Debt Settlement

by Michael Agruss

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Bureau of Collection Recovery

Incorporated in 1985, Bureau of Collection Recovery now employs over 300 collectors. It has two offices in Minnesota and one in New Delhi, India.  It collects debt for cell phone companies as well as credit card companies. The company boasts about the advanced technologies they use to collect debt, including the use of a predictive dialer to increase call volume. The constant phone calls from this company has been a frequent complaint from consumers on many blogs, discussion forums, etc.

According to its Web site, Bureau of Collection Recovery claims “At BCR we strive to always work with consumers in a professional and dignified manner while adhering to ethical business practices.”  However, according to its track record, the company’s collection activities shed a much different light when analyzed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act has been around for almost 35 years.  The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state.  In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA.  The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt.

According to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), it has been sued about 90 times in the last 3 years for debt collection harassment.  It does not get any better for Bureau of Collection Recovery on the Better Business Bureau.  The Better Business Bureau has processed 146 billing/collection issues, and 171 total complaints, regarding the said company in the last three years.

Bureau of Collection Recovery has several telephone numbers it places debt collection calls from.  The company may be calling you from the following telephone numbers: 800-831-7311, 210-757-4817, 877-788-1060, 202-607-2726, 202-607-2746, 402-218-4054, 952-259-1101, 530-402-8852, 773-451-8331, 317-451-4947, 888-232-8544, 888-276-8574, 818-272-8972, 847-850-0302, 860-331-8050, 877-788-1070, 407-278-7497, 773-295-1933, 704-215-4440, 206-289-0790, 202-607-2756, 202-607-2731, 202-607-2732, 202-607-2806, 888-714-2338, 856-672-5011, 202-607-2748, 630-318-2552, 952-259-1169, 952-259-1152, 886-364-9836, and 888-276-8209.

Is Bureau of Collection Recovery harassing you over debt? If it has harassed you over a debt, whether they called you excessively, threatened you, made misrepresentations when trying to collect old debts, called you at work despite knowing you cannot receive these type of calls at work, disclosed your debt to a third party, tried to collect a debt from you that you did not owe, or left you a voicemail message without the proper disclosures contact a law firm for a free case evaluation. 

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Brachfeld Law Group

Brachfeld Law Group was founded in 2001 and is one of the largest collection law firms in the United States.   It has offices in Ohio, Texas, and California.  Brachfeld Law Group collects debt for various financial and medical institutions, including several major banks.

According to its Web site, Brachfeld Law Group is “staffed with experienced collections personnel and Licensed Attorneys, and all collections staff are tested on state and FDCPA law as a prerequisite to employment and tested annually thereafter..”  However, according to its track record, Brachfeld Law Group’s collection activities shed a much different light when analyzed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act has been around for almost 35 years.  The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state.  In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA.  The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt.

According to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), the said collection law firm has been sued about 70 times in the last 3 years for debt collection harassment.  It does not get any better for this law firm on the Better Business Bureau.  The Better Business Bureau has processed 107 billing/collection issues, and 155 total complaints, regarding Brachfeld Law Group in the last three years.

Brachfeld Law Group has several telephone numbers it places debt collection calls from.  The said collection law firm may be calling you from the following telephone numbers: 713-579-7000, 614-468-2204 , 310-273-7867, 310-658-5997, 614-389-3316, 713-579-7020, 866-837-4402, 866-354-3556, 866-917-1298, 614-389-3316, 866-598-9371, 866-737-3695, 805-754-3206, 866-787-1618, 614-389-2600, 866-837-4408, 866-837-4406, 866-598-9375, 866-835-1915, 866-834-3940, 859-559-4699, 866-598-9391, 877-290-2697, 866-917-1328, 866-836-8907, 866-834-3556, 702-628-5344, 971-313-8272, 877-545-1461, 866-837-6262, 877-375-6990, 866-834-6218, and 760-957-0024.

Is Brachfeld Law Group harassing you over debt? If Brachfeld Law Group has harassed you over a debt, whether they called you excessively, threatened you, made misrepresentations when trying to collect old debts, called you at work despite knowing you cannot receive these type of calls at work, disclosed your debt to a third party, tried to collect a debt from you that you did not owe, or left you a voicemail message without the proper disclosures, contact a different law firm for a free case evaluation. 

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Valentine and Kebartas

Valentine and Kebartas is a collection agency that has been in business since 1994.  Valentine and Kebartas has over 400 employees and offices in Massachusetts, Idaho, Florida, and Panama.  Valentine and Kebartas collects debt in the following industries: bankcard, retail, telecommunications, government, education, utilities, and insurance.

According to its Web site, Valentine and Kebartas claims it is different from other collection agencies because of Valentine and Kebartas’s “commitment to the client.”  What about Valentine and Kebartas’s commitment to complying with local, state, and federal laws and regulations.  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act has been around for almost 35 years.  The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state.  In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA.  The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt.

