Customer states that they will place an ad in paper to damage business

[TCA]

What is the name of your state? FL

Back in Jan 2005 we sent a former customer to a collection agency for a past due balance that we had been attempting to collect since September. We sent this customer 3 invoices and a final letter informing the customer her account was being terminated for non payment and that if the balance wasn’t paid we would be turning the account over for collections. The collection agency has had numerous contacts with this customer via phone as well as in writing and has informed her that if she didn’t pay the balance owed it would reflect poorly on her credit rating.

Yesterday she left a voice mail asking us to contact her regarding this balance and stated that if something wasn’t done (ie not charge her the amount she owes us) she would take out an ad in the local newspaper and cause as much damage as she could to our business. My wife called her back to inform her that she owed us the money and we would not be threatened into not charging her. She responded that she will be taking an ad out in the newspaper and cost us as much business as she can. While I doubt the newspaper will place an ad like this, if she does do I have any legal recourse against her or the newspaper?

 

[JETX]

Yesterday she left a voice mail asking us to contact her regarding this balance and stated that if something wasn’t done (ie not charge her the amount she owes us) she would take out an ad in the local newspaper and cause as much damage as she could to our business. My wife called her back to inform her that she owed us the money and we would not be threatened into not charging her. She responded that she will be taking an ad out in the newspaper and cost us as much business as she can. While I doubt the newspaper will place an ad like this, if she does do I have any legal recourse against her or the newspaper?

It is EXTREMELY unlikely that she will do this. However, if she does, as long as her statements are truthful, she can say what she wants.
If her statements are false (defamatory), you could have a cause of action against her.

 

[TCA]

JETX, thanks for the reply, I also doubt that she will place the ad and waste her time and money. But who knows.

The only thing she could put in the paper would either be a false statement of some form or the truth (which I highly doubt) that she never paid the past due ballance owed and after several months was turned over to a collection agency and after they made numerous attempt to collect the debit she was reported to the 3 major credit reporting agencies.

I also learned that we aren't the only company that she owes money to.