Who is a Class Member
The Cohn Goldberg & Deutsch Debt Collection Class Action Settlement includes “all persons to whom Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC mailed an initial debt collection communication, between August 10, 2016 and November 12, 2017, in connection with the collection of a consumer debt secured by residential real estate, and which failed to include the term “current creditor.”
There are approximately 3,042 persons in total in the Class.
If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Settlement Amount
- $3,900,000.00
Estimated Award
- Between $5.75 and $60.00
The amount each of these Class Members gets will be based on how many valid claims are submitted. If all 3,042 class members participate, then the settlement payour will be $5.75. However, Class Counsel anticipates that each class member will receive between $29-$60.
Proof of Purchase
- N/A
Claim Form
- Class members should have received a claim form or instructions for filing their claim in their individual mailed Class Notice. If you did not receive a Claim Form and believe you should be included in this settlement, please contact Class Counsel or the Settlement Administrator.
Cohn Goldberg & Deutsch Debt Collection Settlement Notes
- James A. Smith v. Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC,
- Case No. 1:17-cv-02291-RDB
- Pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Filed in August 2017, this illegal debt collection class action lawsuit claims that Cohn, Goldberg, & Deutsch – a debt collection company based in Maryland violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Specifically, lead plaintiff James Smith said he received a written letter from Cohn, Goldberg, & Deutsch regarding an alleged debt which stated:
“On November 18, 2005, you executed a Deed of Trust and Note secured by the above referenced property, and borrowed money in connection with a loan made by Mortgage Lenders Network USA, Inc.. [sic] The current owner of the note is U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, for Residential Asset Securities Corporation, Home Equity Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2006-EMX1, and the current servicer of the above-referenced loan is Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.. [sic] The loan has been referred to this office for legal action based upon a default under the terms of the loan agreement.”
However, the complaint states that this communication fails to specify, in a manner that a “least sophisticated” consumer could understand, the name of the creditor to whom the alleged debt was owed – a violation of the FDCPA. In fact, the letter refers to five separate entities purportedly connected in some way with the alleged debt but nowhere does the letter state which of these five entities is the actual creditor.
Cohn, Goldberg, & Deutsch denies that its conduct violated the FDCPA. Complete details are provided in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available on the Cohn Goldberg & Deutsch Debt Collection Settlement website.
Class members who wish to exclude themselves or object to the terms of the Debt Collection Settlement must do so by May 7, 2018. Class members who wish to submit a claim must do so by May 7, 2018.
Important Dates
- 5/7/18: Claim Form Deadline
- 5/7/18: Objection or Exclusion Deadline
- 7/19/18: Final Hearing at 3:00 pm ET* (class members do not need to attend this hearing in order to receive a slice of the settlement pie).
*Settlement Class Members who wish to speak at the hearing should check the Cohn Goldberg & Deutsch Debt Collection Settlement website to confirm that the date or time of the Hearing has not been changed.
Contact Information
- Mail: First Class, Inc./ J13756-Smith 5410 Roosevelt Road, Suite 222 Chicago, IL 60644
- Phone: 561-826-5477 (Class Counsel)
- Email: jjohnson@gdrlawfirm.com (Class Counsel)
Class Counsel
Settlement Website