Are You Being Called By Westwood Management, Inc.?*

When you are being pursued by debt collectors, a ringing phone can cause you immense stress. If the collection agency assigned to your account is abusive in its communications, you might be tempted to declare bankruptcy to make it stop.

Before making an appointment with a trustee, however, check out your rights as an indebted consumer.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, prohibits bullying and manipulative collection tactics like those below. Any third-party collection agency that crosses the line in this manner faces fines and even license revocation.

• Using profane and obscene language
• Ignoring a debt validation request
• Telling you that you will be arrested, have your wages garnished, or be evicted if you don’t pay
• Telling you that you can arrested or imprisoned for nonpayment of a debt
• Making legal threats they have no intention of following up on
• Pretending to be police officers or government agents

Company Profile: Westwood Management, Inc.

If you are being called by Westwood Management, Inc., information about the company is below:

Westwood Management, Inc., which is also known as CLX Systems, is a collection agency located in Medina, Minnesota. It was established in 1983, has 10 to 19 employees, and is managed by its owner, Steven Patzner.

Files archived at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website reveals that consumers who felt they were being harassed by Westwood Management, Inc. fought back via the court system.

Alleged Violations against Westwood Management, Inc.

Nicole Kellogg vs. CLX Systems d/b/a Westwood Management, Inc.*

According to PACER, beginning in or around December, 2013, Westwood Management, Inc. started calling Minnesota resident Nicole Kellogg to collect a dental debt. She later alleged that during the first conversation, a collector said that if she did not stop “playing games”, they would contact her husband at work.

Westwood Management, Inc. allegedly followed up on the threat by contacting her husband at his place of employment on December 20, 2013 and January 8th, 2014. During the latter conversion, the caller allegedly informed Mr. Kellogg that he has to pay the bill “now”.

Feeling harassed by Westwood Management, Inc., Ms. Kellogg hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Failing to disclose itself as a debt collector in all communications
• Using harassing and oppressive means to collect a debt
• Calling her husband at work despite a request to stop

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this collection agency include:

• 1-763-478-9119
• 1-888-350-4259

If you see any of them on your caller ID when the phone rings, it means that you are being called by Westwood Management, Inc.. If they verbally abuse you over the phone and call third parties without your consent, hire a consumer attorney.

If you file a claim against Westwood Management, Inc. with your attorney’s help and win, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus any associated court costs. When debt collectors play games, your attorney can assist you in emerging the winner.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is CASE 0:14-cv-00278-DSD-JSM from the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Westwood Management, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.