Is the debt collection agency Americollect harassing you?

While some companies are new entries into the debt collection business, there are some that have been doing it for years. And to those that have been doing it for years, there are those that have been doing it for decades. Americollect is one such company that has been in business for a few decades. But does that mean that they are automatically reliable? We take a look at a company that has been around for half a century, and yet may have some underhanded tactics.

What is Americollect?

Americollect is listed as a consumer debt collection agency. They work primarily with creditors within the Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan area. Their catchphrase is “Ridiculously Nice Collections”.

Is Americollect a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Americollect is considered to be a legitimate agency. They opened in the year 1964, and their Better Business Bureau file was opened in 1997. Since then, they became accredited in 2010, and hold an A rating with the BBB. However, they hold a 2 star rating out of 5 stars on the BBB, and currently have quite a few reviews against them that are disparaging.

Americollect Contact Information

Address: 1851 S Alverno Rd, Manitowoc, WI 54220-9208

Other: PO Box 1566 Manitowoc, WI 54221-1566

Website: http://www.americollect.com

Phone: 1-920-682-0311

Other Phone: 1-800-838-0100

Fax: 1-920-682-0313

Does Americollect have Complaints against them?

Americollect has quite a few complaints against them. Through the BBB database, they have 123 customer complaints, as well as 15 customer reviews averaging out to 2 stars.

Americollect also has over 670 registered complaints through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database.

What kind of Complaints have been made?

The complaints vary from area to area. The most prominent reason for the complaints are due to poor debt collection methods, as well as improper reporting.

Of the 672 complaints lodged against Americollect through the CFPB’s CCD, 604 were due to debt collection practices, and 62 were due to improper reporting techniques. Many of these state that they did not receive a notice of the right to dispute the debt, and that the debt sometimes wasn’t theirs to begin with. Many also report harassment and threatening language used by Americollect representatives.

Through the BBB, 114 of the 123 complaints were due to billing issues and collection complications. These also fall in line with issues of verification of the debts, as well as representatives harassing consumers in an attempt to get them to pay even when verification has not been made.

Are the Practices of Americollect Legal?

No, some of these practices are not legal. Per the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) rules and laws, debt collectors are not allowed to harass you excessively, or call you at improper times. THey are also not allowed to misuse and misinform you in an attempt to get you to pay on a debt, even if it is not your own debt. The withholding of the right to dispute notice is also filed under misinformation, as that is deliberately not granting essential information to consumers.

In almost all of the complaints listed, Americollect is alleged to have done exactly this, and if true, its actions violate the law and are considered collection harassment.

How can I protect myself and fight back against Americollect?

There are many ways for you to fight back against such oppressive debt collection harassment. The first and easiest way to protect yourself against such predatory harassment by Americollect representatives is to ask for a verification letter of the debt. Verifying the debt means that the debt collection agency has to provide proof that the debt is real. This can be in the form of identification of the debt from the original owner, as well as identification for an online database. If the debt cannot be verified, then you are not obligated to pay the debt at any point.

If the representatives of Americollect continue to harass you even after you tell them to stop ,then you may want to get an experienced debt collector harassment attorney to help keep the predators at bay. We here at Law Office of Paul Mankin, APC, have our team of experienced debt collection harassment attorneys that can assist you against their advances. We can help you identify their harassment techniques and practices, as well as stop their attempts, and report their harassment to the proper authorities.

Not only can we help you to defend against collection harassment, we can also help to build a case, and assist you in understanding where the illegal collection patterns are for debt collectors. We are also able to help facilitate any communications or discussions between the parties, ensuring that nothing you say can be used against you.

The most important bit of information in your fight is to always remain vigilant. No matter who you have at your side, it can seem like a daunting battle against such a large company and agency. If you have ever been the subject of:

• Multiple calls per week from a third party collection agency
• Multiple calls in the early morning or late night from debt collectors.
• Violent and belligerent language and harassment from debt collectors.
• Threats of arrests or poor credit due to outstanding debts.
• Having your friends, family, and coworkers harassed from debt collectors.
• Automated robocalls from third party collection agencies.

Then you may have a case available. So do not wait, make sure to give us a call, and get started fighting back against the debt collection harassment.