Press Release

8/19/09

Consumer Lien/Judgment Information Available On-Line, at Clerk's Office

Following Lawsuit by Attorney General Cuomo, County Clerk Kathy Hochul Announces Public Information Available For Those Targeted by Corrupt Credit Collection Agencies.

Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul announced today a service for individuals who are targeted by collection agencies to validate liens or judgments against them. In light of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's lawsuit seeking to shut down a Buffalo based debt-collection operation, the County Clerk's Office is reminding consumers that actual judgments and liens filed against individuals must be filed with the Clerk's office.

"I find it completely unconscionable that these unscrupulous companies prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, often times fabricating non-existent debts. With so many people receiving these harassing phone calls, as exposed by the Attorney General, this is one way to verify if any collection efforts are related to a court action or are in fact valid. The exact nature of debts owed can be verified very easily as in the Clerk's Office, and similarly, this information can also be used to help clear mistakes on your credit report," said Hochul.

People are able to check through the Clerk's website www.erie.gov/clerk or directly at ecclerk.erie.gov to determine whether collection calls are a result of liens or judgments. To receive print-outs of the information, consumers can come to the Clerk's Office at 92 Franklin St. and use available computers to research this information.