Welcome to our July, 2021 Newsletter! We have gotten some great feedback about this newsletter, so pass it on to a friend or family member! For over twenty five years we have helped people facing identity theft, abusive debt collectors, consumer protection, credit reporting errors, wrongful foreclosure, student debt collection and car repossessions.

Credit Repair Despair!!

One of the biggest issues with consumer debt collection: some of the nation's biggest banks ignore bankruptcy court discharges, meaning that consumers face collection letters and robocalls even after a judge has discharged the debt. Even though the debt is no longer allowed to be collected, this does not stop some banks and collectors from trying. We see this frequently in the mortgage context. Read Jessica Silver-Greenberg of the New York Times exhaustive investigative report on this for Dealbook in 2014. That isn't always the case of course, but that can be why a consumer is being pursued for a debt they do not owe. To the rescue is a credit repair service. That might not be the best solution to the problem. Save yourself the headache and don't hire a credit repair company. Most of what they offer you can do yourself at little to no cost. Here is what you can do: 1- Get your credit report - you are entitled to one free report a year: www.annualcreditreport.com 2- Each of the nationwide credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are required to provide you with a free copy of your report once every 12 months. However, during the pandemic the agencies are providing free weekly reports to consumers until April 2022. 3- It doesn't cost anything to dispute mistakes or outdated items on your credit report. To take advantage of all your rights, contact both the credit reporting company and the information provider in writing telling those organizations what you think is inaccurate. Include copies, not originals, of any documents that support your position. Here is a sample letter to use. One thing to remember about credit repair, it can take time. If you are working with a credit repair company, be very clear on what they are proposing to do to help you. The Credit Repair Organization Act (CROA) makes it illegal for credit repair companies to lie about what they can do, or to charge you before they have performed their services. If you are being pursued for a debt that you think you do not owe, contact the consumer rights lawyers at the Holland Law Firm to see if we can help you. HLF Blog What is a Consumer Report? When to Dispute Yours?

Real Justice FOR Consumers

Watch Peter Holland talk about real justice for real consumers.

Credit Report Attorney: The Fallout of 2020

In 2020, consumers filed over 280,000 complaints about inaccuracies and errors on their credit reports with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What does that mean for you? It might mean you have some inaccurate items on your credit report. That is another gift that you probably didn't need from the pandemic. After all, 1 in 4 people have a mistake on their credit reports, and about 5% of people have a mistake so serious that is leads to higher interest rates. HLF Blog on Credit Report Attorney: The Fallout of 2020

Identity Theft Has Many Faces

Identity Theft seems to be on the minds of everyone these days. If hackers can get as little as your social security number and date of birth, you are vulnerable. There are five major types of identity theft: 1-Account Takeover 2-New Account Credit Card Fraud 3-Familial Identity Theft 4-Tax Related Identity Theft 5-Medical Identity Theft HLF Blog Five of the Most Common Types of Identity Theft Many people aren't even aware of the last one on the list until they receive a medical bill in the mail for a procedure they never had. It can be overwhelming, but it is important to contact the health care company immediately and begin the process of getting to the bottom of the billing issue. Some of our clients have said they had tried this before they contacted us and they just couldn't get a response. We have experience with medical identify theft. Contact our consumer rights attorneys and we can evaluate your paperwork and get to work on your case.

Be Wary of Solar Panels Contracts with your New Home Purchase

With some solar power purchase agreements, the company (i.e., Vivint solar, Tesla, etc.) owns the solar panels, and you end up paying for energy produced by their system. Typically, a homeowner is obligated to keep that solar system on their roof and purchase all of the energy it produces for 20 years. They claim that you save money, but beware. These agreements usually have escalation clauses that allow the energy cost to increase every year. And, because the company owns the solar panels, they get to take advantage of the federal tax credits, not you. In addition, these agreements typically prohibit you from using electricity to heat a swimming pool; they may impose other limits on what you can and cannot use your electricity for.  Read more HLF Blog Solar Power Purchase Agreements: Protecting Consumers from Solar Panel Scams

Read our Latest Blogs:

Do Police Investigate Identity Theft? When to Hire an Identity Theft Lawyer Solar Panel Scams: When to Call a Consumer Protection Attorney Medical Debt Claims: Am I being Harassed? National Spotlight on Consumer Rights

We are Local Counsel and Co-Counsel Around the Country

We are on the ground and know the local landscape for consumer rights. Here are some of what other lawyers have said about us when we co-counseled with them: I have worked on many cases together with Peter Holland. As a former law professor, he is known nationally for his expertise in consumer credit matters. In addition to his knowledge, he is a skilled advocate on behalf of his clients and is known for his integrity.  -- David Humphreys Humphreys Wallace Humphreys, P.C. Santa Fe, NM Co-counseling with the Holland Law Firm improves your capacity to increase justice for your client.     Your opponents have a team of lawyers working against your client. Co-counseling with the Holland Law Firm makes the match even...  -- Phillip Robinson, Attorney Consumer Law Center LLC Silver Spring, MD          I have had the pleasure of working with Peter Holland in several NH consumer cases in both the state and federal courts. When a bank defending a fraudulent transaction hired two law firms and 8 lawyers, I asked Peter to help me and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. With Peter’s help, we were successful (after an appeal to the NH Supreme court) and the consumer prevailed. If you ever need help with a case, please contact Peter. He is most knowledgeable, has excellent trial and writing skills, is responsive and great to work with. -- Roger B. Phillips Phillips Law Office, PLLC Concord, NH Peter Holland is among the most knowledgeable attorneys I've had the privilege of working with fighting for the rights of consumers and borrowers. I look forward to working with him in the future and would recommend him to consumers or lawyers seeking to litigate in the Maryland courts.   -- Joseph S. Tusa, Esq. Tusa P.C. Southold, NY

HOLLAND LAW FIRM: RECENT ACTIVITIES AND BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

Recently, Peter did two presentations to Civil Justice and Partners for Justice on "Storytelling and Developing the Client's Story." Peter also presented to National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) in June on "Arbitration and Mediation."

Peter Holland is a former member of the board of directors of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. When not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids, his two dogs and cat and working on his short game in golf. Emanwel Turnbull is on the board of directors of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition. MCRC has been actively advocating for greater consumer protections during the COVID-19 crisis. Manny also serves on the Maryland Attorney General's COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force, Consumer Protection Committee and on the Data & Legal Technology Committee. Both Peter and Manny are members of Law Zebra, a groundbreaking organization of independent trial and consumer rights lawyers who hail from several states across the country.

We Are Here to Help. Call Us!

Do you know someone being hounded by debt collectors for a mortgage, student loan, medical debt, residential lease, car loan, or credit card debt? Do you know someone who is the victim of Identity Theft or Credit Reporting Errors? We can help. Call us for a confidential consultation at 410-280-6133!

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Peter A. Holland and Emanwel J. Turnbull The Holland Law Firm, P.C. 914 Bay Ridge Road, Suite 230 Annapolis, MD 21403 410 280 6133 www.hollandlawfirm.com NOTE: This newsletter may be considered to constitute advertising under Rule 7.2 of the Maryland Code of Professional Conduct and other state rules. Peter Holland is responsible for the content.