Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd.

Phillips and Cohen Associates are well known for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by continuing to call people even after they tell PCA to stop calling them in writing. My family plans to file a lawsuit against them for telephone harassment.

They are definetly in violation of FDCPA, they started calling, also stating a letter had been mailed. Called my mother in law. They call me two to three times a day. They do not take no or you will just have to wait for an answer. Turned them over to my attorney. Lets see what happens next.

Among several creditors my father owed when he died in April 2009, Philips & Cohen were the only ones NOT sympathetic. Oh sure, they give you their "condolences" over and over, then they turn around and demand to know if there are any stocks, bonds, etc. or other sources of money. They even threaten you: "This is not going to go away any time soon".

They called my mother in law as well and said there were filing lawsuit against me. Mother in law never even said she knew who I was - yet they are telling her this? I never give mother in laws info out. They told me if money is not received by 6pm EST there would be a joint litigation suit against me and I would be responsible for attorney and court fees plus 25% interest. Never sent a letter adsing me they are handling account even though it was requested. Very frustrating.

Made themselves out to be a law firm. Would not say they were or were not. I was calling them back to find out if they were. Seems to me that is a "yes" or "no" answer. Turns out to be an absolute NO but it was like pulling teeth to find out.

Also said they would file a law suit against me from Utah regarding my debt and I had to go there to defend it. I'm going to find out what the rules are in my state. I'm also recording their calls!! The man said on the second call he was "David Cohen". I said, oh I'm speaking to the owner Mr. Cohen? He said yes. Then he finds out I'm a creditor and says he is David Correro and that I can't hear straight. He gives me to another lady. Both were very rude. I know they have a job to do, but this is rediculous! I notice the 3 law suits filed prior all did't have "enough evidence". Darn.

I just got a call (and voice mail) at 9pm last night while I was out, and they were asking about my mother's estate (who was handling, etc.). Except that my mother is in a nursing home and definitely alive. They said they were expressing condolences for my loss. What creeps! I have not gotten any letters from them, and from the sound of the other comments, I guess I will probably hear more from them (except that I don't answer anymore if I don't know who the person is, none of the debt is my own, and my mother is on Medicaid so she has nothing they can get from her anyway). Just annoying that I keep getting these calls and they won't stop.

These people are they very bottom of a job that is known for being ruthless. My association with them just started and I already know they are almost criminals. They will lie to you from the very start,don't believe a word they say,and forget about getteing a letter from them it will never happen.

I have been called by these people every day for weeks. I am sending them a cease and desist letter.I also as a matter of course file an FTC and California Attorney General complaint to every collection company/agency which calls me by phone. Most of these vultures eventually STOP calling once I do that. I will as a matter of MY policy, only pay the original creditor for any debt I owe.

Believed them with the initial call that they were legal representation... even sent an electronic transfer of funds to "avoid legal action and work towards an 'out of court' settlement." I asked for email and written communication and they refused. After further research I find they lied to me and they still continue to call several times every day. I'm not sure now who to send the payments for the debt I owe because they will not get another dollar from me. Any suggestions?

Received a call that hung up as soon as I picked up. Used caller ID number 866-504-4754 to call back. Was told that an automated dialing system may have called, and they had no idea what numbers were being contacted. Requested manager, got 'Mark Williams'. He had no explanation as to why the info-bot hung up on me. He sought executor info, I referred him to the state for filing. Advised him that Attorney General in any/all states contacted for this account would be notified on receipt of next contact "attempt".

I sense this is a company created in desperation by fools who were greedy enough to offer credit to those with no income. Karma rules. Turn them in.

My mother passed away in November. I was nice enough to contact her credit card company - citibank and tell them that we are in the process of settling the estate. The account was turned over to these horrible people. I gave them the Attorney name and phone number handling the estate. A week later they tracked down several people in my husbands family - including his ex-wife trying to collect this debt. The lied and said they were calling about a funeral expense and then they said they were calling about a death. Also acted like they were Attorneys. Beth McLaughlin was told she best never call any of these people again. We are not responsible for this debt. This woman was just awful. Tried to make excuses for being told about the Attorney after she made the calls. That is a lie - she was told a week ago. This company is awful. They offer condolences like they are saying would you like a hamburger - no compassion. All they want is money and will stoop to any level to get it. I intend to file a complaint with an attorney against them. It is time people fight back against them!!

