Northern Leasing Systems Inc. -- I'm a small business owner.

[Brusher]

Arkansas

I'm a small business owner, when I say small I mean my son and I. we own an airbrush shop, we've been in business since 2001.
With the slowing economy we were forced to down size into a smaller building Aug. 2009.
We had a sales rep come into our business around Aug.2010 stating how he could save us money on a new credit card swipe machine.
Since mine was out dated & what the rep said, made everything sound good including that the business next door just signed into a contract with this company.
*I feel I have been a victim of a fraudulent act, I have already reported this company to the Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division. However I don't know what else to do, I received a letter from the company's Attorney stating that they are going to take me to Civil Court in the City of New York if I don't pay them $4,002.98 plus other cost such as attorney fees and court costs. I live in Arkansas
I explained to the company back in Feb. 2011that we had to close our doors due to the economy and I would pay them what I could when I could. As a show of good faith I've been paying this company at least $50.00 per month since my business closed. I tried to send the credit card machine back and pay an early termination fee but they told me my contract was non cancelable, however I was not told this prier to signing the contract. I still have the machine, I want to send it back and get out of this contract.
* I have recently learned that this company has a class action suit against them. What should I do, can anyone help? Thanks!

[AFFA]

I wish to inform you that you may inform your grievances to the lawyer in the class action suit, if that suit subject matter cover your case. Alternatively, you may get yourself impleaded as an intervenor and present your views to court. You may also yourself file a lawsuit if subject matter of class action lawsuit is different. You may give a written Notice to the other party. If they do not resolve the matter, you may file a lawsuit. The burden of proof will be on you to prove the breach of contract by the other party. The court will consider all the facts and decide the matter.

AFF

Has anyone taken them to court, or has anyone gone to court after being sued by them?
If so.. has anyone won?
I phoned the attorney in New York handling the class action suit, to inquire about what I should do, and they asked if I wanted to hire them.
Not much help.

[Arguendo]

Hi there. Sorry to hear of your difficulties. I can say that WORLD Law is no stranger to the particular company you mentioned, at least based on what I've read in the past. I mention that just to say I would ask them about a referral to see if they have affiliated lawyers currently handling such cases. I do remember in the past they had been fathering Attorney General complaints. Hope all works out.

Check this link for more info on the class action lawsuit and the contact information at the bottom for the attorneys handling the case.

Northern Leasing Systems Lawsuit

I too owned a small business in Florida until the economy forced us to close our doors. A sales representative for Northern Leasing came into the business and encouraged my employee to use their credit card machine system. My employee explained that he was not the owner and could not make those decisions. He was encouraged by the sales representative to sign the owner's name to the paperwork with the understanding that the owner could look over the paperwork and if not satisfied could contact the company to cancel within a certain time period.
I immediately, before even a day had passed or the machine delivered, tried to contact these people and not surprisingly could not contact them until after the time period. Now, I get in touch with someone and am told "tough the time period is passed and you have to pay the lease".
They charged 2 to 3 times a month, they charged extra little charges here and there. In Florida, we have to submit personal property list each year to the State, and pay a fee. The list includes leased machines. I had to include and pay for personal property tax for the business. Northern Leasing stated that one of the charges was to cover the personal property tax. I have never received any confirmation that they paid the State of Florida the personal property tax that they were taking from my account.
I returned the machine to the company when the business closed. Now I am getting harassing mail and phone calls. Also being threatened with a lawsuit.
Some lady called me at my work. I explained that not only was my signature not on their paperwork because my signature was fraudulently obtained by their sales representative, but also to stop calling my work and I hung up. She proceeded to call me right back. I explained to her that she is breaking a federal law by calling my work after I just told her not to contact me at work, her response "Well sue me." I hung up again. She called back again, I again explained her breaking federal laws and put her on hold to get my supervisor. She hung up and never called back.
This company is a scam and fraud. The sales representatives must get a great commission for fraudulently obtaining signatures on paperwork with telling people they can cancel and then they disappear and come to find out you are locked into a lease that is ridiculous.
I have sent an email to my governor's office, I sent an email to one of the lawyers listed on World Law Direct site and I am submitting a complaint form to the New York AG.
These people need to be stopped from preying on the smaller businesses.

[Petermicro]

These people are thieves with the fake scamed leasing "uncancellable contract" but they are not smart enough. The application required some times to evaluate and approve for the service. How can they have the lease of the machine at the same time with the application date. This does not make any sense. the same as you come to the car dealer to buy a car then wait for them to check your credit out etc... suddenly they ask you to pay for 4 tires of the car and finally they deny you also but they still ask you to pay for 4 tires. This is ridiculouos and nonsenseat all.