By: Robert J. Nahoum New York City’s new SHIELD Rule adds strong limits on debt collector harassment, expands dispute rights, and creates first-of-its-kind medical debt protections. What Is the New York City SHIELD Rule? The SHIELD Rule is a new set of debt collection regulations issued by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) that give […]
New York City’s New SHIELD Rule: Stronger Protections From Debt Collectors and Medical Debt
Can a judgment creditor garnish my tax refund in New York?
By: Robert J. Nahoum Short Answer A private judgment creditor with a New York judgment cannot intercept your federal or New York State tax refund directly, but once that refund is deposited into your bank account it can generally be restrained and levied like other non‑exempt funds, subject to New York’s exemption rules and special protections for certain government‑related “emergency […]
Murtha & Associates Files Nearly 3,000 Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025 – What New York Consumers Should Know
By: Robert J. Nahoum According to data from the New York State Unified Court System, Roach & Murtha, which now often operates under the name Murtha & Associates, ranked among New York’s most aggressive debt collection law firms in 2025—filing 2,982 debt collection lawsuits that year alone. Who Murtha & Associates Represents Murtha & Associates regularly represents major junk debt buyers such as Security Credit Services, LLC, Accelerated Inventory […]
Municipal Credit Union Filed Over 2,100 Debt Collection Lawsuits Against New York Consumers in 2025
According to official data from the New York State Unified Court System, Municipal Credit Union (MCU) filed 2,115 new debt collection lawsuits against New York consumers in 2025. This surge underscores how even local, member‑owned credit unions are engaging in large‑scale debt collection efforts through New York’s courts. Municipal Credit Union is a New York City–based, member‑owned financial institution that serves public‑sector employees and their […]
Capital One Bank Filed Nearly 11,000 New York Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025
According to official records from the New York State Unified Court System, Capital One Bank filed 10,903 debt collection lawsuits against New York consumers in 2025. This staggering number highlights the ongoing, large-scale efforts by major financial institutions to recover alleged consumer debts through New York’s civil court system. Where Capital One Filed Lawsuits in 2025 Breaking down the data by county reveals how widespread these […]
Debt Collector Zwicker & Associates Filed Nearly 6,000 Debt Collection Lawsuits in New York in 2025
According to data from the New York State Unified Court System, the debt collection law firm Zwicker & Associates, P.C. filed 5,725 debt collection lawsuits across New York State in 2025. Based in Massachusetts with offices nationwide, Zwicker & Associates represents some of the most aggressive creditors and debt buyers in the U.S., including: Discover Bank American Express U.S. Bank Capital One Bank (USA), N.A. SoFi […]
Synchrony Bank Filed Over 2,100 New York Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025
According to official records from the New York State Unified Court System, Synchrony Bank filed 2,108 debt collection lawsuits against New York consumers in 2025. This number reflects ongoing, large-scale efforts by major financial institutions to pursue alleged consumer debts through the state’s court system. Beyond new filings, Synchrony Bank continues to enforce thousands of prior judgments that were obtained in earlier years. These collection efforts are […]
Debt Collection Law-Firm Selip & Stylianou Filed Over 18,000 New York Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025
According to data from the New York State Unified Court System, the prolific debt collection law firm Selip & Stylianou, LLP—formerly known as Cohen & Slamowitz—filed an astonishing 18,067 debt collection lawsuits across New York in 2025. This spike in litigation came as many New Yorkers were still recovering financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. Breakdown of Lawsuits by County 1,203 in the Bronx 1,085 […]
Debt Collection Law-Firm Rubin & Rothman Filed Over 31,000 New York Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025
By: Robert J. Nahoum According to data from the New York State Unified Court System, the New York debt collection law firm Rubin & Rothman filed an astounding 31,942 debt collection lawsuits across New York State in 2025. The filings include: Bronx County: 4,703 cases Brooklyn (Kings County): 5,068 cases Nassau County: 3,070 cases Manhattan (New York County): 2,999 cases Queens County: 6,815 cases Suffolk County: 3,696 cases Rubin & […]
Debt Buyer Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC Filed 12,916 New York Debt Collection Cases In 2025
By: Robert J. Nahoum Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC — often known simply as PRA — is one of the nation’s largest junk debt buyers. The company purchases old consumer debts from original creditors like banks, credit card companies, hospitals, doctors, cell phone providers, and auto lenders for only pennies on the dollar. Once acquired, Portfolio Recovery Associates sues consumers to collect the full amount of the […]