Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

My name was given as a reference to a "Cash Services" company by a good friend. In an attempt to reach the friend to resolve the debt, one of the "Cash Services" agents represented herself as the "Attorney of Record" for the "Cash Services" in a "Criminal Matter"...stating that 1) There is a warrant for my friends arrest. 2) He was already charged with a criminal offense. 3) She wished to speak directly with my friend's attorney.

She knew that I was not my friend, because she asked for me specifically when she called and required me to confirm verbally that I was the person she was calling...the name given as a reference on my friend's paperwork.

As I persisted to ask further questions, in order to validate her claims of being an attorney, she became belligerent and hung up the phone. I called back to request her Bar Association number, but another individual picked up the phone and said that he was the "Officer in charge." I asked him to provide me with her Bar Association number/I.D and he stated that she was not an attorney, but that she was working for the attorney of Record. I informed him that misrepresenting herself as an attorney in order to gain information from me, was possibly a criminal offense. As I persisted with my request for the attorney's bar association number/identification, he too became belligerent, insulting, and offensive...shouting down my request for the attorney's legal identification, so that I could provide a full accounting of the necessary information for my friend....he shouts "Shut your mouth" "Why are you talking all of this crap?" I cordially informed him that I was being respectful towards him and requested he do the same, so that I could receive the Bar Association number for the attorney whom his associate claimed to be working for.

I'm not sure of the legal ramifications of an individual misrepresenting themselves as an Attorney of Record in order to gain information, privileged or not. I would greatly appreciate a qualified perspective on this matter. While i have no objection to this company calling me, as the reference on my friend's documentation...I do however object to their agents intentionally and willfully misrepresenting themselves as Members of the bar, attorney of record, or officers of the court. I've dreamed of becoming an attorney since the age of 7, and hold attorneys in high regards. I've taken a myriad of legal courses throughout my education, but circumstances of my own fault prevented me from fulfilling it. In time, I plan to reconsider. However, I know that information is deemed as privileged and thus, individuals claiming to be attorneys might subvert the attorney client privilege. Law school, the bar exam, and the process to achieve the status as an attorney is incredibly challenging...It disgusted me that they would degrade the professional ethics of attorneys, by falsely claiming to be one.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

1 Answer from Attorneys

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