Is Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. Calling You?*

Is Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. calling you?* Here’s what you need to know.

Many people are being chased by collection agencies regarding delinquent accounts these companies have bought or been assigned to collect. The debt collectors working for them also seem to frequently forget that even though you may owe a debt, you still have rights as a consumer. It’s a mistake that can cost them a lot.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

Harassing consumers is illegal under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Although debt collectors may legally contact you to collect a debt, they are not allowed to pursue you to the point of being oppressive. Below is a sample of collection tactics that violate the FDCPA:

• Swearing and using profane language
• Calling you at work after you’ve told them that your employer doesn’t allow such calls
• Making threats they cannot legally carry out or have no intention of carrying out
• Threatening legal actions they cannot take, such as having your property seized and wages garnished
• Revealing details about the debt to anyone but you, your spouse, attorney, and co-signers.
• Threatening harm to your person, property, and / or credit rating

Company Profile: Parson-Bishop Services, Inc.

Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. is a debt collection agency located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was established in 1973, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its owner, Michelle Herring. Litigation files archived at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website indicate that Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. has been sued in the past by consumers who accused the company of improper debt collection practices.

Alleged Violations against Parson-Bishop Services, Inc.

According to PACER, on or about October 6, 2008, Parson-Bishop Services, Inc sent a Pennsylvania resident a collection letter regarding an alleged medical debt. The letter, which was later presented as an exhibit, stated, “Once reported, this adverse information can stay on your record up to seven years” when adverse credit reporting is seven and one-half years from the commencement of delinquency.

The resident received another letter on or about April 6, 2009, which vaguely indicated that Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. had spoken with her in the recent past and that she had made “certain commitments” that were not kept. The letter did not indicate what the “commitments” were but stated, “We took your communication on good faith and it appears at this point you have little or no intention to resolve your debt amicably.”

The following week, she retained an attorney to represent her with regard to the alleged debt. He sent Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. a letter indicating that his client disputed the debt and wanted no further direct communication from them.

Despite this fact, the agency sent a letter dated May 13, 2009 directly to the Pennsylvania resident. A couple of weeks later, her attorney sent a letter to Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. with a check for the full amount of the alleged debt attached. The letter stated that payment in full was being made “under protest” and that the alleged debt was still disputed. It went on to further state that she expected the company to remove the adverse information it had reported to the credit bureaus if the check were cashed.

On or about June 3, 2009, Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. cashed the check in full payment of the disputed alleged debt, but the derogatory entry allegedly remained on her credit report. When the company did not list any payment as being made and the debt was not marked as disputed, she sued them for the following alleged FDCPA violations:

• Contacting her after knowing that she was represented by an attorney
• Falsely representing the character, amount, or legal status of the alleged debt
• Using false, deceptive and misleading means to collect a debt
• Communicating false information to the credit bureaus
• Using unfair or unconscionable means to collect a debt
• Failing to warn her that all communications were from a debt collector

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. are:

• 1-513-561-5560
• 1-800-543-0468

If you see either of these numbers on your caller ID when the phone rings, it means that a debt collector is on the line. If they report false information to the credit bureaus and contact you directly instead of your legal counsel, hire a consumer attorney. If you sue Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. for violating your rights, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation as well as attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages. Never tolerate abuse: instead, fight back. It could pay off.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case Number: 3:09-cv-01849-JMM from the United States District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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 Parson-Bishop Services, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.