The following is a review of third-party debt collector, the collection law firm of Zwicker and Associates PC (a.k.a Zwicker & Associates):

Name: Zwicker & Associates, PC
Address: 80 Minuteman Rd
Andover, Massachusetts 01810-1031
Telephone: 800-370-2251
866-367-9942
Fax: 978-686-3538
Website: http://www.zwickerpc.com
President: Paul W. Zwicker (admitted to Massachusetts BAR in 1979)

DFL Review

WARNING: If you reside in any of the aforementioned states and received a collection notice from the law firm of Zwicker & Associates, you probably received a legal demand for payment or were served with a creditor lawsuit (summons and complaint).

Being that Zwicker & Associates has notoriety for filing collection lawsuits, their legal threats must not be taken lightly. However, as a third-party debt collector, they DO NOT have the same collection rights as an original creditor or debt buyer. Being a “third-party” debt collector, this law firm MUST abide by state and federal collection laws, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Under the FDCPA, a third party debt collector CAN NOT threaten to sue you unless they follow up with a lawsuit. They CAN NOT make false threats against you, such as threatening to take away your property or garnish your wages. They CAN NOT harass you or use profane language. Furthermore, Zwicker must be licensed to practice law in the state in which they are attempting to collect a debt.

Company’s History of Consumer Complaints

On the Rip Off Report website at http://www.ripoffreport.com/Search/Body/Zwicker-_-Associates.aspx a total of 11 complaints were filed against Zwicker and Associates.

On 03/2012, on the BBB website at http://www.bbb.org/boston/business-reviews/attorneys/zwicker-associates-p-c-in-andover-ma-19172//complaints – the Better Business Bureau reported that in the last three years, a total of 80 consumer complaints were filed by consumers against the law firm of Zwicker and Associates PC. Additionally, 43 of those complaints were closed in the past 12 months and 65 were related to billing/collection issues.

The online BBB Customer Reviews Summary includes a consumer review posted on 9/15/2011 alleging that Zwicker “did not respond to a debt validation request for a mentally challenged family member.” The complainant also intended to “contact an attorney to protect a mentally challenged family member and get advice on how to sue GE Money and Zwicker and Associates for unfair debt practices and violating the FDCPA.” (See full review here: http://www.bbb.org/boston/Business-Reviews/attorneys/zwicker-associates-p-c-in-andover-ma-19172/customer-reviews).

In July 22, 2009, in the New York Attorney General website at http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/attorney-general-cuomo-sues-throw-out-over-100000-faulty-judgments-entered-against-new, Attorney General, Andrew M. Cuomo announced his office sued 35 law firms (including Zwicker & Associates) and two debt collectors in New York State to throw out an estimated 100,000 default judgments improperly obtained against New York consumers. The lawsuit against unlawful debt collection practices, which was filed in July 21, 2009 in New York State Supreme Court, Erie County, alleged that the defendants “failed to notify New York consumers that they faced debt-related lawsuits and failed to properly serve consumers across the state with legal papers, causing thousands to unknowingly default and have costly judgments entered against them without the chance to respond or defend themselves.”

Zwicker & Associates, PC has also been sued by consumers for violations of the FDCPA. However, the overall amount of consumer complaints and lawsuits filed against the law firm seems consistent with their size.

If you owe a legitimate debt and are being threatened or sued by a collection law firm, you may have been a victim of collection abuses. And, you should pursue whatever legal means necessary to protect your rights. You can also contact Debt Free League at (800) 213-9968 for debt relief assistance. Hiring a seasoned negotiator can help you convert a creditor lawsuit from a potential judgment into a satisfactory out of court settlement.