The assets of and Orlando-based debt collection company were frozen by Attorney General Pam Bondi after its employees were accused of collecting debt through illegal means.
The company goes by the names Vanderbilt & Associats, LLC and Buchanan Capital Management. The employees of the company were allegedly posing as police officers and government officials in order to scare victims into paying the so-called debts. The company is also accused of collecting debts they were not authorized to collect because they didn’t exist or had already been paid. Authorities say that some victims were scammed out of more than $200,000.
Merril Miller, the owner of the company, claims that the enterprise is a legal collection agency and denied instructing his employees to pose as law enforcement officers.
“If I was [going to be arrested] he would’ve arrested me right here.” Miller said.
Miller’s company was served with a warrant on March 1, 2013. Authorities seized 50 computers in order to go through the hard drives to search for evidence and additional victims.
If you are being harassed by debt collectors, whether the debts are legitimate or not, you have rights. Keep a log of all communications with the debt collection agency and contact an attorney.
Souce: WFTV
