Re: Being Harrassed By Supportkids
I would like to clarify something in my thread, since no one has responded yet. The outfit that is harrassing my husband is SUPPORTKIDS, an independent company out of Austin, TX that goes after deadbeat parents and charges the custodial parent a hefty percentage of what they collect for them. No court is involved. The only court papers that have been produced is the original one dated back in 1974 when my husband and his first wife separated. It was the separation agreement with child support established. He lived in NC until 1993 and has never been served with any papers from NC concerning back child support, simply because he does not owe any. Supportkids often tacks on the initials CSE to make them look more official. They are not associated with any state child support enforcement office.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
Don't answer the phone when they call.
And the burden of proof is on THEM, not your husband.
I'm willing to bet this company has heard everything, so threats to sue for harassment wont work.
Did you check the better business bureau website, and see if they have a negative rating?
Re: Being Harrassed By Supportkids
Quote:
Quoting
HannahLaw
I would like to clarify something in my thread, since no one has responded yet. The outfit that is harrassing my husband is SUPPORTKIDS, an independent company out of Austin, TX that goes after deadbeat parents and charges the custodial parent a hefty percentage of what they collect for them. No court is involved. The only court papers that have been produced is the original one dated back in 1974 when my husband and his first wife separated. It was the separation agreement with child support established. He lived in NC until 1993 and has never been served with any papers from NC concerning back child support, simply because he does not owe any. Supportkids often tacks on the initials CSE to make them look more official. They are not associated with any state child support enforcement office.
Good clarification--and needed. I am ASSuming the EX got a bug up her butt and decided to take this action. Nice.
I agree with Dad2.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
They are listed as a "reposession agency" on the BBB---it seems the BBB is gathering information about them at this time and there is no information.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
Like many collection agencies they do not have to stop harassing you until you do it in writing.
Tell them once (on the phone) that you want them to stop calling or that you will sue them under the Fair Debt and Collection Act. Once you tell them to stop, they must. (read up on debt collectors and what they are and are not allowed to do).
Follow up with a letter outlining that the children were adopted in 1978 and there is not support outstanding. And to not contact you anymore.
Then *ignore* them. I do not think SupportKids will sue. The debt they are trying to enforce is bogus anyway.
Hmm I just looked them up online and they do not have a very good rep. SupportKids was sued for fraud and misrepresentation. They have a contract that is almost impossible to get out of. They are very aggressive.
Oh yeah the Attorney General of Virginia has filed a lawsuit against SupportKids.
RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine and Attorney General Bob McDonnell today announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia has sued Supportkids, Inc., a private child-support-collection company based in Texas. In filing this suit, Virginia seeks to prevent Supportkids from interfering with the orderly enforcement of child support obligations in Virginia.
“Any actions that impede the Commonwealth’s efforts to lawfully and fairly collect child support must be addressed,” Governor Kaine said.
Under Virginia law, child support payments must be routed through the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE). This process ensures that both parents are given credit for supporting their children.
The Commonwealth believes that Supportkids interferes with the orderly enforcement of support obligations and tracking of support payments in the following ways:
Supportkids, Inc. sends wage-withholding notices to employers of noncustodial parents. In these documents, the company refers to itself as “Child Support Enforcement,” a name easily confused with Virginia’s “Division of Child Support Enforcement.”
Supportkids, Inc. also directs, unlawfully, the employer to send payments directly to the company’s office in Texas, rather than to Virginia’s DCSE.
It then charges the custodial parent a 34% fee before forwarding the remainder of the payment to the custodial parent, regardless of whether it has undertaken any work on behalf of the parent to collect such payments.
Attorney General McDonnell observed that SupportKids’ practice has disrupted DCSE’s coordinated system for enforcing child support; there are noncustodial parents who are not being credited for the support they pay to their children. Some noncustodial parents are improperly having wages withheld by two withholding orders — one obtained through the DCSE and one through Supportkids, Inc. “Most importantly, custodial children are not receiving the full support payments to which they are entitled under Virginia law,” McDonnell said.
The Commonwealth does not oppose the use of private child-support collection agencies; however, when those companies threaten the interests of Virginia's children and disrupt the Commonwealth’s system for enforcing support obligations, it will take action to protect its citizens.
Governor Kaine commended Virginia’s child support enforcement professionals who collected more than $608 million last year for 484,000 children who are owed child support.
Hmm guess they are going to be too busy soon to harass you!
