Tilchin & Hall Sued Over 'Illegal Collection Practices'

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Note: This case was dismissed with prejudice on July 10, 2017.

Tilchin & Hall, P.C. is the defendant in a proposed class action lawsuit filed by Michigan homeowners who claim the debt collector illegally publicized their private debt information and falsely implied that an attorney was involved in the debt collection process. According to the complaint, Tilchin & Hall published notice of the plaintiffs’ foreclosure in local newspapers, county buildings, and on the internet in an attempt to sell their property and collect on their alleged debt. Included in the notice was private information such as the plaintiffs’ names, the address of their condo, and the amount of their defaulted debt, which, the suit argues, the defendant is not permitted to disclose to third parties.

The suit further alleges that Tilchin & Hall used the names of attorneys in their communications to falsely imply that a law firm was involved in collecting the plaintiffs’ debt, when in reality, the letters were drafted, sent, and signed by non-attorneys. According to the complaint, “the letters and public notice imply a heightened severity with the mention of law firms and attorneys so that the least sophisticated consumer would react with a commensurate level of alarm and concern when receiving these debt collection communications.” The suit claims these “illegal collection practices” are meant to intimidate consumers and threaten them into paying off their alleged debts.