Punished For Pursuing Pennies

Collection Co. Ordered To Pay $7,800 To Woman It Sued For 18 Cents

SEATTLE, Oct. 9, 2002 | by Bootie Cosgrove-Mather

(AP)  Filing a lawsuit over 18 cents has turned into a costly mistake for one collection agency.

A Seattle district judge has ordered Associated Credit Service to pay $7,800 in attorney's fees to the woman the agency sued over the tiny debt.

The judge ruled the lawsuit was frivolous and violated the Consumer Protection Act.

The lawsuit came about after defendant Wendy Ehringer bounced a check at a Seattle restaurant. She then paid the debt -- plus a $40 fee -- to the collection agency.

But four months later, the agency sued Ehringer -- claiming she still owed 18 cents plus more than $300 in attorney's fees and other charges.

Ehringer said she was outraged -- and got herself an attorney.

The vice president of the collection agency tells the Seattle Times his company is "very sorry this happened" -- and he says it won't happen again.

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