AG James and CFPB Shut Down Predatory Debt Collection Operation

MONEY MATTERS

18 AG James and CFPB Shut Down Predatory Debt Collection Operation

New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on May 23, shut down a predatory debt collection operation that used deceptive and abusive tactics to illegally collect millions of dollars from hundreds of thousands of consumers. The debt collection operation — comprised of several companies including JPL Recovery Solutions — falsely threatened consumers with harsh consequences if they did not pay, inflated the true amount of debts owed, and contacted consumers’ friends, family members, and employers to harass consumers. As a result of today’s action by Attorney General James and CFPB, this debt collection operation, its owners, and managers are required to pay $4 million and are permanently banned from the debt collection industry. This resolves an earlier lawsuit filed against the operation by Attorney General James and CFPB. “This debt collection operation used illegal and deceptive tactics to prey on consumers, and now they are paying the price for the harm they caused,” said Attorney General James. “Predatory debt collectors make their profit by targeting hardworking consumers and then illegally saddle them deeper into debt. These debt collectors used harassing calls and false threats to coerce consumer to pay, actions that are both illegal and downright shameful. Today’s action should send a strong message to debt collectors nationwide that we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law to hold them accountable if they hurt consumers.” “It is illegal for debt collectors to orchestrate smear campaigns using social media to extort consumers into paying up,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Our action with the New York Attorney General bans the ringleaders of this operation from the industry to halt further misconduct.” This debt collection operation was comprised of interrelated businesses based out of a location in Getzville, New York. Together, they purchased defaulted consumer debt for pennies on the dollar. The debt came from high-interest personal loans, payday loans, credit cards, and other sources. The operation then attempted to collect debts from up to about 293,000 consumers, generating gross revenues of approximately $93 million between 2015 and 2020. The companies involved in this operation included JPL Recovery Solutions, LLC; Regency One Capital LLC; ROC Asset Solutions LLC, which does business as API Recovery Solutions; Check Security Associates LLC, which does business as Warner Location Services and Orchard Payment Processing Systems; and Keystone Recovery Group. These companies were owned by Christopher Di Re, Scott Croce, and Susan Croce, and were managed by Brian Koziel and Marc Gracie. Attorney General James and CFPB alleged that the operation used deceptive and harassing methods, violating several state and federal consumer protection laws. Specifically, the complaint alleged that the owners, managers, and companies used the following illegal tactics to collect debt: •Falsely claimed arrest and imprisonment •Lied about legal action •Inflated the debts and misrepresented amounts owed •Created “smear campaigns” •Harassed people with repeated phone calls •Failed to provide legally mandated disclosures

As a result of the settlement, this operation is required to pay $2 million to New York and $2 million to CFPB. If they fail to pay the $4 million judgment in a timely manner, they will be required to pay another $1 million. This case follows a long line of actions taken by Attorney General James to seek justice on behalf of consumers in New York state. l

AGJames. Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

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How Hoarding Can Affect Your Relationships

BY MARY CAMPBELL

Many people jokingly refer to themselves as hoarders on some level. The might be hanging on to outdated, unwearable clothing, in the hope that the style and the size will someday mesh in their lives again. Perhaps they have piles of useless memorabilia with which they can't seem to part. There are a lot of people out there with a stack of something taking up valuable real estate in their world. At this level, hoarding is an exaggerated descriptive term and almost comical. Serious hoarders are another matter entirely. These are the people who can't part with anything, whether it's good or bad, functional or broken. They keep stuff for the sake of keeping stuff and allow it to take over their lives. At some point, the overabundance of things will take its toll on their relationships. Just how negatively can hoarding affect a relationship?

1. Hoarders form attachments to their stuff. They are often obsessive enough to be upset by the mere thought that some of their stuff is missing or misplaced. They hold other people at a distance for fear of having anyone move or remove the stuff they have so painstakingly accumulated over years of their lifetime. Hoarding is a socially isolating condition.

2. Hoarders often realize the extreme value they place on their stuff. You may interact with a hoarder in the outside world, but they are likely to be hesitant about bringing you into their space. Hoarders tend to be embarrassed by the overabundance of stuff to the point of being unwilling to invite people into their home. They are choosing their stuff over their relationships with other people. That distance can be a terminal block to intimacy.

