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Toyota Apologizes For Aggressive Collection Efforts

Agent Left Calls With Car Buyer's Neighbors

RED OAK, Texas - May 11, 2005 - A major car company has apologized for crossing the line in its collections efforts after it began contacting a customer's neighbors when trying to collect his past-due car payments.

About eight months ago, Astin Robertson, 18, bought a 2004 Toyota Scion and installed his own custom stereo.

"Just trying to get all the looks I can get," he said.

However, he received plenty of unwanted attention from Toyota when he fell behind on his car payments.

"They called friends and family members, leaving the same messages, like I'm an outlaw on the run, and I'm not," Robertson said.

They also called a neighbor he doesn't even know, Michael Ballard, and left a message on his answering machine.

The message said, in part, "Please get a message to your neighbor, Betsy Robertson, to call Toyota. The number is …"

Betsy Robertson is Astin Robertson's mother, who co-signed the loan.

Ballard said he couldn't believe the message.

"My first impression was, why are you calling me to ask my neighbors to call? It's not my responsibility and, quite obviously, I want to stay out of their business," Ballard said.

An attorney who specializes in debt collection said Toyota broke the law.

"You cannot chase a consumer beyond a certain point, and I think the point is, if credit card companies and people like that are going to issue this credit, they need to know there are limits on the things they can do to collect that debt," Darrell Cook said.

A spokeswoman for Toyota said the collections agent made a mistake and that the company is taking steps internally to educate the person. She added that the situation is rare and she apologized for the inconvenience it caused.

"There's no way to explain what happened and make it better, except Toyota knows they've got their money now," Robertson said.

The teen also said he is now up to date on his payments now, and plans to stay that way.

Lawyer Available to Provide Commentary on Legal Issues Concerning Electronic Data Security and Identity Theft

PHILADELPHIA, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Vernick, a partner and widely known trial attorney with Fox Rothschild LLP, is available for expert comment regarding electronic data security and theft of personal information. Scott provides both legal and executive management counsel to companies and organizations that have become embroiled in the identity theft epidemic.

Scott is the Office Managing Partner of the Philadelphia regional office and a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. He concentrates his practice in business-related litigation and risk management, with a particular emphasis on electronic data security, e-commerce privacy protection, software and hardware technology service agreements, protection of trade secrets/intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending, FCRA, FDCPA, TIL, unfair competition, government contracting and procurement, and employment issues.

He is a former chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Professional Responsibility Committee that addresses lawyer conduct and issues of responsibility to clients, the justice system, the public and other attorneys. He is a former co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Professional Guidance Committee that advises lawyers on the propriety of issues or actions that they are considering taking in professional matters and transactions. In 2005, Scott was named a "Pennsylvania Super Lawyer" representing the top 5 percent of all lawyers in the Commonwealth.

Fox Rothschild LLP is counted among the 200 largest law firms in the nation. The full-service firm has close to 300 lawyers practicing in 10 offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Florida. To learn more about Fox Rothschild LLP, please visit http://www.foxrothschild.com/.

Contact Information:

Scott L. Vernick, Esquire - 215.299.2860 (office)

Source: Fox Rothschild LLP

CONTACT: Scott L. Vernick, Esquire, Fox Rothschild LLP, +1-215-299-2860
(office), svernick@foxrothschild.com

Web site: http://www.foxrothschild.com/