Telephone recording is one of the tools used to gain leverage. Properly used, it can be very effective. As Apex intimates, it is going to take a lot of leverage in this instance because the dollar values involved are significant and contingency representation is unlikely. As has been pointed out, a FDCPA violation award isn't going to help tremendously from a financial offset point of view. The OP is going to need to address how, in the end, this problem is best resolved, because it is unlikely to go away. Make a settlement offer? Make a payment arrangement? Seek Chapter 13 protection? If he has an idea as to what is an acceptable solution to him, he can begin to work to get and use his leverage to support that objective, solve the problem and get on with his life. Maybe a stop-loss approach is more advisable? Certainly a stop harassment effort is essential. The objective is for the OP to come out on the other side with as much of his sanity, peace, and quiet as he can while the same time maintaining an acceptable financial position. We should not lose sight of that. He's got to see as many of the pieces as he can before he can put together an effective plan.
