Would you have known this...?

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 4:52 pm

Just wondering what peoples views are here, esp if youre (sheltered) not involved in the legal business world.

Im not from USA, and had a wedding there recently.
I didnt get to go cos of restrictions.
Someone I know gave me the name of an immigration lawyer to email, to find out if there was a way to go.
I emailed just my enquiry and asked them if this was something they would be able to help with.

I got an email back basically with a copy and paste info from the internet, stating there was no way for me to come unless I did xyz.
I then emailed back is there any other way at all?
and the reply was no.
End.

A couple of weeks later, I get an invoice charging me for the email exchnage.
Maybe I was naive enough to think this info would be free, but not to even mention there would be a cost? ?I asked if this was something they could help with. immediately after, I got an email stating basic facts, and this I was charged for without my understanding??
I feel very taken advantage of.

Anyone have any advice?
Thank you.

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:07 pm

Thanks.
How would I go about it getting proof that I am not obligated to pay?
I did reply back after a few reminders with a nice email saying my reasons why I am not eligible to pay but I just got an apology and again reminder to pay.

married123

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:10 pm

Please don’t pay without an agreement, or an email outlining the payment for email correspondence. It’s illegal and don’t engage in the argument but ignore.

Sorry you have to deal with this

SixOfWands

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:12 pm

yksraya wrote:

Sounds like a scam. If it's a chargeable service, they would charge you before/during service. I hope you didn't pay them.

If this is not an immigration attorney she's dealt with before, the charges should have been made clear up front.

But she went to an attorney to ask a legal question. I don't understand why you think that the attorney should respond free of charge. Do you work for free?

If its so easy that an attorney wasn't needed, she should have googled it herself.

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:15 pm

Im not saying the attorney should work for free, obviously they should charge.
What im saying is, I did not consent to the charges.
I should have been informed about them before I was responded to.

The invoice says the charge is for email consultation with MR .....

heidi

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:15 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

She emailed the attorney.
Who should have sent back a fees and payments letter.
And OP could have made an educated decision if she wanted to continue to consult with him.
Instead he sent back a response.
Not OP's problem.

zaq

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:16 pm

Don't pay. They didn't advise you of their rates at the outset so you assumed this was a free consultation. It's their responsibility to let you know they're billing you from the beginning. A reputable lawyer would state up front whether or not there's a charge for the initial consultation.

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:17 pm

And im just seeing now that the email address is online, so that means that every person who emails gets charged for it??
sounds wierd, without being informed.

In my initial query I did write some information about myself and my circumstances, but I dont understand how they could take the time to answer and then expect payment while not having any info about me.

number

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:19 pm

Huh? If you didn’t agree to pay then there’s no obligation to pay.

What country are they in? I once had a web developer do work for me before giving me an estimate. I found it odd. Thankfully he did good work at a good price. He was from an Eastern European country and I wondered if norms are different there. Besides, he’d told me his rate per hour and it was obviously work I’d expect to pay for.

In this case it wasn’t clear that you’d have to pay at all. A simple answer doesn’t usually require pay.

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:21 pm

heidi wrote:

Put the emails on spam setting.
Ignore.
They have no legal basis to charge you and they know it.

good idea.
Once I put it in spam that means I wont get them anymore?

They emailed me back basically saying
'when you contacted us for our time and proffesional expertise they assumed I would know about fees. it was not a flat fee or retainer (I dont know what that means)
sorry if its difficult for you to pay, but please do.

ExtraCredit

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:26 pm

zoom wrote:

Really strange coming from an attorney’s office!
Do you think you might’ve missed a page of fees way back in the beginning?
Are they asking for a fair price or something ridiculous? If you’d know that you’d need to pay this amount for your questions would you ask them?
You can probably get away with it but if it’s a small charge I’d probably pay just to get them off my back. If they’re charging something ridiculous and just taking advantage I’d put them in spam.

Last edited by ExtraCredit on Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:28 pm; edited 1 time in total

zoom

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:28 pm

Its not a big amount but I dont think they have a right to just demand money with no info.
Is this the way its done in US??
its upsetting for me.

No, there is actually nothing on their website about emial fees, but the email address is there for all to use..

shaynala

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 5:43 pm

zoom wrote:

It sounds like you are definitely not obligated to pay...
If you are nervous you can ask a Rav...I can't imagine you are obligated though...

essie14

Sun, Dec 20 2020, 11:24 pm

zoom wrote:

I've never had anything like this in any country. As soon as you contact a service provider, they tell you their fees, and you sign a contract, then the conversation continues.
I've never had a lawyer say "we assumed..."
That's totally ridiculous. do not pay.