Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornik, LLP (RSIEH) is a law firm based in Wisconsin that specializes in third-party debt collection. RSIEH has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) such as threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken and attempting to collect debts not owed. If you have been contacted by RSIEH, understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornick, LLP is a legitimate debt collection firm, founded in 1997 and incorporated in 2008. The BBB established its profile page in 2004. Their profile page lists 13 additional phone numbers. RSIEH is listed as a law firm and collection agency. Buzzfile estimates Rausch Sturm’s annual revenue at $3.9 million, and the size of its headquarters staff at 67 people.
According to its website, Rausch Sturm is “a law firm that helps creditor issuers and consumers resolve financial setbacks and get both parties back on the right track.” RSIEH’s philosophy is that “doing the right thing, being honest, and giving back to our community” lead to success, and that “every interaction with a consumer, a client, or a vendor is an opportunity to prove it.”
The Rausch Sturm website does not offer a lot of detailed information about their business practices, indicating only that if site visitors have “received a letter or call from our firm, it means your bank or creditor has enlisted our services to help resolve the outstanding debt you owe,” and that RSIEH staff “are committed to working with you to find a suitable plan for resolving your debt.”
Rausch Sturm also does not provide information about its regulatory compliance policies. However, they do provide many links to consumer resources, including sites with financial tools such as Credit Karma; the three national credit reporting agencies; and enforcement agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
The BBB closed has closed 41 complaints against Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornik, LLP in the past three years, with 3 closed in the past 12 months. Most of those complaints allege problems with billing and collections, although several complaints also allege problems with customer service. Since April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received 41 complaints about RSIEH. Justia lists at least 8 cases of civil litigation involving Rausch Sturm.
Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornik LLP
250 N. Sunnyslope Road, Suite 300
Brookfield, WI 53005
Telephone: (866) 456-3744
Website: https://www.rauschsturm.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely Rausch Sturm would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. You can sue a debt collector. Here are some Sample Cases
In April 2017 in United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, a judge issued an Opinion and Order in a case in which Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornik, LLP was alleged to have violated certain provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Wisconsin Consumer Act (WCA). In this case, the plaintiff incurred a debt on which she defaulted. The debt was initially sold to a collection agency who in turn retained Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornick, LLP for the purpose of collecting the bill. The plaintiff received the collection notice from the initial collection agency. She also received the subsequent collection notice from RSIEH. The plaintiff sent a dispute letter to RSIEH by certified mail within the thirty-day limit. She received a receipt indicating Rausch Sturm had received her letter, and RSIEH confirmed that their mailroom had logged receipt of the letter. However, the managing attorney for Rausch Sturm never received or read the plaintiff’s letter, so they began collection proceedings by filing a claim in small claims court.
The plaintiff’s complaint alleged that Rausch, Sturm, Israel, Enerson & Hornik, LLP violated FDCPA provision 1692g(b), which requires a collection agency to provide validation of a debt that has been disputed within thirty days of receipt of the dispute letter. Collection activity must cease until validation of the debt is sent to the consumer. RSIEH failed to provide validation of the debt before filing their case in small claims court. RSIEH argued that the violation should be excused as the result of a “bona fide error,” a legal term defined as an error that is unintentional and for which there are procedures in place that have been followed to a reasonable degree. The court disagreed. They dismissed the plaintiff’s claim that Rausch Sturm violated the WCA by maintaining the small claims suit for 53 days after the plaintiff filed a motion to dismiss; they also dismissed the plaintiff’s husband as a party to the action. However, they upheld the plaintiff’s claim that Rausch Sturm’s actions constituted an actionable cause under FDCPA provision 1692g(b).
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
Yes. If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. Federal laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
“Thank you and your staff for the exceptional work you did on my behalf in dealing with a debt collector. I’ve not experienced the level of professionalism, care, timeliness in follow-through, and financial compensation obtained through your firm.”
“I won’t be afraid to contact you or recommend your services to others for debt collection difficulties. Please keep up the outstanding work you do, and again, thank you for helping me through this challenging time. I am most grateful.”
“I did not realize I’d be getting any money from this wretched affair. I’m taken aback by what you have achieved in my behalf.”
We can absolutely help. Call us today.
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Have you had a bad experience with this agency’s debt collectors? Sound off and share your experience with other visitors in the comment box below.
