Shortly after NBC News spoke with Arora, Itria withdrew its court actions against Lone Spur and other small businesses, court records show. This means your customers will receive a letter telling them not to pay you but to pay your funder instead!!! Merchant cash advances are a form of financing in which the defendants provide money to a small business up front in exchange for a larger amount repaid through daily automatic payments. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Merchant cash advance operators settle FTC charges for bilking small Do you want to reduce your payments with our cash advance repayment options? Need an experienced Merchant Cash Advance attorney? The company, PowerUp Lending Group of Great Neck, New York, had given North River money to be repaid from the stores' future sales. We can offer advice and help you to protect your assets from your creditors, thereby alleviating the worrying and stressing over frozen accounts or assets. receive our Limited Power of Attorney, they are obligated to contact us directly on your behalf. Cash Advance Firm to Pay $9.8M to Settle FTC Complaint It Overcharged "You can't have people freezing assets and demanding payments at a time like this. From the initial consultation and throughout the entire process ,Michael patiently and fully explained everything. Michael explained the process in detail and even though I was quite hesitate I feel this was the best option for me. MERCHANT CASH ADVANCE LAWSUITS and JUDGMENTS - Lebedin Kofman LLP We are very satisfied with the work and support provided by Michael Sininsky and The Law Offices of Kenneth H. Dramer. Readily responds to questions and concerns in detail. New Jersey Attorney General settles lawsuit against merchant cash Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. Search the Legal Library instead. "He more or less presented me the net cash I would receive and the payments. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. Aside from treating you with the upmost care possible, this means you wont have to deal with multiple people and re-explain your situation to a different person each time you call. The advance company can enforce its claim on any collateral pledged to secure their funds through seizure or repossession of business assets. So when small businesses become targets for misleading claims, deceptive tactics, and flat-out intimidation, the FTC takes notice. These actions cause collectors to seek other measures to collect, often meaning lawsuits. Looking for legal documents or records? In some cases, Yellowstone would only refund this money when businesses complained, and even then the refunds could take weeks or months, leaving small businesses without needed cash on hand. Attorney General James Sues Predatory Lender That Threatened Violence He said the companies have almost killed his business. A few years ago my husband and I had accrued entirely too much debt and no matter how hard we worked or how much we tried, we were unable to keep up with our bills and making the minimum payments was getting us nowhere. At that point, the business owners then fire the debt settlement company and hire us for real help. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. We do not only offer one path, as no one process can solve everyones needs. Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, employing millions of people and paying taxes. Our lawyers and certified debt arbitrators will discuss the Pros AND Cons of each different option, as debt settlement isnt the only option out there to choose from. Call or Text "CASH" to Tommy Funding Coordinator/Agent today at 716 906-7233 for quick funding! When Debt is the Problem We Have the Answers! We were also worried about our credit score, the bankruptcy record will stay in your record for 7 years ( our score were poor anyway). They can make all the difference when you're in a situation where you need access to money immediately. Report it to the FTC. Michael was always professional and courteous as well as efficient . Any questions I had were addressed rapidly and any messages I left were returned promptly. The complaint also cites examples of businesses being left with bank overdraft fees as a result of the unauthorized withdrawals. We never agree to anything without first consulting with you and getting your approval. We wouldnt of call if we know what to do. Call us for a free consultation at (866) 890-7337 or click here to send us a message Tips to Avoid Defaulting on a Merchant Cash Advance As you can see, defaulting on an MCA can have serious implications for your business and finances. By Michael R. Guerrero & John Sadler on January 13, 2023. "I tried to make it work," he said, "but I really was unable to.". Loans are considered absolute and must be paid back with set terms and conditions. Heskin, who testified last year before Congress about the lenders' tactics, said one of his law partners found a disemboweled rat splayed atop his mailbox in front of his home. They were so helpful at a very difficult financial time in my life. Court documents show that amid the pandemic, so-called merchant cash advance companies are pursuing legal claims against owners that freeze their bank accounts and are pressing their family members, neighbors, insurers, distributors even their customers for money the lenders say they're owed. We'll get back to you within 5 . Based in Doral, Florida, Everest Business Funding is an online provider of loans and merchant cash advances. NBC News asked Itria and Biz2Credit why they were taking such an aggressive tack against small businesses during a national disaster. Three merchant cash advance companies are facing a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James over reportedly practicing illicit measures when loaning money to clients, according. Proactively addresses potential barriers and issues to prepare clients of required actions and response sets. