until after the tickets were issued on the property I purchased (HCAD shows I purchased the Property officially on 12-31-2021, but other reports show I didn't officially gain possession of the property until sometime between 1-9-2022 and 1-15-2022. The four citations they list were issued on 9-17-2021 and 12-29-2021). I have repeatedly tried to explain this to them, but they demand I pay them $6957.60 for a property I did not own when the tickets were issued (The Owner was a now defunct LLC itself) and no longer owned even a month later (I only bought it to help a close family member, and sold it to them soon after). They continue to send correspondence and call my relatives, but when they get me on the phone, they refuse to verify they even have the right person (I have dealt with other cases where similar named or driver's license numbered people and I have been confused due to similarities). I have since found that they run scams, extorting money and harassing people with the threat of arrest, driver's license suspensions, and further fines and harassment, before selling the closed case to some other collection company for an added profit and so someone else can also extort money from their victims. I frankly like them to be shutdown and investigated, but since they work with courts and are an LLC they avoid prosecution, so the only recourse I have is reporting them to the BBB, so perhaps they will be called out for their improper business practices. Harris County's Appraisal District even shows the property was held by the now defunct LLC from March 20th of 2008 until December 31st of 2021.Houston Daily (************************************************************************************************************) Shows I gained and relinquished possession in January of 2022.

  

  Business response

  09/25/2024

  RE:   BBB Complaint ID # ********; Complaint of ****** G. *****
  Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP collecting on behalf of City of ***********************
  
  Dear Mr. **************** behalf of Linebarger Goggan Blair &Sampson, LLP, I am responding to complaint ID ********, which we received from the BBB on September 17, 2024.  Your complaint stems from a letter you received for an amount due to our client City of Houston Municipal Court (client).After we received your complaint, this account was placed in dispute status and all collection activity by the firm has ceased.
  According to your complaint, you stated that the eight (8) tickets (below) shown in our letters to you are not your responsibility because you did not own/come into possession of the property until after the tickets were issued.
  *********-03NT2021
  *********-02NT2021
  *********-01NT2021
  N38279473-02NT2021
  N38279473-01NT2021
  N38281722-01NT2022
  N38281722-02NT2022
  N38281722-03NT2022
  
  Since receiving your complaint, we have initiated a deeper investigation into the ownership of the property in question. Our research has shown that ultimately, you did not own the property when two citations were issued on September 17, 2021 and December 29, 2021. As you mentioned, the *** had ownership. However, you subsequently acquired ownership of the property on December 31, 2021 from the *** (the day of execution is controlling, not the file stamped date). The last recorded deed (gift special warranty deed) only conveyed of your interest in the property to another individual. From December 31, 2021 until present, you own a interest in the property. Although you did not own the property prior to December 31, 2021, the last citation is dated February 7, 2022. Therefore,since you held/currently hold a interest in the property on the date this citation was issued, you are responsible (N38281722-01NT2022,N38281722-02NT2022, and N38281722-03NT2022).
  
  You also mentioned that you have repeatedly tried to explain to us your situation, however, we have no indication or record of you reaching out to our firm regarding ownership of the property. This is our first-time hearing from you through this formal complaint process.
  
  Our firm complies with federal, state, and local laws which ensures that we do not engage in scams, extortion, or harassment of any kind. We certainly do not sell the closed cases to some other collection company for an added profit as you suggested.
  Any attempts to contact you via telephone or mail to bring your attention to this matter are based on credible information provided by our **** trace vendors.
  
  Pursuant to our agreement with City of Houston Municipal Court, we will resume attempts to contact you by mail and telephone to collect payment on behalf of our client.
  
  I hope this will be sufficient to satisfy your inquiry and resolve this matter. In the event you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. My direct dial is ************.

  Customer response

  09/25/2024

  Complaint: 22298759
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  1) As shown in the pdf copy of the letter you repeatedly sent, your letters never once included: 
  N38279473-01NT2021
  N38281722-01NT2022
  N38281722-02NT2022
  N38281722-03NT2022
  
  Saying there may be others is not the same as giving the information. I had to spend time and money to discover only when I spoke directly with the court that you had deceitfully been concealing four of the eight, which included, as you pointed out, the only ones that would be valid... except, if you done your full research, you'd know that while I began the purchase process prior to the February Citation and due to an error with the title transfer I retained 50% ownership, the full transfer of title from the *** actually didn't go through until March of 2022, a month after the final citation.
  