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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I have a c. card debt that I am making monthly payments to Rausch Stern as per an agreement with them since 2019. Last year, 2022, I start getting phone calls from a number that does not show anything other than that it’s from an 866 number. Reverse search shows that it is a spam number for at least 3 different businesses/companies. They leave a voicemail with a different callback number for R.S., but I had already told R.S. back when I started payments that the best way to reach me was by email since I work odd hours that change weekly, which since my payments started I have not had one email from them. And after each payment I screencap the payment received page as well as write down the information from that page.
I ignore the calls, but save the voicemails. Guess my question would be should I keep doing what I am doing? I have marked the number as spam, so I don’t see when they call, just get the voicemail notice where I then save the voicemail.
No concern just sharing my own experience with
Rausch Sturm Law Office. I receive about four phone calls a week minimum, girl asked me to verify my name address birthdate and Social Security number because they have very important legal information for me. I refuse to get them said information, so they tell me that the police will show up to my house and arrest me for not responding to the time a ensitive information they have waiting for me, but refuse to tell me unless I give them answers to every security question a bank would ask.
I had to quit my job because these people were taking my check and at the same time i became part time!! They had sent papers to my job about garnishment and I had no idea, i tried to call and emailed but they never contacted me. Anyway they have garnishing my check over 2 and a half years with late charges and all that other stuff over a $2,000 dollar dentist . They said i owed $20,000 now since i have not been working they are saying I still owe $15,737 my question is what happened to that money they garnished from my check last couple of years???
I am being sued by raush sturm over an charged off account by bealls that was sold to another lender, court date is 10/29, I received no communication from this buisness until I was served with papers, and they have yet to show me where bealls owns this debt, I need to know how to proceed or what to do before the court date
I got a collection letter from them in Feb 2020 and April 2020 – I was experiencing hardship financially and was wanting to negotiate with them. They were unwilling to work with me then COVID-19 hit and I was out of work and suffered loss of wages. I attempted to contact them and let them know my situation. Fast forward to July 2020 – I received a default judgment and I am terrified that I am being forced in a situation I can’t afford. What can I do?
I am getting calls from Rausch and Sturm. I have spoken to them twice and they cannot validate the hospital bill in question. I was told I was going to be served and that never happened. I do not need my wages being garnished and I dont even believe the debt they are coming after me for is even correct. Please help me! Id like this all to stop!! I cannot afford wage garnishment .
Rausch Sturm Inquiry 1-3-2020
To whom it may concern:
I got sick and had to leave my job. This put us into a bad position financially Our Synchrony Account through Lowes did not have insurance in case of illness, injury, or death like our other accounts did. Lowes would not work with us even though we paid something. They closed our account in August and Synchrony sent us on to Rausch Sturm Attorneys at Law located at 30150 Telegraph Suite 444 Bingham Farms, Michigan, 48025-4519. The number we were given was 1-866-769-6685 #315. We were originally with a Mr. Jackson who set up the account online which no longer works. Each time we pay the file number changes and they have the wrong birth year for my husband. We don’t have a problem paying our debt, but we have a problem with them not being professional and accurate with their information.
Their name does not show up in my checking account when they extract our money. I’m a little nervous wondering if these people are who they say they are. I contacted them again and asked why I have two file numbers for the same exact debt and same amount. I get various answers, never the same. Today I got told we have two accounts we owe on. I’m sorry… I do not. I owe on one account. I have one bill to pay off. We’ve paid off our other accounts with Synchrony have did not have these issues.
This Rausch Sturm company keeps calling me several times a week. First in very broken English they ask for my husband, I say he’s at work this is my cell. They ask for his work number, I refuse to give it, they say he needs to call them about a personal matter. The second call will be within an hour. Again very broken English asking for my husbands EXWIFE! I tell them this phone does not belong to the person they are looking for and they just hang up! Rude and in professional! Within another hour the SAME number calls again, this time asking for me in very broken English. When I say I am unavailable and ask to take a message they give me a completely different number and say I need to call them immediately about a personal matter. I haven’t returned the call because I figured it was a scam of some sort.
How is this a legit business?! Seriously? Why call three times times within three hours, looking for three different people, every couple of days? Plus they have called at 9 and 10 at night!!