3. Living in a household with a hoarder can cause deterioration of relationships on every level. Children raised in a hoarding home experience the stress of hoarding at an early age. Excessive clutter reduces the amount of livable space in a home, creating anxiety for anyone trying to find a space for themselves in the household. Children start out life early on being embarrassed to have friends visit, thereby affecting their future ability to engage in relationships.

4. The sheer volume of clutter in a hoarder's home makes cleanliness a struggle at best and an impossibility at worst. Allergies, mildew, or fungus are unhealthy conditions for anyone to live with for the long term, and they are certainly concerns in an unclean house.

5. Clutter is dangerous. Piles and stacks and heaps of debris are hazards for tripping, falling, and other types of injuries. This condition can be especially dangerous for young children or older adults who may live in a hoarding household.

Hoarding is coming out of the closet regarding its recognition in society. The psychology community recognizes it as a mental disorder on par with such other conditions as obsessive-compulsive disorders. The potential causes are thought to be numerous, and the cure can be somewhat elusive. If someone you know or love suffers from this condition, patience and understanding may help you to help them get the professional help they need to function in society fully.l

Mental Health and Well-being

Depression is under-diagnosed in men. Men are over four times more likely than women to commit suicide. Overall, women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a mental health issue. But that statistic tells only a small part of the story. Just as the body changes with age, so does the mind. You may find that you’re misplacing things or you’re just not as on top of things as you used to be. You may experience memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life caused by dementia. As you age, you may also start to feel stressed or depressed due to the loss of a loved one, health problems or financial difficulties. Stress may cause you to lose energy, fail to eat enough or isolate yourself. Proper diet management and physical exercise can be the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced! Why? To start with, men make about two-thirds as many healthcare provider visits as women do. And even when we do see a healthcare provider, we’re often reluctant to talk about what’s really bothering us, especially if it has anything to do with feelings or mood. Plus, most men don’t realize that some of the physical symptoms we may experience — things like chronic pain and digestive problems — could actually be caused by a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or stress. Then there are the men who know (or at least strongly suspect) that they have a problem, but suffer in silence, afraid to admit they need help. They may be afraid others will find out their secret and they’ll be perceived as weak or wimpy or that they’ll lose their job. The following are common types of emotional health conditions found in men. Browse through each type to find out information such as symptoms, treatment options and prevention tips for each condition.

What Affects Your Mental Health? Your mental health can be influenced by a number of factors, including: •Your genes (some mental health issues run in families) •Divorce, separation, or the breakup of a long-term relationship •The death of a loved one •Losing your job, or job changes •Going through bankruptcy •Moving to a new home •Coping with a natural disaster •Caring for an aging parent •The birth of your child Being diagnosed and living with a serious illness, or suffering a major injury Serving in the military, especially in combat Mental health and your outlook on life can also change without any obvious cause. Sometimes lots of little things build up and the combination can be extremely harmful.

The Big Question: Am I Normal? We all have our ups and downs. But most of us wonder at least one time in our life whether what we’re feeling is normal or whether we need professional help. Unfortunately, there’s no single answer that’s right for everyone. However, here’s a good rule of thumb: You need assistance if you’ve been having symptoms every day for more than two weeks and if those symptoms keep you from enjoying life, performing at work or maintaining relationships with friends, your partner or your children. Untreated mental health conditions can get worse and may have serious consequences. You might, for example, damage your physical health. Or you could increase your risk of doing something to harm yourself or others or of committing suicide. Fortunately with the right diagnosis and the right treatment, most mental health problems are easily resolved and you’ll return to feeling content with life and be better able to cope with its challenges.l —www.menshealthresourcecenter.com

How Important is the COVID-19 Booster Shot for 5-to-11-year-olds? 5 Questions Answered

BY DEBBIE-ANN SHIRLEY THE CONVERSATION

COVID-19 case numbers are rising again in the U.S. – including among children. In mid-May 2022, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster shot of the COVID19 vaccine for U.S. children ages 5 to 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed by recommending a booster shot for this age group. Naturally, many parents are wondering about the importance and safety of a booster shot for their school-age children. Debbie-Ann Shirley, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Virginia, answers some common questions about COVID-19 and booster shots in kids that she hears in her practice and explains the research behind why booster shots are recommended for children ages 5 to 11.

