Judgment from Mann Bracken?

Consumers who have dealt with Mann Bracken, Wolpoff and Abramson, or any of the business’s other associates already know the trouble those companies have caused. Mann Bracken was accused of harassment and predatory actions related to debt collection on several occasions up until the company went out of business. Their efforts left many with tarnished credit and despite their years out of business, people are still dealing with negative marks that affect their ability to borrow money and move on with their lives.

In addition to aggressive and illegal collection techniques, there is also evidence Mann Bracken colluded with the National Arbitration Forum, an entity that claimed itself to be an independent arbitration body designed to help consumers and credit agencies resolve disputes through arbitration. Links between the companies have since been discovered and a slew of illegitimate arbitration awards have been called into question.

What Did Mann Bracken Do?

Mann Bracken filed thousands of collection lawsuits for debt buyers and original creditors. The company spent its entire existence involved in shady debt collection practices. It claimed to be a law firm that worked in the consumer debt collection industry, but was actually a straight-up debt collector. It initiated thousands of lawsuits/arbitration cases, utilizing the services of the National Arbitration Forum, in an attempt to collect alleged debts on behalf of corporate clients, including many of the major credit card companies. The companies were working together against consumers and were owned by the same parent company Accretive, LLC, a relationship that was eventually revealed through legal proceedings.

Despite the exposure of what the two companies were doing, many consumers were left to deal with Mann Bracken judgments and were bilked out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, which included legal fees charged by Mann Bracken for the arbitration proceedings. The money was never returned to those affected and to this day, many are still dealing with negative marks on their credit reports that were placed there as the result of their dealings with Mann Bracken.

What Happened to Mann Bracken Judgments When the Company Went Out of Business?

Mann Bracken went out of business, leaving a mess behind it. The collapse happened three years after the company grew out of the merger between Axiant and the Rockville, MD law firm, Wolpoff and Abramson, LLP. The companies faced financial challenges during the great recession and were eventually forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, intending to sell assets but remain in business to some degree.

Eventually, though, Axiant filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and the entire collection agency went out of business. Before doing so, Mann Bracken requested stays or dismissals on its tens of thousands of pending lawsuits in the Maryland court system. The company had its license suspended about a month after its request and was ordered to stop all collection activities in 2010.

Consumers were left hanging when Mann Bracken went out of business. Those who had debt payment arrangements through the firm had no idea what to do. Their payment checks were not being processed despite their efforts to resolve their debts. The Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Board instructed businesses that were working with Mann Bracken regarding collections to reach out directly to customers to make arrangements for payment, but it’s impossible to know how many companies did so.

Now, there are thousands of consumers left with judgments and other debt collection marks on their credit because of Mann Bracken. Many have been unable to resolve these issues, even though it’s been years since the company went out of business.

Do You Have a Mann Bracken Judgment?

Most of the judgments related to Mann Bracken cases are years – even decades – old. For many people, there is no longer an obligation to pay the debt, but the judgment is still affecting their credit. Sadly, some of the debt Mann Bracken pursued should never have been an issue for the consumer, but now the actions taken by the debt collector are haunting the person affected.

If you’ve searched for information on Mann Bracken because of an old judgment that was granted against you and you’ve been unable to track down information on how to take care of it, we may be able to help track down the right creditor.

For more information or to speak to someone about the specifics of your circumstances, contact us at 1.800.220.4318.