If a letter or a court summons from "Relin, Goldstein & Crane" has landed in your mailbox, your first question is understandable: is this a real firm or some kind of scam? The short version is that it is real -- and because it is a law firm, how you respond in the first few weeks matters more than with an ordinary collection agency.
Who Relin, Goldstein & Crane is
Relin, Goldstein & Crane, LLP is a creditors'-rights collections law firm headquartered in Rochester, New York, with a website at rgcattys.com. It is long-established and licensed to practice in multiple states across the Northeast, including New York, Vermont, and Maine. Unlike a call-center collection agency, this is a firm of attorneys whose core work is filing lawsuits to collect debts on behalf of original creditors, lenders, and debt buyers. It is best known for pursuing credit-card balances and auto-loan or repossession deficiency balances. In other words, it is a legitimate, active firm -- not an impostor operation -- and that is precisely why you should take any communication from it seriously and respond in writing.
Is it a scam, and a note on the name
No, Relin, Goldstein & Crane is not a scam. It is a real law firm. That said, the collections world attracts impostors, so stay alert to phishing red flags: a genuine law firm will not demand payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer, and it will not threaten immediate arrest. If you see any of those tactics, you are dealing with a fraudster, not this firm. The firm's name is distinctive; do not confuse it with unrelated personal-injury firms that happen to share the "Crane" name. If a letter's letterhead looks off or the name does not match exactly, that is a DIFFERENT company -- confirm the exact name and the Rochester, New York address on your letter before you act. When in doubt, contact the firm through the verified number on its own website rather than a number in an unexpected inbound call.
The number-one risk: a lawsuit and summons
Because Relin, Goldstein & Crane is a law firm, its primary leverage is litigation. If you are served with a summons and complaint, the clock starts immediately. Never ignore a summons. You must file a written Answer with the court by the deadline your state sets, or the plaintiff can ask the court for a default judgment against you -- a judgment entered simply because you did not respond. A default judgment is where things get serious: it can lead to wage garnishment or a bank levy. Filing an Answer is not an admission that you owe anything; it is how you preserve your defenses and force the other side to prove its case. If you are unsure how to draft one, our guide on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit walks through the basic steps, and legal aid or a consumer attorney in your state can help.
Your FDCPA rights and validation
An attorney who regularly collects debts is still a "debt collector" under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. That means you keep the same rights you would have with any collector. Within the 30-day validation window after the firm's first communication, send a written request demanding validation of the debt -- and see whether a debt validation letter works for what to expect. A legitimate law firm collecting a debt is not the same as a valid, provable, currently-enforceable debt. Make them document who you owe, how much, and their authority to collect. If the plaintiff or owner is a debt buyer rather than the original creditor, demand chain of title -- an unbroken paper trail proving it actually owns your specific account. This is the same leverage described in our page on whether Credit Corp Solutions is legit: buyers must prove ownership, and gaps in that proof are your opening.
Auto deficiencies and the statute of limitations
If the firm is chasing an auto-loan deficiency after a repossession, understand what that balance is. Once the car is repossessed and sold, the leftover amount is an unsecured, negotiable debt -- it is not a secured mortgage matter and the lender no longer has your vehicle as collateral. Before you accept the number, verify that the car was sold in a commercially reasonable way and that the deficiency math is correct, because errors and improper sales are real defenses. Timing matters too: check the statute of limitations on debt in your state. A time-barred debt is a defense you can raise in your Answer. Be careful -- making a payment or even a written promise to pay can restart the clock on an old debt, so do not make a token payment before you understand the timeline.
If the debt is really yours: settling and taxes
This is settle-able consumer debt. If validation checks out and the debt is genuinely yours and within the statute of limitations, you may be able to resolve it -- including settling for less than the full balance. Get any settlement terms in writing before you pay: the amount, confirmation that it resolves the account, and how the remaining balance will be reported. Confirm the person you are negotiating with has authority to settle. One tax note to plan for: if a creditor forgives more than $600 of a balance, it may issue you a 1099-C, and the forgiven amount can be treated as taxable income. Factor that into whether a given settlement makes sense for you, and consider talking to a nonprofit credit counselor about your full picture.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your rights and timelines vary by state; consider consulting a qualified attorney, a nonprofit credit counselor, or legal aid.