Consumer Rights

Taking Aim at Debt Vultures

An op-ed in the Daily News on May 7, 2014 highlights MFY’s defense of a victim of unscrupulous debt collectors and applauds Chief Judge Lippman’s efforts to rein in abusive debt collectors.

MFY Urges Support for Consumer Credit Fairness Act

MFY Legal Services is urging state legislators to support the Consumer Credit Fairness Act, which will help protect consumers against abusive debt collection practices. Listen to Supervising Attorney Carolyn Coffey’s speak about the bill on WCNY.

MFY Warns Proposed Court Forms May Harm Debt Litigants

MFY submitted comments strongly opposing the Office of Court Administration’s (OCA) proposal to create statewide forms for debt collectors to use when seeking default judgments in consumer credit actions. Although MFY recognizes OCA’s initiative in addressing the meager amount of proof required to obtain default judgments in these cases, the proposed forms actually serve to …

Harassed, Terrorized and Swindled, A Queens Man Sues Used Car Dealer

MFY Legal Services is representing a Queens man who filed suit on October 4 in federal court, charging the New York Motor Group tricked and coerced him into signing documents he was not permitted to first read, which doubled the agreed-upon purchase price. When the buyer and others who had been similarly swindled carried out …

MFY Comments on Proposed State Debt Collection Rules

In October 2013, MFY submitted comments regarding debt collection rules proposed by the NYS Department of Financial Services.  Overall, MFY supports the implementation of rules and believes they will help alleviate some of the debt collection problems faced by our clients, but raises concerns about the length and content of the rules and offers suggestions …

CFPB to Rein In Abusive Debt Collectors

The New York Times’ article on federal efforts to crack down on abusive debt collection practices by banks and retailers features comments by an MFY client who was the victim of such practices and by Carolyn Coffey, supervising attorney of MFY’s Consumer Rights Project.  MFY has taken a leadership role in advocating for stronger policies …

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