1. How important is a booster shot for children? COVID-19 is generally milder in children than adults, but severe disease can occur. As of late May 2022, more than 15,000 children ages 5 to 11 have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and 180 children have died. During the height of the recent winter surge of the highly transmissible omicron variant, 87% of the children in the 5-to-11 age group who became hospitalized with COVID-19 were unvaccinated. In addition, the rare but serious condition that can follow in the weeks after COVID-19 infection, known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, most commonly occurs among children ages 5 to 11. Over 3,800 cases of MIS-C have been reported in that 5-to-11 age group, and 93% of the children who developed this complication were unvaccinated. For some vaccines – including those for COVID-19 – effectiveness wanes over time. Booster shots help to bolster the immune response. Several childhood vaccines, such as the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines, require booster shots. COVID-19 boosters have been shown to improve waning protection in adolescents and adults. Side effects are similar to those reported with the initial series. The risk of myocarditis, or heart inflammation – a rare side effect that can occur following COVID-19 vaccination –seems to be less after a third dose than after the second.

2. How well is immunity holding up from the initial COVID-19 shots? When administered to children 5 to 11 years old, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine generated levels of antibody response similar to that in 16-to-25-year-olds in a clinical trial, which was the basis for the FDA’s initial authorization of the shots in October 2021. But studies after the shots were authorized found that vaccine effectiveness rapidly waned in the 5-to-11 age group during the omicron surge. Despite that, the shots continued to be protective against severe disease and hospitalization. Vaccination has also been shown to be be highly protective against Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.

3. Does a third dose make a difference in children? In a clinical trial, researchers tested the Pfizer vaccine in children 5 to 11 using a 10-microgram booster dose, which is the same dose children received for the primary series and is one-third the dose used for adolescents and adults. When tested among 401 children, no new safety concerns arose, and in the smaller subset of children in which the immune response was tested, the third shot significantly increased antibody responses, including against the omicron variant. Hence, a third dose seems beneficial for boosting immunity in this age group, similar to older age groups. The booster dose can be given five months or more after the second shot. But as of late May 2022, fewer than onethird of children ages 5 to 11 had received two shots, meaning that only about 8 million school-age children were eligible to start receiving the booster. This could prove an important layer of protection for them and help limit disruptions on schooling and summer activities, particularly as mask mandates have gone by the wayside. Children with weakened immune systems who were at first authorized to receive three initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine may now also receive a booster shot – or a fourth dose – as soon as three months after their third dose. side effects – such as pain at the injection site – have been mild and short-lived in children. Fatigue, headache and muscle aches are other common side effects. Reports suggest that most cases of myocarditis that follow vaccination typically improve quickly with medicine and rest. Rates of myocarditis have been lower in children ages 5 to 11 than in teens. In any age group, myocarditis is more likely to occur after infection than vaccination. 5. What about the kids under 5? For parents of kids ages 6 months to 5 years, COVID-19 vaccines are also finally within sight. On May 23, 2022, Pfizer released new data for this age group, stating that three shots generated strong antibody responses, were well tolerated with no new safety concerns and, based on preliminary data, the series was 80% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection. In late April 2022, Moderna released similar data showing that two doses of its vaccine stimulated good antibody responses and were tolerated well by kids under age 6. The FDA is set to meet in June 2022 to discuss new low-dose formulations of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for this group. If it is authorized by the FDA, the CDC will then provide recommendations on its use for the more than 20 million children ages 6 months to 5 years in the U.S.l Debbie-Ann Shirley is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia

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What Immigrants Expect from the Next New York Governor

BY LINDA NWOKE

The New York gubernatorial race is on, with the Democratic party's primary just a few weeks away. There is a mixture of candidates ranging from —things contestants with deeprooted political backgrounds and strong ties to their communities to others with less political experience. Yet, they have a vision for a brighter and better New York. Presently, seven contestants are vying for the position —things three Democrats and four Republicans, and there is a consistent theme among the candidates, such as taxes, crime, environment, and healthcare. Only a few are focusing on addressing issues that will mainly benefit immigrants.

Democratic Candidates Gov. Kathy Hochul is the serving Governor and the first woman to hold the office of Governor after then-Governor, Andrew Cuomo resigned. If she wins later in 2022, she will become the first elected woman-Governor. The 63-year-old Buffalo native served as lieutenant governor from 2015 to 2021 before making history as the state's first woman governor to occupy the role since the 1920s. She self-describes herself as an "Independent Democrat" and has pushed proposals that opposed sitting Democratic governors over the years. As Governor, Hochul has made for public safety measures and vaccine campaigns against COVID-19, infrastructure improvements, and criminal justice reform across cities in New York. She has fought against college assault and sexual harassment and remains a reliable supporter of women's rights. Hochul drew attention to opposing driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants in the past. She went as far as saying that she would work with ICE to have immigrants deported when they applied for their driver's licenses. She later changed her stand when she became Lieutenant Governor.