  2) I find it highly suspect that you waited until the day after I went to the courts and got an official court date to resolve all of your crooked claims, to respond. You know, like the extortionist you are, trying to milk money out of people you think will cave and pay you, rather than investigate your false claims. Had you only the THREE potentially valid claims AND ONLY those Three citations, you would have shown credibility and competency, but instead you show by your behavior that you are crooked scam artists, looking to harass and harm people. Since you think demanding money from someone for something they are not responsible is fair and not a scam, I respond with a counter offer. You can pay me the $18000 I paid to fill in the pool, do repairs on the fence, repair the facia, repair the doors, repair the walls, repair and replace the gates, repair and replace the broken windows, paint, patch and rehabilitate the house, then you can deduct the full $7000 you want from that $18000, and we will call it square. OR, you can admit you didn't do a single bit of due diligence, just looked for homes that were already having to deal with crooked law firms milking them for money, and bought the ones your crooked lawyer buddies charge you finder's fees for, so you can victimize victims of Natural Disasters, torment senior citizens, milking money from veterans and people unable to work... because I did look you up, and found numerous people complaining online about how you NEVER check who you are extorting, often getting the wrong people, always mailing relatives, calling employers, and refusing to listen when people try to explain that you have the wrong person or your records are incorrect.
  
  3) You don't have any record of my contact, because your people refused to talk with me unless I gave a SSN, a Credit Card #, and other personal information so you could charge me immediately. Didn't matter if they called me or I called them. In fact, when they called me, they refused to even inform me of your company's name and information to verify they weren't scam callers, but they demanded I give them information. When I was asked what it was regarding, they only said it is a personal business matter... which, since I have no personal relationship with you, it is not... if it was so personal that you could only contact me, then the mail should never once have ended up at my Uncle's address, let alone repeatedly; an address I have never spent more than 3 hours at, never resided at, and the only two ways to know that address are either a) from private bank information, which implies you committed a crime to find out the business address for which the banks investment record are sent, or b) you got/bought from a different Law Firm who only have that address because they spent over a year harassing my mother (the person who is supposed to have 100% control of the house, and that Law Firm even knows that) and the Cashiers Checks were issued from an account managed by my Uncle who I was borrowing the money. So, please, which crime did you commit? Illegally getting info from another Law Firm or Illegally getting the info from the Bank directly? I really want to know what crime to bring up in court when I contact them about how you illegally acquired info and harassed people who were not me at an address that was never mine, about a home that I didn't own for most of if actually any of the tickets you claimed I was at fault for. We won't even discuss that all of the original false tickets were sent to a home that I had not lived in since before 2000, and hadn't even owned by relatives of mine since 2014, but that too would come up if you'd done your due diligence.  
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *****

  

  Business response

  10/03/2024

  RE:   BBB Complaint ID # ********; Complaint of ****** G. *****
  Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP collecting on behalf of City of ***********************
  
  Dear Mr. **************** behalf of Linebarger Goggan Blair &Sampson, LLP, I am responding to your rejection of our response to complaint ID ********, which we received from the BBB on September 25, 2024.  Your complaint stems from a letter you received for an amount due to our client City of Houston Municipal Court (client). After we received your complaint, this account was placed in dispute status and all collection activity by the firm has ceased.
  
  In your rejection response, you stated due to an error with the title transfer, the full transfer of title from the *** actually didn't go through until March of 2022, a month after the final citation. However, no reputable/credible source of information could be found to substantiate that claim. As previously sated in our original response to you, public records show that from December 31, 2021 until present, you own a interest in the property.
  
  As a matter of procedure and policy, we are required to verify the identity of an individual who contacts our office regarding an active account. However, our call centers never ask for an individuals complete social security number or credit card number.  Information such as your name, address,drivers license number and date of birth are standard questions we ask for verification purposes. We must confirm that the person we are communicating with is the party who is associated with the debt.
  
