How To Deal With Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP

What Is Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP?

Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP is a law firm that collects consumer debts on behalf of its clients, which are creditors or debt collectors. This is different from many other debt collection companies that buy debts from original creditors and other debt collectors and then try to collect the debts themselves. 

Because Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP is a law firm, their main strategy to collect debts is filing lawsuits in an effort to get a wage garnishment order from the court. Sometimes the company also tries to collect debts directly from consumers with its online payment system. 

The company was formerly called Pressler and Pressler LLP and is located in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Why Is Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP Contacting Me?

If Pressler, Felt & Warshaw contacts you, they’re probably trying to collect a debt from you. This can be confusing because most people think, “I don’t have a debt with a company called Pressler.” Remember, they’re contacting you on behalf of their clients, which are creditors and debt collectors. 

Pressler may be reaching out to try to set up a payment plan so you can repay the debt, or they may be informing you that they’ve taken legal action against you. If they sue you, you should receive formal court documents called a summons and complaint that detail their case against you.

Is Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP Legit?

Yes, Pressler, Felt & Warshaw is a real business in the debt collection space. 

That said, several consumers have filed complaints against Pressler. Among these complaints, consumers commonly mention:

• It’s difficult to contact Pressler to get more information about what’s going on.

• Pressler may try to collect debts not owed.

• The company sometimes threatens illegal action.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has logged more than 90 consumer complaints against Pressler in the last three years. Further, consumers have filed more than 700 complaints since December 2011 for “Pressler & Pressler LLP” (the company’s prior name) in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Consumer Complaint Database.

Many of these consumer complaints, if true, point to violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This federal law prohibits third-party debt collectors from misleading, harassing, and threatening consumers.

Though Pressler, Felt & Warshaw is a real company, it’s good to know the red flags of debt collection scams.  Scammers often use the names of real companies, like Pressler, to trick consumers into revealing personal information or sending money. This is also why it’s important to validate the debt.

Note to reader: These reviews and complaints highlight relevant issues, but they may not represent all consumers’ experiences.

Do I Have To Pay Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP?

Maybe, but before you answer that, you should first have Pressler, Felt & Warshaw validate the debt. This is important because debt collectors like Pressler get lots of account holder information and contact many individuals. Due to the volume and the way the system works, mistakes and errors aren’t uncommon. To make sure they have their facts correct, the first step to take is to send a debt verification letter.

If Pressler can’t prove the debt is yours and that they have authorization to collect it, you don’t need to pay it. If this is the case, you can also inform Pressler in writing to stop contacting you.

Step 1: Send a Debt Verification Letter

If Pressler, Felt & Warshaw contacts you about a debt (assuming they haven’t already sued you), they need to send you a debt validation letter (or validation notice) within five days of the initial contact. If they don’t, you can send Pressler a debt verification letter instead.

After Pressler sends you a debt validation letter or responds to your debt verification letter, you have 30 days to dispute the alleged debt. If you file a dispute, Pressler, Felt & Warshaw must pause their debt collection activities against you while they investigate the dispute.

If they can’t validate the debt within this 30-day period, you probably don’t need to pay it. If they do validate the debt, you need to decide what to do next.

Step 2: Decide What To Do Next

Once Pressler, Felt & Warshaw validates the debt, you get to choose your next action. You can:

• Dispute the debt.

• Negotiate a debt settlement (or pay the debt off if you’re able to).

• Ignore the debt (not recommended).

Option 1: Dispute the Debt

If Pressler validates the debt, you might still disagree with the amount or that you have to pay it. If this applies to you, you can file a dispute with the company. 

If you think Pressler has inaccurate information, it’s possible that they or the creditor also reported incorrect information to the major credit bureaus. So if you dispute the debt with Pressler, you’ll also want to check your credit report and dispute any errors you see there.  

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute credit report errors by sending 609 letter to each of the three major credit bureaus.