According to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), Valentine and Kebartas has been sued about 85 times in the last 3 years for debt collection harassment.  It does not get any better for Valentine and Kebartas on the Better Business Bureau.  The Better Business Bureau has processed 107 billing/collection issues, and 132 total complaints, regarding Valentine and Kebartas in the last three years.

Valentine and Kebartas has several telephone numbers it places debt collection calls from.  Valentine and Kebartas may be calling you from the following telephone numbers: 978-332-5480, 866-598-2788, 800-731-7766, 855-737-7644, 813-379-2606, 978-975-0799, 208-955-7207, 800-941-3849, 208-639-4422, 630-339-8110, 706-993-2495, 800-462-4884, 214-200-9131, 213-873-5000, 877-250-7416, 310-256-3541, 902-443-6453, 502-410-4813, 978-687-1264, 713-338-2013, 208-287-6691, 866-598-2788, and 978-975-0799.

If Valentine and Kebartas has harassed you over a debt, whether they called you excessively, threatened you, made misrepresentations when trying to collect old debts, called you at work despite knowing you cannot receive these type of calls at work, disclosed your debt to a third party, tried to collect a debt from you that you did not owe, or left you a voicemail message without the proper disclosures, contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation.  Founding attorney, Michael Agruss, has settled over 1,500 debt collection harassment cases.  Now, Agruss Law Firm, LLC, wants to help you, too.

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Dispute Credit Report

The information in your credit report is used to evaluate your application for credit, insurance, employment, and renting a home.  Your credit report contains information about where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you’ve been sued or arrested, and whether you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Therefore, you should be sure the information is accurate and up to date. Additionally, monitoring your credit is one of the best ways to spot identity theft. Be aware that there is a process to dispute credit report if you think you need to.

It is crucial that you check your credit report at least once a year to correct errors and to detect unauthorized activity.  Once again, the information in your credit report affects whether or not you get a loan, and your interest rate when you do get a loan.  The information also affects insurance, renting a home, and even getting a job.  Therefore, you want to make sure the information in your credit report is accurate, complete, and up-to-date beforeyou apply for a loan or a credit card, before you apply for a job, before you apply for insurance, and before you submit a rental application.  Finally, monitoring your credit report will help guard against identity theft.

To dispute credit report, you should:

Get a free copy of your credit report http://agrusslawfirm.com/index.php/Free-Credit-Report

Write a letter to all three of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  Tell the credit reporting companies what information is incorrect in your credit report.  Include documents that support your position.  State the facts and exactly why you dispute the information, and request that the inaccuracy be removed or corrected.  It is also helpful to enclose a copy of your credit report with your dispute and circle the items that are incorrect.  Your dispute letter should include your: (1) full legal name, (2) date of birth, (3) social security number, (4) current mailing address, and (5) a copy of your driver’s license.

Mail your dispute letter and supporting documents certified mail return receipt to the three credit reporting agencies below.

Write a letter to the original creditor (e.g. credit card company, hospital,             utility company) or other information provider that you dispute an item in your credit report.  Most providers specify an address for disputes.  Provide the original creditor or other information provider the exact same information you provided above in number 2.

Wait about 30 days from the date the credit reporting companies and original creditor  receive your dispute letter.  In other words, wait about 30 days from the date on the return receipt you receive back from the credit report company.  After the credit reporting company investigates your dispute, the credit reporting company must give you the results of their investigation in writing.

If the credit reporting agency does not correct the inaccurate information in your credit report, contact a Law Firm for further help.

Experian P.O. Box 9556 Allen, TX 75013

Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 

TransUnion Trans Union Consumer Relations P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022-2000

*Keep copies of your letter and supporting documents to all three credit reporting agencies, and to the original creditor or other information provider. 

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Debt Collection Laws Protect You Even If You Do Not Owe The Debt

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) has been around for almost 35 years.  It is a federal law that applies to every state.  In other words, everyone is protected by FDCPA.  Its purposes are to eliminate abusive practices in the collection of consumer debts, to promote fair debt collection, and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining debt validation information in order to ensure the information’s accuracy.  It creates Debt Collection Laws as guidelines under which debt collectors may conduct business, defines rights of consumers involved with debt collectors, and prescribes penalties and remedies for violations of the FDCPA.  It is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt.

People should be aware that FDCPA protects debtors and non-debtors alike with the implementation of Debt Collection Laws.  That is, everyone is protected by the it, even if you do not owe the debt.  The Fourth and Eight Circuits, in Rawlinson v. Law Office of William Rudow and Dunham v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, recently held that whether or not someone owes the debt is immaterial for an FDCPA claim.  The legislative history of the FDCPA supports this finding, too:

This law also protects people who do not owe money at all. This is also stated in the Debt Collection Laws. In the collector’s zeal, collections effort[s] are often aimed at the wrong person either because of mistaken identity or mistaken facts. It will make collectors behave responsibly towards people with whom they deal.  Another group of people who do not owe money, but who may be deliberately harassed are the family, employer and neighbors of the consumer.  These people are also protected by this federal law.

