PITTSBURGH — Two Allegheny County residents are suing FMS Financial Solutions LLC, alleging the debt collection agency misrepresented their amount owed stemming from a dispute with a landlord.
Deborah Chisom and Issam Rifai filed a complaint on Dec. 16 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against FMS Financial alleging that it misrepresented the amount of debt owed by the plaintiffs to their former landlord, Chatham Park Section IV L.P. The residents were in a dispute with the landlord in 2015 which went to litigation and was found in favor of Chatham Park.
According to the court order, the residents owed $10,990 with monthly rent the residents had been paying into a court-administered account to be deducted from that total. The landlord received a court-issued check and Chisom and Rifai's debt was reduced to $5,628.36. However, Chatham Park enlisted FMS Financial to collect debt in the amount of $10,710.98, which the plaintiffs claim included unauthorized charges.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs sustained emotional and mental distress from the defendant's unwillingness to adjust the amount of debt sought despite having knowledge of the error. The plaintiffs hold FMS Financial responsible because it allegedly reported to credit bureaus an incorrect amount of plaintiff's debt.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek to enjoin the defendant, as well as actual, statutory and punitive damages, court costs and any further relief the court grants. They are represented by Emily S. Gomez-Hayes of The Law Office of Emily Gomez LLC in Pittsburgh.
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County Case number GD-16-024371