FTC Issuing Checks for Debt Collection Scam Targeting Spanish-Speakers

Victims of a nationwide illegal debt collection scam targeting Spanish-speaking individuals will soon be receiving compensation for their losses.

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s website, 3,446 checks totaling $830,000 have been mailed out to individuals who fell victim to this fraudulent debt collection scheme perpetrated by Centro Natural Corp. and Sumore LLC.

These refund checks average $240.95 and recipients are instructed to deposit or cash their checks within 60 days.

The mass refund stems from a FTC settlement of charges filed in 2014 against Centro Natural and Sumore, Carolina Orellana, Damian Biondi, Jessica Anzola, Javier Sumbre, and Susana Sumbre that alleged they swindled nearly $2 million from Spanish-speaking consumers throughout the country by demanding they pay bogus debts they didn’t really owe.

In its complaint, the FTC charged that South Florida based Centro Natural Corp. and Sumore LLC cold-called consumers and threatened them with harsh consequences, such as arrest, legal actions, and immigration status investigations, if they failed to make large payments on bogus debts.

Centro Natural and Sumore’s international telemarketers also pressured and deceived consumers into paying for unwanted products ranging from $300 to $500 by telling consumers it would settle their debt.

According to the FTC, since at least 2011, Centro Natural and Sumore have held themselves out as court or government officials or lawyers. They demanded that consumers pay them to settle phantom debts that typically ranged between $3,000 and $9,000, primarily addressing consumers in Spanish.

The FTC alleges that Centro Natural and Sumore often told consumers that they could settle their debts by paying them hundreds of dollars. If consumers refused to pay, the companies often continued to call and threaten them, sometimes using profane language.

The companies also reportedly kept calling consumers who asked them not to call again, regularly cold-called consumers whose phone numbers are on the Do Not Call Registry, and failed to pay fees for the Do Not Call Registry.

These actions, according to the FTC, are violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act.

Under the settlement, the companies and individual defendants are barred from participating in any debt collection activities and telemarketing.

“These defendants deserve a shameful Triple Crown for fraud. They posed as government officials, used abusive debt collection practices, and ignored the National Do Not Call Registry,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We’re shining a light on fraud affecting every community, and we’re pleased that this scheme targeting Latinos has been stopped.”

If you have questions regarding the illegal debt collection scheme refund, you can contact the FTC’s refund administrator, Analytics at 1-844-449-3585.

The Centro Natural and Sumore Illegal Debt Collection Scam Lawsuit is Federal Trade Commission v. Centro Natural Corp., et al., Case No. 14-23879, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

UPDATE: September 2017, the FTC started mailed out a second round of checks to consumers impacted by the Centro Natural and Sumore LLC illegal debt collection scam. More than 2,000 checks totaling $279,134.90 were mailed to known victims of the scam. If you have questions regarding your second check, contact the refund administrator at 1-844-449-3585.