If a collection agency calls you about a debt you do not owe, be sure to tell the collection agency that you do not owe the debt, and request the collection agency to stop calling you.  Don’t simply hang up on the collector.  You should put the collection agency on notice that you do not owe the debt, and therefore, request that the calls stop.  If the collection agency continues to call you, choose a law firm with an attorney that has settled over 1,500 debt collection harassment cases. Just like the Agruss Law Firm, LLC, it should also have this simple philosophy: counsel and zealously advocate for each client with passion and compassion, while quickly solving problems. Call a law firm that will definitely help you stop the harassment and get you money damages.  Plus, the collection agency will pay your attorney’s fees and costs.

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Stop Arrow Financial Harassment

Arrow Financial is a receivables management company and is part of Sallie Mae. One aspect of this company is debt collection. It has been in business for over 50 years and is headquartered in Niles, Illinois. It has additional offices in Rockville Centre, New York; and Austin, Texas; and has locations in Whitewater, Wisconsin; and Austin, Texas. The company provides debt collection services to the following industries: credit cards, student loans, utilities, telecommunications, and auto deficiencies.

Let’s take a look at Arrow Financial’s collection activities when analyzed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The FDCPA has been around for almost 35 years. The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state. In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA. The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt. According to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), it has been sued over 175 times in the last three years for harassing consumers. It does not get any better for this management company on the Better Business Bureau, either. It is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Not only is Arrow Financial not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it has a D- rating with the Better Business Bureau. The reason for Arrow Financial’s low rating is because the Better Business Bureau has processed 231 billing/collection issues regarding this company in the last three years.

Arrow Financial has several telephone numbers it places collection calls from. Arrow Financial may be calling you from the following telephone numbers: 800-279-0224, 847-557-1100, 800-204-1819, 877-603-7161, 866-667-3342, 800-330-3128, 800-297-8713, 425-339-3224, 520-616-2211, 877-541-8420, 716-871-9050, 262-473-8340, 252-757-2106, 847-557-1115, 888-261-7974, 516-872-2830, 847-647-9526, 800-896-2743, 262-473-2100, 262-473-6430, 800-274-6419, 866-758-7809, 847-410-3245, 281-668-7389, 281-668-7960, 202-607-2749, or 202-607-2733.

Is Arrow Financial harassing you?

If Arrow Financial has harassed you over a debt, whether they called you excessively, threatened you, made misrepresentations when trying to collect old debts, called you at work despite knowing you cannot receive these type of calls at work, disclosed your debt to a third party, tried to collect a debt from you that you did not owe, or left you a voicemail message without the proper disclosures, contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation. Founding attorney, Michael Agruss, has settled over 1,500 debt collection harassment cases. Now, Agruss Law Firm, LLC, wants to help you, too.

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Section 1692c(a)(3) of the FDCPA deals with collection calls at work.  A debt collector may not communicate with you regarding a debt at your place of employment if the debt collector knows or has reason to know that your employer prohibits you from receiving such calls at work.  Therefore, if a collector is calling you at work, and your employer prohibits these type of calls, you should tell the collector two things.  First, tell the collector that your employer does not allow you to receive these type of calls at work.  Second, tell the collector not to call you at work anymore.  You can make these requests on the phone or in writing.  Either way, the collector must stop calling you at work.

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Requesting Debt Validation and Disputing Your Debt

                                                            The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) has been around for over 30 years.  The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state.  In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA.  Its purposes are to eliminate abusive practices in the collection of consumer debts, to promote fair debt collection, and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy.  The FDCPA creates guidelines under which debt collectors may conduct business, defines rights of consumers involved with debt collectors, and prescribes penalties and remedies for violations of the FDCPA.  The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collects can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt.

One important section of the FDCPA is section 1692g, which deals with validating debts.  Section 1692g states, “[w]ithin five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall…send the consumer a written notice containing” the following information: (1) the amount of the debt, (2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed, (3) a statement that the consumer has 30 days to dispute the debt, otherwise the debt will be assumed to be valid, (4) a statement about what the collector will produce if the consumer disputes the debt within 30 days, and (5) a statement that the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if it is different than the current creditor.  In other words, the 1692g Notice Letter contains important information about the debt and about the consumer’s rights.  Therefore, consumers should read this letter carefully.

If a consumer receives a 1692g Notice Letter from a debt collector, the consumer has 30 days to dispute the debt and to obtain additional information the debt from the collector.  Therefore, consumers should always respond to 1692g Notice Letters in order to obtain complete and accurate information about the underlying debt.  Furthermore, it is crucial to dispute the debt within the 30-day window, too, if the consumer does not owe the debt.  Once a consumer requests validation of the debt or disputes the debt, the debtor collector must stop all collection activities until the debtor collector provides verification of the debt to the consumer.  Therefore, the consumer will have some momentary relief from the telephone calls and the letters while the collector gathers and provides verification of the debt.  More importantly, however, the debt collector will be forced the validate the debt before continuing with collection efforts.

In summary, consumers should carefully read the 1692g Notice Letter and exercise their the right to validation and right to dispute the debt.  That way, consumers will be educated before determining how to attempt to resolve the debt at issue.