My mom passed away 3 weeks ago and these people called my brother's wife's mother trying to collect a debt. They are violating FDCPA over and over again.

We notified Citibank of my brother-in-law's death and they turned the account over to Phillips & Cohen. My sister-in-law, who suffers from Alzheimers, received a call from this company, which I returned. Their sympathy quickly turned to browbeating when I explained my sister-in-law's situation. They suggested that she take out a loan on her home to pay the debt and became very aggressive when I told them that we were working with an attorney. I finally had to tell them to contact the attorney and hung up. I doubt that we have heard the last of them and have warned my sister-in-law not to speak with these unscrupulous people.

Called and misrepresented themselves as attorneys. Threatened to garnish my wages. Making multiple calls per day, threatening legal action if I don't call immediately. They state that if I don't pay an immediate settlement they will take furher legal action on the grounds that I refuse to pay. The representative was not sympathetic and not afraid to lie and intimidate.

Hey everyone, just googled PCA because I'd worked for them for 3 months a bunch of years ago and wondered whatever happened to them. Unfortunately I see that they're up to same tricks. Chances are if you've heard from PCA, your card/loan/etc went into default, and what they did is essentially sell your debt for pennies on the dollar. Example....Advanta could have sold your debt to PCA for a fraction of what was owed, and PCA, now can use any means necessary to obtain as much as they can from that debt. Someone mentioned that there was a debt of 12,000 but PCA would be willing to settle for something like 1500? Chances are, that debt was "bought" for something in that ballpark, Also, there's a loophole here and please be advised by this....the name "Phillips & Cohen Associates" is designed to SPECIFICALLY sound like a lawyers office, and no joke, in "training" when someone would ask "are you a lawyer", you're instructed to say "I don't practice law in your state" but they don't practice law in ANY state.

Regarding how some folks are getting calls for either relatives or next door neighbors....this is called SKIP TRACING. What it is, is basically trying to find you, by pulling credit reports, by doing reverse lookups etc etc. So as a result, you may get calls daily for someone you don't know or possibly a relative. It's harsh. in my short time there (I left after 90 days, I had been applying for jobs for the entire time there because there was cruelty all over that place, from management, on the phones, that's not me. It was a mistake and I got out of there as quickly as I could) there was an employee fired, for calling someone, saying that it was their car manufacturer (ford or whatever) and they needed to call back asap as there were issues with their automobile. When they called back, the employee was like "PAY YOUR BILLS". It was rotten.

Also, please keep in mind, these people calling? Some are rotten, but there's also a lot of pressure on them to "make bonus" because they're paid no money. When you start there, for the forst 2 weeks of training, you're paid 4 dollars and hour. The reason for this? Because the turnaround was so rapid (people would quit immediately when they realized what they'd gotten themselves into) and then after that, I think you're paid 8 dollars an hour? The money comes if you hit "bonus". So basically to make ends meet, some people scratch, claw, fight to get the bonus. So as a result, the pressure on them eeks out on to these phone calls.

There are rotten people there, but not everyone on the phone is a bad person. I was always respectful and as a result, I did well there. I even tried to be respectful to the firm and give them 2 weeks notice when I'd been ready to move on, they said "don't bother, just leave now"

My advice? Know your rights, each state has different ones, but it seems like a lot of things here (the 7:45am phone calls) are illegal, save these voicemails. Any angry or harassing calls? Save them. Protect yourself, bad luck doesn't mean you deserve to be treated like that.

Look out for yourselves,protect yourselves, I'm glad sites like this exist to help others.

be careful everyone. take care.

Your creditor is supposed to send you a letter saying the debt has been sold or assigned to a collection agency. No letter from the creditor. How is this outfit getting their information? Is there a leak within the organization, seems most of who they are collecting for are now out of business

Phillips & Cohen called me asking to speak to someone who doesn't even live here and has never lived here. I called my attorney, who advised me to just keep a record of the calls and how they are harrassing me - which I am doing. Just keep a record of it and how they are harrassing you - for some reason they call anyone with the same last name, hoping to find them, I guess. Anyway, I am on the no call list and they have no business making my health worse that it is.

