A recent announcement by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reveals that the operators of a fraudulent debt collection scheme have agreed to be banned from the debt collection and telemarketing business. The agreement was met to settle FTC charges of false demands for fake debts, targeting Spanish-speaking consumers. Defendants Centro Natural Corp., Sumore LLC, Jessica Anzola, Damian Biondi, Carolina Orellana, Javier Sumbre, and Susana Sumbre, were smacked with a hefty fine of almost $7 million for the scam.
The FTC’s vote to initiate a permanent injunction against the defendants was unanimous, and the decision was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The FTC first filed the complaint last year, alleging that the defendants threatened consumers with arrest, immigration status investigations and even lawsuits, if they did not pay the phony debts.
The settlement order’s ruling to ban all defendants from telemarketing and debt collection activities means that they are permanently prohibited from making further misrepresentations about any product or service, as alleged in the complaint. Bionore Inc., Jager International Inc., Allianza Inmobiliaria Corp. and Jorge Sumbre were also named as defendants who stood to gain from the con. The defendants are also forbidden from selling or benefitting from customers’ personal information.
If you are in a financial crisis and are considering filing bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all of your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