Option 2: Negotiate the Debt and Make a Settlement Offer

In an ideal world, you could deal with any unpaid debts by paying them off in full. If you have the money and you want to get the matter resolved, you can do this. But, for many people, this isn’t financially feasible. Luckily, many debt collectors are willing to settle debts for less than the full amount, sometimes for just 40 or 50 cents on the dollar.

This is possible because many debt collectors purchase debts for a small fraction of the original amount. Or, they represent creditors and debt collectors and receive a percentage of any money recovered. Simply put, collecting significantly less than the full amount can still lead to a healthy profit.

If you want to negotiate with Pressler, Felt & Warshaw, start by offering 25% or 30% of the total debt amount. Pressler may reject this offer, but after some negotiating, they may agree to settle the debt for around half of the total amount. To learn more about the negotiation process, read Upsolve’s Guide to Beating Pressler, Felt & Warshaw.

Can You Negotiate Every Past-Due Debt?

Not all types of past-due debts are negotiable, but the most common types of consumer debts —   including credit card debt and personal loans — usually are. Even federal tax debts are often negotiable, but there’s a special IRS process for that. 

Debts that aren’t usually negotiable are called secured debt, which means they are backed by collateral. The two most common types of secured debt are mortgages and car loans. If you don’t pay what you owe on these loans, the creditor can foreclose on your home or repossess your vehicle. In other words, these creditors don’t have an incentive to settle debts for less than the full amount. They’ll just reclaim the property.

Federal student loan debts also aren’t negotiable, but if you’re struggling to repay your loan, student loan forgiveness programs are sometimes an option. 

Option 3: Ignore the Debt (Not Recommended)

While it’s technically possible to ignore Pressler’s attempts to collect your debt, it is a bad idea. It’ll most likely make your debt problems worse and create more stress and anxiety about money. Remember, debt collectors don’t give up easily.

What Happens if I Ignore Pressler? 

If you decide to ignore Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP, there are several potential negative consequences, including:

• A lower credit score

• A bigger debt as a result of interest, fees, and legal costs

• A lawsuit, which can lead to having your bank account or wages garnished

There’s a myth that debts go away after seven years. While they will probably fall off your credit report after seven years, the underlying debt may remain. If the debt isn’t past its statute of limitations, a collection attorney like Pressler may still be able to sue you.

This might sound scary, but you have an advantage that most consumers don’t have: knowledge. This is the one thing debt collectors are hoping you don’t have and won’t use against them. Read Upsolve’s Guide to Beating Pressler, Felt & Warshaw to learn how to win against them.

Does Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP Sue?

Yes, Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP can sue consumers who don’t pay their debts. This won’t always be their first option, though, because it's quicker and cheaper to send letters and make phone calls than to bring a lawsuit. 

What influences a debt collector’s decision to sue? They’ll usually consider:

• The amount of the debt

• The age of the debt and whether the statute of limitations deadline has expired

• If you have any other unpaid debts

• If they’ll be able to recover attorney’s fees and court costs

• Applicable state laws concerning interest rates, wage garnishment, and the overall debt collection lawsuit process

• Whether there’s a written contract or other evidence of the debt

• How easily they can prove the debt is valid

If you get sued by Pressler, Felt & Warshaw, you’ll likely learn about the debt lawsuit when Pressler serves you with a complaint and summons. You’ll receive these documents by mail or in person (depending on the court’s rules) and will need to submit a response to the court to avoid losing by default.

You can respond to the complaint yourself or hire an attorney to help. To learn more about what it takes to defend a debt collection lawsuit, read Upsolve’s Guide to Beating Pressler, Felt & Warshaw.

Let’s Summarize…

 Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP is a debt collector that’s also a law firm. They may sue you to try to collect outstanding consumer debts. If this company contacts you, ask them to validate the debt before you pay anything. If you think you do owe the debt and you want to settle the matter, see if you can negotiate a settlement agreement and pay less than the full amount.