Congressman Tom Suozzi from Long Island brings over twenty years of political experience, and previously ran for Governor in 2006. The 59-year-old Glen Cove, Nassau County native, describes himself as a "Common-Sense” Democrat. He is a longstanding political figure in New York. He rides on his experience and background as key attributes to help him deliver on the job. He has a strong history of standing up for immigrants and was honored by the New York Immigration Coalition for “creating an environment of welcome and inclusion for immigrants.” Suozzi has opposed Hochul's policy as Governor regarding bail reform, crime, and proposed changes in residential zoning. Over the years, he has pushed the legislation to raise the cap on local and state tax deductions. Some of his political priorities include fighting to restore New York's economy post-COVID-19 by lowering taxes, mitigating harmful changes to the environment, and reducing crime.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams takes pride in being progressive-minded. If elected, he will be the state's first elected Black Governor. The 45 years old Brooklynite of Grenadian heritage and a populist politician is self-described as a democratic-socialist. He is building his platform on progressive policies. Williams has served on the New York City Council for over a decade and pushed legislation to reduce gun violence and stop minority targeted policies. Over time, he has supported the passing of nearly 70 bills while in council. As a gubernatorial candidate, he wants to create a state that caters to the need of the marginalized people of the state - the people in dire need of protection, challenges in housing, and mental health. These are the leading contenders of the democratic party. The winner from the June 28 Democratic primary will likely face off against the winner of the Republican primary in a general election come November.

Republican Candidates The four key candidates are Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Businessman Harry Wilson. Winning this election remains crucial for Republicans as they will be trying to recover a 20-year loss to Democrats from the time of Governor George Pataki.

Concerns Regardless of who wins, community members, especially across the boroughs, want the winner to deliver on pertinent issues that affect their daily lives. There is a genuine concern about crime, issues of safety, economic support from the government, taxes, and the high cost of living. In Brooklyn, William Davis of East New York says, "In New York, you have to mind your business, but now you must pay attention to things happening around you. Before, I didn't care. But now everyone is watching, especially when you are on the subway. It sucks, but everybody wants to be alive. I want anyone who wins as Governor to focus on crime, removing drugs from the streets, taxes, and inflation! A lot of this stuff." A similar concern was held by Keith Matheo of Park Slope in Brooklyn, "The crime situation is a real problem, and it has been for a long time. But the pandemic has made it more deadly. People are struggling on all levels. I want a governor that will increase the presence of the police on the street and push policies that will help the people who need it." Immigrants in Queens want the new Governor to focus on security, economic hardship, and immigration. According to Adriana Morote, "I feel like everyone is going through something, but I also feel like there is no security. The subways aren't safe. Even the streets are not safe. Nowhere is safe, yet you cannot continue to stay at home because you have to make money to survive. But people also want a better society. She continued. "I want security. It's not good to feel insecure, feeling you're going to be harassed or robbed. I want to move around the whole of New York and feel safe from criminals and immigration agencies." Tasha Jones from Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the Bronx feels that "Everyone is scraping by in New York, especially now. It's hard times for so many people. We need someone who can relate to the struggles of the average New Yorker and is responsive. Hochul might be able to do the job if she gets all the support." Keith Squires from New York says, "Everybody's suffering out there. We are going through COVID and everything it has caused. You can't afford many things in life, and everybody's trying to survive every day. I want someone who cares about the people more than party politics. Someone who will put New Yorkers' interest first on issues of taxes, healthcare, policing," he lamented. Various experts shared similar views, but a few predicted who might win, although this might be too early. Phil Singer, Founder and CEO of Marathon Strategies says, "New York's upcoming gubernatorial election will be the state's closest since 1994. Lee Zeldin will serve as a serious Republican challenger to Democratic Party rule." Yet, Amy Cohen, Co-Founder of Families for Safe Streets, says, "Governor Hochul will become the Safe Streets Governor. New York State will be the leader of a safe street for the rest of the country." As the new Governor's race rages, the average New Yorker, including immigrants, wants a leader who will make a living in New York a thing of pride rather than concern. l

Linda Nwoke is a Senior Writer for The Immigrant’s Journal and a recipient of the CCM’s 2022 NY State Elections Reporting Fellowship.