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts. We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. If youve answered YES to any of these questions, then our Merchant Cash Advance Relief Attorneys can help! Making sure that lenders and funders dont deceive business borrowers or engage in servicing abuses is a big priority for the FTC.. Well send out a limited power of attorney notice to anyone trying to collect money from you to make sure that they contact our Law Firm instead of contacting your company. They have access to your bank accounts they can wipe out an account overnight.". According to the FTC, the company threatened people with physical violence, telling one person they would break his jaw if he didnt pay. He didn't talk too much about how it was secured or the workings of it.". The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. I am eternally grateful to you and the rest of Dramer Law. Any fees paid to Dramer Law were very fair and minimal compared to what I was paying to the credit card companies each month. We serve clients in English & Spanish. Please call for your free consultation to speak to one of our trained professionals. Yellowstone Capital misled potential customers and withdrew additional payments customers did not owe, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at, sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts, An Inquiry into Cloud Computing Business Practices: The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments, FTC Lawsuit Leads to Permanent Ban from Debt Relief, Telemarketing for Operators of Debt Relief Scam, Is Franchising Fair? When they reached $70,000 a month, he had trouble paying his vendors. A merchant cash advance is a type of financing that allows small business owners to access funds quickly. We research all over the internet and called many law firms and layers. The FTC sued Yellowstone and its owners in 2020, and they agreed to settle. Court filings in New York state show at least 313 legal actions brought by 98 companies from March 9 to March 20. Most banks offer more conventional small business loans with favorable terms, but longer turnaround times. We work quickly on your behalf as the longer you delay with a deed in lieu of foreclosure, the more fees your lender will charge. So when small businesses become targets for misleading claims, deceptive tactics, and flat-out intimidation, the FTC takes notice. Bob & I wish you a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season. An extended payment plan for your payday loan may be available, subject to state restrictions. Lillian L. Queens, NY 7-20-2015, To Whom It May Concern , We would like to thank Michael Sininsky and your law firm for helping us get out of debt and back on track . A small-fleet owner received this text from a merchant cash advance provider. They were extremely professional and made the process easy! An email to PowerUp requesting comment received no response. In hindsight I wish I had declared bankruptcy but this was clearly my decision. Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. All settlements are represented as a percentage of the debt paid back. The most common arrangements between these companies and small business borrowers aren't technically loans, and therefore their terms and the companies offering them aren't regulated. Penn Capital Funding, MapCap Funding Hit with Class - Class Action There is no obligation to retain our services. SoloSuit can help you take a stand and win in court. Merchant Cash Advances can be discharged through bankruptcy. Commissioner Rohit Chopra issued a statement. He explained your retainer fee; that costs for filing papers; phone calls, and other incidentals, would be deducted from that fee and, if any fees were due at the end of the process, I would be liable for those additional fees. The site is secure. He stopped paying around Thanksgiving and hired a restructuring firm, Second Wind Consultants, to help him work out the loans. In contrast, the New York Supreme Court of Westchester County decided Pearl Capital Rivis Ventures, LLC v. RDN Construction, Inc. on October 25, 2016. Depend on fast response times. FONDLY BARBARA & BOB G Brooklyn, NY 11-16-2015, I was deeply in debt and after I tried everything I could think of -including a reverse mortgage-I heard of this law firm and I was told to contact Michael Sininsky. Have you tried to refinance an MCA and were denied? Many companies do nothing for the high fees they charge. If you have multiple lenders, the first