Rausch Strum just put a levy on my bank account which happened to only have the paycheck from my boyfriends job in it. His name is on account also. I have been unemployed since July 1st and he was our only income. I have a minor child I am responsible for and they just took the only $500 we have. I will not be able to pay rent or buy food or even get gas in our car for his job now is there ANYTHING you can help me with? This is a collection account from probably 10 years ago that was WALMART for 1000.00
Receiving calls from someone saying their name is Tammy Stevens and they are trying to serve me judgment papers for something that they will not give any information on. For starters they called my job and gave the receptionist a message that they were trying to serve me. Secondly, when she said I was out of the office, they left a number for me to return the call, upon calling I was told they had no one there by that name. I gave them file # she left, they looked in they data and called out last 4 of my SS, and referred to me by my maiden name. Stated they have been trying to reach me at my home address, and called it back to me since January ( I did not buy my house until the end of March, so they did not try to reach me at my address ) !! Man that answered told me I had already had judgment filed against me, I called my courts they have nothing !! He also could not offer me any details except a credit card number for what he described as a BOA/Discover card ( I asked well it is a BOA or Discover because they are two totally different creditors), he told me to go look at my credit report that the number would show who the original creditor was. Well, there was absolutely nothing with that number or amount on my credit report. I said I needed more information, he placed me on hold then conveniently we were disconnected. If you are calling my office to serve me, clearly you have the address why would you call first, just swing on by. Very shady
Received notice that on a credit card debt back in 2006 they put a Lein on my and my husbands home. We have not received any paperwork since. They did request that I make payments of $313.39 per month for one year, but that was to high for me to make at the time. I counter offered a more reasonable payment plan and they refused. Now in 2019 I was notified of the Lein and from 2012-2019 I have not seen or heard from them. Is there any recourse to get them off the mortgage Lein?
My Husband received no phone calls from rausch sturm .He was served papers on saturday saying he was being sued . I called Rausch Sturm’s office to see if there was a pay off possible or payment plan I was transfered to someone other than the assigned lawyer who set up a payment plan for me she never spoke to my husband who the account is assigned to at all . Said they would keep it out of court we still had to reply back to the local court JP1 a reply . I have a suspicion we may still wind up in court as we never were contacted back by the actual lawyer assigned to the case. We made our first payment and I talked to the JP1 office and she told me to leave a copy of the payment with them just in case . They never did ask to speak to my husband or that they needed him to set up the payment plan since the account was in his name I thought they had to speak only to the person on the account . But they seem very willy nilly about how they handle things .And they set up the payment plan without talking to the account holder about it seems to me they would have asked me to speak to him first about his account ???? and they had me make a payment before any paper work was wrote up or in order????
I get daily robocalls from Rausch Sturm ,usually around 10 am or noon,telling me they are a debt collector and tell me to call them at a few different phone numbers..this started about 3 months ago..
I do not owe anyone ANY money,am living on SSI disability ,and have no idea why they are harassing ME..
I’m reluctant to call them because there are so many scam artists out there trying to get your personal information…I feel if they had ANY legit debt to collect from me,I’d be notified by mail,not by a robocall..
I have just hung up and ignored these calls,but it is getting very frustrating to have them calling at least once a day ,they are only one of many robocalls I get daily–the phony IRS scam,Social Security scam,the “Microsoft Windows” scammers saying my computer is generating spam,etc..all of these robocallers should be forced to pay restitution for harassing people ..its ILLEGAL !..(and I have registered on the “do not call” list,for all the good that did,like nothing–)..
I received a wage garnishment letter from rausch strum, I in the lady 6 months received energy assistance and medical financial assistance can they garnish my wages? I read on the wage garnishment exempt sheet thst wages cant be garnished if you received assistance
In the past 3 weeks I have received numerous letters regarding 2 accounts that Rausch Sturms office has recently obtained because the other creditors closed. I am now getting ignorant phone calls and conversations the threaten me to pay. Could you please advise.
My spouse had judgrment, she fell ill to disfiguring,disabling disease. She was in surgery while court went on with severe infections for a years time. PR, had that day in court, she couldn’t defend herself. She was 250 miles from home. Insurance ran out, public assistance Medicaid kicked in. Portfolio R. Went after anything they could get from he r but they can’t collect from her on public assistance so they garnished MY wages. They quietly got a judgement. They collected 4,000 since Oct. And I’m feeling it, Karen won’t return to work ever, no disability insurance. 5-6 hundred every 2 weeks is a house paymen! Do l have recourse? The last C.Card payment was in 2005. the judgement on 2009, 10,000. Interest so high I cant pay so fast.
In the past 3 weeks I have received numerous letters regarding 2 accounts that Rausch Sturms office has recently obtained because the other creditors closed. I am now getting ignorant phone calls and conversations the threaten me to pay. Could you please advise.
