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Answer

Is Sharinn & Lipshie legit -- and how do you deal with them?

Yes -- Sharinn & Lipshie, P.C. is a legitimate New York law firm that collects debts, not a scam. What sets a law-firm collector apart from an ordinary agency is how it collects: by filing lawsuits. Sharinn & Lipshie is a high-volume debt-collection firm that brings a large number of consumer cases, and it represents both banks and lenders directly and debt buyers that purchased charged-off accounts. It works credit-card balances, personal loans, auto and other unsecured debt. Because the firm collects by suing, the number-one risk is a court summons, and the number-one rule is never ignore one. If you're served, file a written answer by the deadline; if you don't, the plaintiff can win a default judgment automatically, and that judgment is what leads to wage garnishment, a bank levy, or a lien. At the same time, an attorney or law firm that regularly collects consumer debts is still a "debt collector" under the FDCPA -- lawyers are not exempt -- so you keep your full validation and dispute rights. Demand written debt validation of the amount and the original creditor, and don't admit the debt on a call. Here's your key piece of leverage: when a debt buyer is the plaintiff rather than the original bank, make it prove it actually owns YOUR specific account through the chain of title. Resold accounts are often backed by thin, gappy paperwork, and a plaintiff that can't prove ownership can lose or have to dismiss. Check the statute of limitations too, because a payment or written promise can restart the clock, and raise a time-barred defense in your answer if the debt is too old to sue on. A genuinely-owed unsecured balance, correctly validated and within the statute of limitations, can often be settled in writing -- sometimes even after a case is filed. Get any agreement in writing before you pay, and note that a forgiven balance over $600 can trigger a 1099-C.

DW
By Dana Whitfield — Personal finance writer

Sharinn & Lipshie is a law firm, and that one fact changes everything: a law firm collects by suing. It sues for both banks and debt buyers -- and when a buyer is the plaintiff, a lawsuit is exactly where a weak, resold account is easiest to challenge, if you show up.

Short answer

Yes, Sharinn & Lipshie is legit -- a real New York law firm that collects debts. Because it collects by suing, never ignore a summons: file a written answer by the deadline. A law firm that regularly collects is still a 'debt collector' under the FDCPA, so you keep your validation and dispute rights.

If you've been sued

Your rights

Is it a scam?

No -- Sharinn & Lipshie is a real law firm that collects debts, not a fake front. But impostors do imitate law firms, so verify any lawsuit through the court itself, get everything in writing, and never pay off a phone call or link.

If the debt is genuinely yours

Once it's validated and within the statute of limitations, a genuinely-owed unsecured balance can often be settled in writing, sometimes even after a case is filed. Get any agreement in writing before you pay. If a forgiven balance exceeds $600, you may receive a 1099-C; consider asking a tax professional.

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.

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