Section 807 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1692e, provides, in part, as follows:
A debt collector may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:
"(1) The false representation or implication that the debt collector is vouched for, bonded by, or affiliated with the United States or any State, including the use of any badge, uniform, or facsimile thereof."
Title: Florida Letter Informing Debt Collector of False Representations and Misleading Implications Regarding Affiliation with the United States Keywords: Florida, letter, debt collector, false representation, misleading misrepresentations, collection activities, vouched for, bonded by, affiliated with, United States. Dear [Debt Collector's Name], Subject: False Representation or Implication of Affiliation with the United States I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to address a matter of concern regarding misleading misrepresentations made by your collection agency in relation to its affiliation with the United States. It has come to my attention that your agency has falsely represented or implied throughout your collection activities that you are vouched for, bonded by, or otherwise affiliated with the United States government. The use of such false representations or misleading implications is in violation of several federal and state laws, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FD CPA) and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FC CPA). Section 806(1)(A) of the FD CPA clearly states that debt collectors are prohibited from using any false representation or implication that they are connected with any governmental organization, including the United States. Similarly, the FC CPA, under section 559.72(9), expressly forbids debt collectors from falsely representing or implying that they are affiliated with any governmental agency. These laws are in place to protect consumers from deceptive and misleading practices, ensuring transparency and ethical behavior in debt collection activities. Therefore, I request that you immediately cease and desist any further unequivocal representation or implication of being vouched for, bonded by, or affiliated with the United States in your collection activities. Failure to comply with this request may result in legal action being taken against your agency. It is therefore in your best interest to rectify this matter promptly. I expect written confirmation within [specify a reasonable timeframe, e.g., 15 business days] from the date of this letter, confirming that all false representations or misleading implications regarding your affiliation with the United States will cease. Please consider this letter as an official notice of your violation of federal and state laws. Retaining copies of this letter and any future communication is highly advised. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Phone number] [Email address]
