Is it me or is extorting money from people wrong and unethical? I am going to take a shot at the Eloy Municipal Court and Valley Collection Services.

Here is the issue...a friend of mine got at ticket two years ago for no insurance. He brought in proof and thought it was over. Well here we are in 2009 and his license is suspended and now owes $193.00. Now he cant read or write but at a second grade level, so he does not know what he is signing if it is not explained to him. Apparently he thought that this case was over with in 2007 and owed nothing and forgot about the issue because he is also dealing with identity theft by his brother in law. Now, he had not received any correspondence from the Eloy Municipal Court or Valley Collection Services in the preceding two years. Even if he did he would not understand what it was any way.

Now we called the Eloy Municipal Court today to verify the ticket. Now we acknowledge that he owes $193.00 and he has no issue paying for it. The issue is with the unethical behavior on the part of the Eloy Municipal Court and Valley Collection Service. When I contacted the Eloy Court I was given the telephone number for Valley Collection Service. So I contacted them about the account and the rep that I spoke too had no record for a ticket with my friends name from the Eloy Municipal Court. So I called the Court back and explained what was told to me. I was put on hold....for five minutes...the clerk came back on the phone and told me to call Valley Collection again....So I did...and lo and behold...they had the record...UNETHICAL!!!!! The Clerk called Valley Collection turned over the record to them while she had me on the phone...UNETHICAL!!!!! Then to top this unethical behavior...Valley Collection added $55.00 to the $193.00 for a grand total of $248.00. My friend balked at paying the additional $55.00, and I don't blame him one bit.

While I was talking to a supervisor about this issue, she told me flat out...He paid the $248.00 or he does not get his license back....now last I checked that is EXTORTION!!!! and that is illegal in Arizona. Last time I checked, but then with the Republican Legislature you cant be too sure....A side note, the Eloy Municipal Court put a tax intercept for his state refund...now my question is that once this debt is paid in full, which it will be with the tax intercept...will his license be reinstated or will he be extorted for the $55.00? I hope so because that would be an unethical double dip by the Court if he has to pay by the tax intercept and then again to the Valley Collection....Now that would be UNETHICAL!!!!!