Well it looks like that over the last several months that Phillip & Cohen hasn't been investigated properly, because we have received the same non compassionant calls insisting to collect money. I lost my father in August 2011 & everything has been settled completely. Two months later we get a call from these so called associates claiming that we owe them a balance, that can be discounted! WOW! But it gets better, in order to get that discout, we have to agree to overnight a check & give them the tracking number so that there will be no interest attached to the amount given. So "Thank God" that I felt a little uneasy about this whole scam & decide to google to see if the Phllip & Cohen were a legit place. When I did...don't you know I hope their standing at the door waiting for that bonus check right now! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

WHY ALL THE BAD REMARK ABOUT PCA//////ONLY DOING A JOB

Seems they must prey on those who have lost loved ones. My brother and father passed this year. Today I received two calls but didn't answer either one because I didn't know the number. Glad I googled.
There is nothing to retrieve from me or the estate...there was no estate. They can call all they want and be as rude as they want, I can push the end button. Thanks for the heads up from others!

I understand that we all have jobs (some of us ) but enough is enough I have spoken to several pepole from thier office and have asked not to be called anymore I am like most of Americans that lost thier jobs due to no fault of thier own I have informed these pepole who call all day and night and yes even my cell phone I truly hope that this type of harassment is not common otherwise we AMERICANS in BIG trouble I did not vote to give WALL STREET money so that they call hire pepole like this
Alpha Henderson ....MAD AS HECK IN ORLANDO

This is fraud, plain and simple. My dad, who I'll call "John Smith," started getting these calls when he went into the hospital for surgery. When he got home, he had numerous messages on his answering machine from this company. They were all robo-calls, trying to reach someone representing the estate of the "late" John Smith. Fortunately, my dad was still pretty sharp and he and a retired lawyer friend figured out immediately that it was a scam. My dad was a laid back guy and was more amused than anything, so he just never answered the phone when they called, and deleted the messages afterward.

After doing a google search, it looks like there is an actual law firm called "Phillips and Cohen LLP" who are reputable attorneys, but this bottom-feeding collections company is "Phillips and Cohen Associates, Ltd." Seems that they are deliberately using a similar name to confuse people. I hope P&C Ltd gets sued by P&C LLP one of these days!

Tell them they have the wrong number. I did this once, and haven't gotten a call back since....that was 3 weeks ago.

My grandmother passed away after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for four years. On the DAY SHE DIED someone opened a Walmart credit card using her information. My dad contacted Walmart and provided a death certificate and police report in order to show she couldn't possibly have opened an account.

Well, guess what, they STILL turned the account over to Phillips and Cohen who proceeded to call my parents at least four times a day.

I came to visit and my dad told me what was going on and I am now after these people like a pit bull. I told them on the phone not to call anymore, filed a cease and desist letter along with a letter disavowing the debt. I filed a complaint with the FTC and the FCC. If they contact my parents again, we're getting a lawyer. So far it's been two days and no calls, but I'm just waiting for them.

There was a good article in the Wall Street Journal about these bottom feeders and other "death debt collectors". Did you know that Walmart and other companies hire them so they don't have to suffer the Public Relations nightmare of going after the families of the deceased?

I continue to keep getting these calls, but they never leave a voice mail. It seems they are even covering themselves by using numbers that don't belong to them. They call me from (630)701-6348, which is the number for a Buffalo Wild Wings in Aurora (look it up). When I call back it is their office. Luckily they are calling my GV number, so for now they are blocked!

my father was in a nursing home nearly 3 years with parkinsons disease before passing away in febuary of 2011. un benounced to me he was served papers to apear in court to settle a debt on a citibank visa card. the debt was turned over to phillips and cohen. they sent a person to serve my father papers to apear in court he was bed ridden, couldent even speak or sign his name. acording to the nurse on duty, they put a pen in his hand and wrote an x where the signature and said mr wolfe you have been served. when my father passed away, i remodeled his house because it was left to me, I spent 30k remodeling and when I eventually went to the court house to transfer the deed into my name i found that citi bank had placed a judgment against my fathers estate because he didnt apear in court... now i have spent all my money and dont even have clear title to my dads estate. what should I do?