| Volume 120 Number 5 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Do you haggle? The price of almost everything you buy, including medical services, is usually negotiable. When it comes to any larger purchase, don’t be afraid to ask if the price is “the best they can do”? Click here for more.
Fake Online Locksmith May be out to Pick Your Pocket
You have probably locked yourself out of your car or home and needed a locksmith before. Odds are that when you search for a locksmith on Google, results will include poorly trained subcontractors who will squeeze you for cash, rather than just the local locksmiths with the best ratings.
Click here for more.
Your Money
Owning a home can be cheaper than renting in most U.S. housing markets. Mortgage rates are still historically low, while rent is increasing faster than home prices. The reason that buying a home ends up costing more than renting is that people tend to buy a larger and higher-end home than they would be willing to rent. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Eastern District of New York held that a debt collector, whose telephone call to a debtor is answered by a third party, must refrain from leaving callback information and attempt to call back later. Defendant debt collector telephoned plaintiff about his debt, and a third party responded that "Herschel [the debtor/plaintiff] is not yet in," and asked if he could take a message. The collection agent responded, "Name is Eric Panganiban. Callback number is 1-866-277-1877 ... direct extension is 6929. Regarding a personal business matter." The court determined that this message is a “communication in connection with the collection of a debt" because its purpose is to solicit a call back. For this reason, the message is subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which prohibits debt collectors them from leaving a message identifying themselves as such under §1692c(b). Halberstam v. Global Credit & Collection Corp. Click here for more.