  I would like to reiterate any attempts to contact you via telephone or mail to bring your attention to this matter are based on credible information provided by our **** trace vendors.
  
  Additionally, we were able to verify with our client there is an official court date for this matter. Issues associated with these citations will be resolved by the outcome of the scheduled court proceeding. Once the court reaches a verdict, we will receive instructions from our client on how to proceed with managing this account.
  
  I hope this will be sufficient to satisfy your inquiry and resolve                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  this matter. In the event you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. My direct dial is ************.

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Apparently owed money through the Pay by Plate system in MA due to some ****** issued, which were forwarded along to this collections agency. Took forever to reach a person. Finally did so, paid the fee, but then they tell me there is a TEN DAY waiting period before this will be cleared with the MA RMV, and this is the ONLY way to resolve the situation? Never received an invoice from this company either. Horrible system, seems they just want to take money and not help.

  

  Business response

  09/20/2024

  I am responding to the consumer complaint filed with your office by ***** **********.  Shree Lamichhanes complaint regards an account for tolls and fees paid to our client, the ****************************************** (*******).
  
  Between January 8, 2024, and May 9, 2024, a vehicle with Massachusetts license plate ******, registered to ***** ********** incurred numerous tolls on ****************************************** toll lanes.  Multiple invoices were mailed by ******* for the violations, which totaled $30.27, representing the amount of the tolls incurred, plus accumulated fees and penalties. The invoices were mailed to the address ******* received from the **************************** (MVA); **********************************
  
  When no response was received to the invoices, the account was referred to the Firm for collection.  A notice was mailed on June 5, 2024, in the amount of $30.27. A second notice was mailed on July 10, 2024, in the same amount.  Months after our initial collection notice was sent to ***** **********, payment was made to the Firm on September 13, 2024, in the amount of $30.27.
  
  Upon receipt of this complaint,we reviewed the account with our client. Per MassDOT, this debt was valid and the Registry of Motor Vehicles (***) placed a hold against ***** ********** as an enforcement measure after numerous attempts to collect the overdue amounts.  The Registry of Motor Vehicles will only release the hold at the instruction of MassDOT, and Linebarger does not have any direct involvement in placing or releasing *** holds.  In the normal course of business, in order to obtain the release of an *** hold, payment must be issued to Linebarger and processed, Linebarger must report and remit the payment to *******, and then ******* must request that the *** process a release of the hold.  This entire multi-step process can take up to ten days.  It should be noted that Linebarger first notified the debtor of this overdue account over three months ago, and there was an opportunity to resolve this issue at that time.
  
  Please accept the above information as our response to the complaint.   We trust that this information will be sufficient to allow for resolution of the complaint.   In the event additional information is desired or necessary, please let us know.

  Customer response

  09/20/2024

  Complaint: 22281126
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We have not received any attempts to collect this payment from Linebarger.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** **********

  

  Business response

  09/23/2024

  Please accept this supplemental response to the complaint filed by ***** ********** regarding an account for unpaid tolls and fees owed to our client, the ****************************************** (*******). Although ***** ********** denies having received notices concerning this obligation, MassDOT mailed multiple invoices to ***** ********** at ********************************************************************* prior to placing the account with our firm for collections.  We have provided a copy of the Notice of Liability Invoices sent by ******* to ***** K. ********** at the same address on August 28, 2023,January 12, 2024, and June 5, 2024.  Additionally, our firm mailed collection notices to the same address on June 5, 2024, and July 10,2024.  We do not have any record of returned mail.
  
  Each of the above-mentioned invoices was mailed to the address ******* received from the **************************** (MVA); **********************************  This is the same address provided by ***** ********** in the complaint filed with your office.  On September 13, 2024, a woman named *********, who identified herself as the wife of ***** **********, called Linebarger in response to our letter.  The Linebarger collection representative informed ********* that we cannot discuss the account with a third party.  However, later the same day ***** ********** paid the account in full.  We consider the matter closed.

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