Collin County man sues debt collector over $145 debt

SHERMAN - A Collin County man has filed a lawsuit against a debt collector for failing to validate a $145 debt from the city of Dallas.

David E. Mack filed suit against Progressive Financial Services Inc. and Christopher Hale on Sept. 18 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. 

In December 2012, Mack received a collection letter from the defendant demanding payment in the amount of $145.56 for a consumer debt he allegedly owed to the city of Dallas.

Mack claims he sent Progressive a letter to dispute the debt and demanded that the defendants cease and desist from any further collection activities until they validated the alleged debt.

The defendants allegedly then sent a “confusing and convoluted” document to Mack as validation of the debt, but with different amounts shown in the document and no identification of the creditor.

The defendants are accused of violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Texas Debt Collection Practices Act and the Texas Business and Commerce Code, which prohibits debt collectors from engaging in abusive, deceptive and unfair practices.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of damages, treble damages, attorney’s fees, court costs and interest.

Mack is acting as his own attorney. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Ron Clark is assigned to the case.

Case No. 4:13-cv-00544