Are You Being Called By Central National Fidelity?*

Are you being called by Central National Fidelity?* Here’s what you need to know.

Unfortunately, many of the negative things you’ve heard about debt collectors are true. Every year the Federal Trade Commission receives multiple complaints alleging abuse and harassment on the part of third-party collection agencies. You don’t have to passively accept such mistreatment, however.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collection agencies may not use unprofessional tactics and strategies when trying to collect a consumer debt. Methods like those below can result in fines and even revocation of an agency’s license.

• Using profane or obscene language
• Reporting false information to the credit bureaus
• Failing or refusing to identify themselves as debt collectors trying to collect a debt
• Calling you at work if they know that your employer does not permit such calls
• Calling you before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Trying to collect an amount that is not authorized by law or the original creditor agreement

Company Profile: Central National Fidelity

If you are being called by Central National Fidelity, information about the company is below.

Central National Fidelity, which also does business as C.N.F., Inc., is a debt collection agency located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was established in 1971, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its President, Scott R. Fretz. According to litigation records digitized and retained by the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, consumers who felt they were being harassed by Central National Fidelity demanded compensation.

Alleged Violations against Central National Fidelity

According to PACER, on or about March 18, 2015, Central National Fidelity sent a collection letter to a Georgia resident. It included the following statements:

The Legal Division of Central National Fidelity now has your account . . . A lien or Judgment in the amount of $13,545.38 was issued against you by the courts some time ago. . . It is our intent to perfect said lien or judgment against you . . . Secure judgment by instituting a Garnishment of all household wages until the entire amount is paid including the new legal cost for having such process being instituted. ($1500.00) . . . Perfect judgment by foreclosing on said property.

He disputed the debt and demanded verification. He later alleged that a response letter he received in May contained only incomplete documentation from the original agreement between Mr. Crockett and the creditor and no statement of account, nor lien filing, nor judgment having been issued as claimed by the March 18 letter.

Feeling harassed by Central National Fidelity, he hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
• Failing to send an actual debt validation letter
• Ignoring a cease communications request
• Using harassing, oppressive, and abusive means to collect a debt
• Misrepresenting the character, amount and/or legal status of a debt
• Implying attorney involvement
• Threatening legal action that could not be taken

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone number for this debt collection agency is 1-386-253-4539. If it appears on your caller ID at any time, it means that you are being called by Central National Fidelity. If they imply that they are attorneys who can garnish your wages or seize your assets if you don’t pay, hire a consumer attorney immediately. If you file a claim against Central National Fidelity and the case outcome is in your favor, you could be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation as well as court costs and reasonable attorney fees. When debt collectors disregard your rights, they could end up owing you money.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 1:16-cv-00858-WSD from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division.

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 Central National Fidelity, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.