I am a 65 year old, disabled, Native American, woman, alone. From that you can assume that I don’t have much. Getting a spam sandwich to eat is a good day for me. I have health issues that prevent me from making plans for anything, much less a court trial date that was set without even asking if I could make it to court on that date. I am going to get in touch with the Aged and Disabled Agency in my state but I stumbled on your website while online and I just had to tell you my story. I was served by Rausch Sturm, etc. (250 names on their letterhead.) I gave a reply or response within time limit, recorded at Courthouse and all copies sent certified. I gave them the reasons I could not pay the debt, number one I was not sure It was my debt. I asked them to “prove it”. They did not send anything to me with my name or signature that I applied for or had a contract with Discover Bank. (Discover Bank is getting a bad Rap, too, cause I am telling everyone.) My supposed credit limit (per all the credit bureaus) was $10,000.00 (what credit card would give that kind of limit? and I am gonna charge over that? Really?) and they, this firm that does not even care to get their figures right, say I owe $11,000.00 so it could be brought before District Court instead of Civil. I tried to go on their website to discuss what I feel is a $1,000.00 or more error on their part, but they only have a payment site and they didn’t even have my file number in the records. I never talked to anyone cause the number listed wasn’t even thieir phone number. Some lady is trying to sell me a security botton I can push in an emergency. Not even their phone number, unless they sell stuff, too? Did I mention they sent me a collection letter after they filed the suit? Also, I looked up the lawyer listed on the docket, Fallon Hamilton and she stopped working for them in 2018. I found her on Linked-in. Well, as my life is, I had a tooth extracted the week before court date and it’s impacted, 2 hours in dental chair being drilled on, jaw bone exploding, you name it, I felt it. I ended up with dry socket and infection. Dentist put me on antibiotics and Hydrocodone. I was going to have my niece take me to court but I am not used to such pain meds and I was incoherent to say the least. I have been under such tremendous stress over this. I have had thoughts of suicide. How can this law firm or whatever it is just do whatever they want? I say it time for a “Class Action Suit” against them and see how they like being strong armed. F… suicide. Let’s get them back. Who’s with me? Show of hands……
I got sued by them and also got served so I called them to make arrangements. When I picked the monthly payment option they put me for the full amount not the amount it had initially in the letter which was like almost $400 less. So I got new forms today where it shows we came into an agreement however they are asking the judge for court fees of $385 for the server and a 5% interest annually. Can they do that? Why don’t they explain you that about the interest on top of the payments and the court fees??? Can anyone explain?
My husband got served papers that he’s getting sued by Rausch sturm date was October 30 when it was filed and the front page says to respond within 30 days but we got it December 9th.
Says to appear 12/16/19 which is a year from now is this a mistake? Also it’s not even a court house address where he should go.
trying to settle with Rausch and STerm and they will not work with me
I have a credit card that went into default. It is my debt and I am taking responsibility for it. I was making payments that I set up with Rausch and Strum. I have been making payments when I can every month. I have been late and missed 1 or 2 payments. I now get a notice in the mail today, 11/24/2018 saying they are going to court to garnish my wages.
Can they do this and do I have any recourse…? I can not afford to garnished because of the budget I must live with. Any info would be very much welcomed.
Thank You
W A Burke
I received information from Rausch and Sturm for 2 years and responded within the 30 day time period asking for verification of debt. For a solid two years they responded only showing the alleged paperwork and my ‘signature’. No other verification. I slipped up and was one day late on responding within my 30 days and these guys ran to court and filed a lawsuit against me for double what I allegedly owed. To keep my name out of Courts I worked a deal but it is a steep repayment and luckily I have it. My advice: If you go the route of sending certified letters to them stay current, they wait for you to slip up. If you don’t care, get a judgement against yourself, it will disappear eventually. If you work a deal make sure they remove the lawsuit from the Court before you pay, do not do their work for them and sign what they call an admission of guilt etc. Make them work for their money they get a hefty percentage of the recovery.
i got a letter from rausch and it is for an old debt. I can not afford the debt. can it be reduced and make payments. I have talked with the company and they offered payments however for the full amount and for 5 years.
The state of New Mexico seized my bank account and Raush Stern is harassing me day and night. In a chain of events starting Monday the 20th of August, I lost my job and I am A full-time college student in my final year of business college. It is the start of the semester and I have a penny to my name. CAN you help me.
I am currently being garnished for a debt that’s over 10 years old, first of all can they legally do that? The attorney on the garnishment is Roderick J Kersch Jr. 3209 West 76th Street Suite 301 Minneapolis, MN 55435. When I googled the address it shows nothing there, when I googled the his name it said he was from Omaha, when I called the phone number on the garnishment 866-456-3744 it comes up Rausch Sturm. Totally confused.