to obtain a judgment puts themselves in a priority position to try and garnish bank accounts or levy against your assets. Lendmark Financial Services: Convenient Personal Loan Solutions I wasnt even their client at this point and they were already going above and beyond. Small businesses are struggling right now and need responsible sources of financing, said Andrew Smith, Director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. as well as any of your customers that pay you! Is A Merchant Cash Advance Right For Your Business? - Forbes It is at this time they will realize the debt settlement company is not looking out for your best interest, but instead, their own best interest which is to collect their absorbent fees. New York Merchant Cash Advance Attorney | Jacovetti Law, P.C. I was beside myself when I spend a hit letter from an attorney who.informed me that I was in debt for a very large amount of money that was owed 15 years ago I thought the matter had been resolved through my divorce, but to.my dismay it wasnt and had accrued an astronomical amount of late payments and finance charges, they froze our bank accounts , but through the expertise of Mr.Sininsky he resolved a 15 year matter in 2 weeks unfroze our accounts and saved us more than we could of imagined I recommend the Dramer Law firm highly and lifted a great deal of stress for us. In some states, you may be able to fight it if you can prove any of the following: I wish everyone would be like that. Mike was able to work with me, keep me calm and focused, and I have gone from being in foreclosure to NOT being in foreclosure!! We would highly recommend their services for debt reduction and settlement rate negotiations. John & Pat T. Valatie, NY 5-30-2017, Thanks for being so helpful i am glad for your help I hope I can send some client your way thanks so much Audrey. If you do not have funds for either a payment plan or settlement, fighting the lawsuit will buy you time and can even prevent a judgment from being entered against you and your business altogether. WE PAY YOU A 2 % REFERRAL FEE FOR ANY BUSINESSES YOU REFER THAT WE FUND!!! With just one meeting with you, you gave me hope that just maybe I too could live debt free and once again become a responsible spender. If I had any questions or concerns they would answer any questions very quickly and patiently. Lawsuits are especially great if you used a broker to obtain funding. Default judgments by MCA lenders and their law firms can be vacated giving leverage to small businesses to pursue resolution of the debt via litigation and or settlement. The attorneys at Grant Phillips Law, PLLC have seen cases where the effective APR on a Merchant Cash Advance exceeded 1,900%. A merchant cash advance is just one way to secure financing for your business. Thats the gist of the agencys 2020 lawsuit against merchant cash advance outfit RCG Advances, LLC and owner Robert Giardina. Some business owners said they are being swamped with new texts and emails offering funds. 5-26-16, I am very grateful of Michael Sininskys assistance to get through the process. We are so pleased with the results.I know we could not have been successful without their help. NBC News reviewed some of the communications, including videos of a visit by a collection agent to a borrower's home and another to a borrower's office by an expletive-spewing man trying to collect on a loan. Many of your customers that receive notice of the UCC Lien filed against you may see that as a sign of weakness and may also choose to do business elsewhere so it can cause problems in more ways than one. A Merchant Cash Advance is not a set term as the purchaser is paid back as funds come into your merchant account. Once retained, we immediately send a copy of our Limited Power of Attorney to your creditors, debt-collectors, or attorneys. And some offered hardship /debt relief or settle your debt for less.. no matter what you call it at the end you still have to pay the creditors, the debts collectors and the lawyer. "It's down a lot, more than 50 percent," she said. In our case there is no way we canpayoff everything. Dont understand why we didnt do it sooner I guess we were like a lot others going day by day try to be nice by paying off little by little. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Its an alternative form of financing unfamiliar to many small business owners. But the bank backed out after he had signed a new lease and begun construction on the second office, and by spring of last year, Runion said, he desperately needed funding. As I mentioned before the only thing is Im interested to see when the payments Ive made start showing up on my credit report as its still very low. The biggest . An official website of the United States government. A regular debt settlement company can offer one thing that our Debt Relief Attorneys dont OUTRAGEOUS FEES typically charged upfront regardless if they perform or not. These companies arent proactive, they put no effort into negotiations, they dont even return your calls let alone calls from collectors! This fee is usually expressed as a factor rate. Handled my debt in a month and cut it in half. Until we got hit with a summons from the court ( for over 100K