BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Two described “kingpins” of the debt collection agency that have ties to Western New York will be required to pay $66 million to consumers who were affected by an illegal scheme run by the two.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said that Douglas MacKinnon and Mark Gray will have to pay the settlements after they inflated debts in an attempt to collect more than they owed from consumers. Many of the victims of the scheme were senior citizens.
MacKinnon operated Northern Resolution Group and Enhanced Acquisitions, while Gray ran the company Delray Capital. The two have more than 250 collection shops, with many based out of Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
James played excerpts of voicemails that were left to consumers, which threatened them with legal action if they did not immediately pay their debts.
The two have since been banned from the debt collection industry in New York State. It’s believed they may have affected upwards of a 100,000 in the country.
James did not comment on any criminal investigation for either MacKinnon or Gray.
Anyone who may have been affected by the two can visit www.ag.ny.gov or call the (716) 853-8404. James said her office will also engage in outreach to prevent schemes like this from happening again.