Bird Brain
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
To all of you who have replied to my thread, THANK YOU!!! Even though we know that my husband does not owe, it is still causing a tremendous amount of stress for both of us. He has done everything this outfit has asked of him, even proving that their client is lying, so I do not understand why they are pressing him to produce Army records that are over 30 years old!? Well I have a pretty good idea. It's because they can tack on 30 years of interest, meaning more money for them.
The thing about this is that we HAVE sent them a written letter disputing the claim and asked them to stop calling. We faxed the letter and even sent a signed copy to them, back in August. In December they sent a letter saying that since they have not heard from him they are pursuing action. This outfit is down right shadey. So we sent ANOTHER letter along with the adoption papers in December. They are now asking him to provide proof that he paid for the four years prior to the adoption!
My husband's 40 year old son, (one of the adopted kids) has told him to ignore the calls and threats because he does not owe anything, but that it easier said than done. It's just nerve wracking. Even the kids know that she is lying.
My main concern is, can they garnish my husband's wages, and put liens on our property if he does not produce these records? Don't they have to have some kind of proof themselves that he does indeed owe before they can do that, and doesn't it have to go through the courts first? He has sent a request to the National Archives for the records, but who knows if he will ever get them. :confused:
Again, I thank you all for your advice and appreciate the research that some of you have done. If anyone has anything else to add, or have any questions please put in your two cents.
Thanks!
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
Hi
You know, in light of the Virginia State Attorney General's lawsuit, I think you might want to call Your state attorney general about the violations of the Fair Debt and Collection Act (actually that's Federal). And report them to the FTC!!
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.shtm
Also make a complaint to the State Attorney in Texas because SupportKids is violating THEIR State laws.
Always make your complaint in writing!
Bird Brain
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
Dear Birdbrain53,
I am going to do just that. I have done alot of research on Supportkids, but just have not been sure on what action to take. I have the address for the TX AG already, but now I know about the Fair Debt & Collection Act.
We'll get started on this right away. writing letters to everyone we can. Thanks again for taking interest in our dilema. You, and the others have been most helpful.
I will keep you posted.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
:mad:
:wallbang:
I too became a victim of Support Kids (SK). I wrote to them twice to cancel and they refuse to do so. I wish I had done a thorough job of researching this company before I signed with them. However, I contacted the state agencies by a notarized letter asking them to put my name and address back to what it was originally. The disbursement unit only required a phone call. I contacted SK and told them that my contract with them in null and void and in direct violation of the court order.
Still, they refuse to cancel. SK sent a copy of my signed contract along with my court order and a direct deposit form to the disbursement unit to have checks direct deposited into their account. I sent a notarized letter, filled out the direct deposit form and sent a voided check to redirect everything to my bank account. I am thinking of closing out that account in case SK tries to put a freeze/lien on it.
I also sent a notarized letter to the non-custodial parents employer and asked them not to send any information to SK in Austin, Texas without my written, notarized consent. Make sure to include this information in all correspondence to the state agencies. Contact every office in connection with your child support case and give them your new information. I've dealt with some very rude customer service reps so I contacted the attorney general's office, the state attorney's office, explained my situation and asked for names and numbers of anyone having anything to do with child support. The director of child support in Tallahassee contacted SK and informed them that I removed them as the recepient of the direct deposit, they reiterated that I cannot cancel my contract. The director told me to send my direct deposit information to make the necessary changes. She also reminded me that my contract is between me and SK. They don't get involved with that but they will accept my changes.
I have searched many websites and read all the complaints; it is really impossible to cancel this contract. I went to the site for the Texas state attorney's office and located the child support information. Looking further there is a section about the banking department that regulates these private collection agencies and it states that the contracts that are signed with these agencies are legal and binding.
I still feel that there are ways to go around them. Not everyone has money to hire legal counsel to fight this.
http://www.ncsl.org
National Conference of State Legistators
https://www.nwlc.org
National Women's Law Center
11 Dupont Circle, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036
Ph: 202-588-5180 Fax: 202-588-5185
These two websites have valuable information.
Hope this is helpful.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
The information I posted earlier may not pertain to HannaLaw but if there are others out there who are going through a similar situation as I am, this may be helpful to you.
If anyone else can provide any useful information, it would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Being Harrassed By CSE
Quote:
Quoting
Cuddles
The information I posted earlier may not pertain to HannaLaw but if there are others out there who are going through a similar situation as I am, this may be helpful to you.
If anyone else can provide any useful information, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Cuddles for your input. I also found another website that was very informative. It is www.ripoffreport.com. WE are not alone!!!!