lawsuit). The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. This step is critical in any of our processes as we ensure that whatever service we recommend will be within your budget and therefore youre more likely to succeed. Merchant cash advances are like payday loans, but for businesses and often have triple-digit interest rates. Small businesses that need cash must increasingly rely on merchant cash advance lenders members of a little-known industry with almost no government oversight; effective interest rates that can hit 400 percent, according to congressional testimony; and direct access to their customers' bank accounts. (The suit is now on hold.). If instead of hiring an experienced Business Debt Relief Law Firm you opt to hire a regular debt settlement company to deal with your Merchant Cash Advance, they will NOT be able to give you legal advice. Perhaps I will be like that one day (in another life). Peter L Valley Stream, NY 3-2-17, When I initially called, I spoke to Mike. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Hes truly an asset to your business. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. Merchant Cash Advance Defense: How to Protect Yourself From Lawsuits 12-14-17, They were very helpful. If revenue dries up and the money stops flowing, merchant cash advance companies can freeze business owners' accounts by filing so-called confessions of judgment. They advertised no upfront fees and then pocketed a hefty chunk of cash off the top, leaving businesses with substantially less funding than they had been promised. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 4-0-1, with Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter recorded as not participating. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. (Continue reading below to learn how we can help). In a return email, he said the firm had decided to stand down for the moment. Give Mike a call and a chance, his very sharp and on the point. The combination of our experience, well-trained representatives, long hours, and state of the art software, allow us to accomplish more in any given day than most other firms only dream about. View Results from Our Merchant Cash Advance Relief Services. Fast funding for your financial goals. "Their strategy was always to get more," he said. Signed a Confession of Judgment (COJ) or Being Sued For Your Personal Guarantee? I have been extremely pleased with the efficient, attentive, reliable service provided by Michael Sininsky. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. Franchisee Conversations with Chair Khan, A just-announced settlement will return more than $2.7 million to consumers, previously settled with defendants RAM Capital Funding, LLC and Tzvi Reich, Franchises, Business Opportunities, and Investments, The Luring Test: AI and the engineering of consumer trust, Franchise Fundamentals: Debunking five myths about buying a franchise, A required action after refraction: FTC staff sends cease and desist letters about Eyeglass Rule compliance, The 411 about FTC-Florida AG action against Chargebacks911. Our managing the collection efforts on your behalf helps to ensure the finances of your business stay private, away from the ears of your employees who typically will worry about their job security and may start to search for different employment if they believe you are struggling. The laws regarding the filing of Confession of Judgments (COJ) in New York have recently changed. This type of predatory, extortionate approach is going to wipe out so many businesses, and they're not going to come back. A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against Penn Capital Funding, MapCap Funding and those who run the merchant cash advance (MCA) companies over their alleged use of an apparent loophole in Connecticut law to collect upon unlawful debts and otherwise fraudulently obtain money. North River Outfitter in Beacon Hill, Mass., is owned by Jason and Alice Indelicato. Thanks! JC, Queens, NY. What to Do When You Can't Pay a Merchant Cash Advance from Blursoft The New Jersey Attorney General recently announced a settlement in its lawsuit against Yellowstone Capital LLC, its parent company, and various. He is very professional and extremely helpful. I want to say, he immediately put my mind at ease. At a time when many small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, the FTC is paying close attention to the tactics of companies claiming to throw them a financial lifeline. It was that unfront honesty and eagerness that sealed the deal for me. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTCscomputer user recordssystem. For a free consultation regarding your merchant cash advance lawsuit, contact our New York merchant cash advance lawyers at (516) 217-4488 or fill out a form. Global Legal Law Firmrepresents companies in merchant cash advance lawsuits to collect on underperforming or unpaid debts. The dual dynamos that power our economy are Americas 32 million small businesses and the more than 60 million people they employ. Some companies' aggressive, even menacing, collection techniques are documented in video, recordings and emails provided to NBC News.
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