Have you received a phone call, notice in the mail, or an in-person service of court papers from a company called Apothaker & Associates letting you know that you are being sued by them for your outstanding debt? If so, it is vital you contact a powerful attorney immediately to protect yourself against possible damaging financial consequences.
Who Is Apothaker & Associates, and Why Are They Suing Me?
Apothaker & Associates is one of the biggest debt collection firms in Pennsylvania which specializes in acting as counsel for junk debt buyers and collection agencies. These companies purchase supposedly overdue junk debt accounts from banks and credit card companies for pennies on the dollar, or sometimes even less, for the purpose of suing the debtor for the full amount. Junk debt buyers then hire Apothaker & Associates to file lawsuits in massive quantities across Pennsylvania in the hopes of collecting on old debts and making a huge profit in the process.
The attorneys at Apothaker & Associates know the system extremely well, and they know that individuals who fail to respond to a lawsuit are at risk of losing by default through a summary judgment. A debt judgment can be devastating, as it can give the plaintiff the power to garnish your wages, commence foreclosure proceedings on your house, or force the sale of your non-exempt assets.
How Can I Defend Myself Against Apothaker & Associates?
If you have been sued by Apothaker & Associates in Pennsylvania, your first priority should be to hire a high-caliber debt lawsuit defense attorney. At the Law Office of Michael P. Forbes, we can help you properly respond to your court summons and craft a strategy that maximizes your chances of having your case dismissed.
In order to be sued for a debt, Apothaker & Associates must prove:
- You held a credit account with the original creditor
- You did indeed default on the account in question
- The specific debt amount was sold to the plaintiff
- The plaintiff has the right to sue you for the debt
Since junk debt accounts can change hands multiple times before a lawsuit is filed, debt collection lawsuits are oftentimes based on inaccurate information or are related to old debts that have already been repaid or discharged through bankruptcy. It is not uncommon for a debt lawsuit to be lacking in more than one of these areas, thereby warranting a dismissal on the grounds of legal insufficiency.
The bottom line is that there are ways to defend yourself against debt lawsuits filed by Apothaker & Associates, regardless of what they may have led you to believe. I, Philadelphia Debt Collection Defense Attorney Michael P. Forbes, have defended countless individuals like you against these types of lawsuits and know what it takes to get the results you need. I handle cases throughout Pennsylvania.
To review your legal options in further detail, I invite you to contact my office online today or call (610) 991-3321.