Armada Corporation is a debt collection agency is bound by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Learn more about the company and how you can stop harassing debt collection calls.
Is Armada Corporation legit? Are they a scam?
Armada Corporation is a legitimate third-party debt collection agency based in Washington. Armada Corporation has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including improper contact or sharing of information and failing to verify debts. If you have been contacted by Armada Corporation, make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
According to its website, Armada Corporation is a regional debt recovery firm with six office locations spread across two states. Armada Corporation has over 69 years of experience in the debt collection industry.
In support of its debt collection efforts, Armada Corporation utilizes the latest technology and a staff of over 50 professional debt collectors. Armada Corporation offers several proprietary services, including Pay Assist, & Pay, ClientAccessWeb, and PayStream. PayAssist allows businesses to implement “time/self-pay monitoring services to dramatically increase cash flow and significantly reduce the time staff is spending on follow-up.” Similarly, EPay enables telephone and internet credit card transactions. ClientAccessWeb is the software behind Armada Corporation’s online client access portal. PayStream is an “online payment and negotiation tool where consumers can forgo the process of speaking with a collector… as an easier way to manage their finances.”
In addition, Armada Corporation’s “DebtCollect” division provides third-party collection services for regional businesses. Benefits include “high recovery rates, local offices, payment plan management, electronic data transfer, an online reporting system, and complimentary professional on-site training.”
Armada Corporation’s website provides fairly comprehensive consumer protection information on its Consumer Center page, including information about the FDCPA, credit reports, and regional laws.
Armada Corporation is a member of the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International) and the Washington Collectors Association (WCA) as well as a number of other professional debt collection associations and chambers of commerce.
Who does Armada Corporation collect for?
Armada Corporation offers debt collection services for a variety of industries, including healthcare providers, government entities, court systems, utilities, financial services, banking institutions, credit unions, payday lenders, and retail businesses.
As a third-party debt collection agency, Armada Corporation is required to adhere to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a federal law that protects consumers from abusive debt collection tactics. Nevertheless, consumers have filed complaints accusing Armada Corporation of violating the FDCPA. Those accusations have included claims that the debt collection agency has threatened to sue consumers without actually intending to do so and talking to third parties about consumers’ debts. It’s imperative that you know your rights under the law before speaking with Armada Corporation debt collectors.
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Reviews: How many complaints have been filed against Armada Corporation?
Armada Corporation is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though the BBB issued Armada Corporation an “A+” rating, despite the presence of seven complaints against Armada Corporation in the past three years, only one of which has been resolved. Six of these complaints contained allegations related to Armada Corporation’s billing and collections practices, while the remaining complaint contained allegations related to Armada Corporation’s services. Since March 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received 53 complaints against Armada Corporation. 48 of these complaints contained allegations related to Armada Corporation’s debt collection practices, while the remaining complaints contained allegations related to Armada Corporation’s credit reporting and mortgage services. In addition, Justia, one of the largest online legal databases in the United States, lists at least two federal cases of civil litigation involving Armada Corporation.
Are you asking yourself…
Why is Armada Corporation calling me?
Armada Corporation could be calling for a number of reasons, all of them related to debt collection:
- They could be collecting a debt on behalf of a creditor. For example, your dentist may have hired the agency to collect on a past due dental bill.
- They may be calling about a debt incurred by someone you don’t know. For example, it could be a wrong number call or your phone number could have been previously owned by the person who actually owes the debt.
- They could be calling to ask the whereabouts of someone you know. For example, they may believe that a family member of yours owes a debt and they’re trying to get a hold of his or her phone number or find out where he/she works.
- They may be trying to get you to make a small payment on a time-barred debt in order to restart the clock on the statute of limitations. For example, they could have purchased a very old bundle of uncollected cell phone bills that are legally unenforceable; convincing a consumer to pay even a dollar makes the debt current again.
If you’ve been contacted by Armada it’s important to know your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. If they’ve violated your rights, you can take the agency to court and sue for statutory damages of up to $1,000 – along with court costs and attorney fees.
How do I stop Armada Corporation from calling?
First you can write a cease and desist letter. Explain to Armada Corporation that they have the wrong person and insist that they stop calling you. Make sure to send your letter via certified mail with a return receipt requested. If debt collectors from Armada persist in calling you, make sure to keep a log. Note the date and time of each call, the name of the debt collector, and what was said. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors, who violate the law, must pay consumers up to one thousand, dollars plus attorney’s fees. A fair debt attorney can represent you at no charge, and can readily evaluate your case. It’s also important to file complaints with the Better Business Bureau and with the Federal Trade Commission.
Can Armada Corporation harass me?
No. If you’ve been contacted by Armada, you have the right to sue them in federal court if the debt collection agency has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Signs that you may be on solid legal footing are:
- The debt collection agency called you several times in a single week
- A debt collector calls you before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
- You’ve told the debt collection agency that you can’t receive calls at work, but they call anyway
- The debt collection agency is threatening to sue you
- A debt collector has disclosed information about your debt to family members, coworkers, or friends
- The debt collection agency is asking you to pay collection fees
- A debt collector insults, swears at you or calls you names
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was put into law in order to protect consumers like you, but there’s a catch. While the government sues debt collection agencies that egregiously violate the law, it doesn’t sue agencies on behalf of individual consumers. Instead, the FDCPA has what’s called a fee-shifting provision. This means that, if you sue and win, then the debt collection agency has to pay your court costs and attorney fees. Fee-shifting levels the playing field so that you can assert your rights.
Can Armada Corporation sue me?
Yes. Armada Corporation can sue you if you owe the debt, however, threatening to sue or serve you with papers if they don’t intend to do so is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Additionally, after receiving the first collection notice, you have 30 days to dispute the debt. If you dispute the debt, then Armada is required by the FDCPA to prove that you do, in fact, owe the money. A debt collection agency isn’t allowed to sue you if, for example, the debt is past the statute of limitations or if you do not legally owe the debt. It’s a good idea to speak with a fair debt attorney if you’ve been served with a summons or legal complaint.
Can Armada Corporation garnish my wages?
Yes. However, Armada Corporation cannot threaten you to garnish your wages and garnishment can only only occur if Armada files a lawsuit and obtains a judgment against you. It’s common for consumers to ignore notice of a lawsuit; if you don’t appear in court, the judge may automatically rule against you. Debt collection agencies have been known to avoid serving consumers with notice to increase the odds of obtaining a judgment. This is called “sewer service” or “gutter service.” The bottom line? If wage garnishment takes you by surprise, talk to a consumer attorney who can fight for your rights.
Can Armada Corporation report my debt to the Credit Bureaus?
Yes. Armada Corporation can report debts in collection to the three major credit reporting agencies – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Once a debt is reported to the credit bureaus, it will appear on your credit report and will impact your credit score.
Can Armada Corporation put a lien on my house or property?
Yes. However, as with wage garnishment, a property lien can only arise out of a court judgment against you. If Armada files a lawsuit against you and the judge rules in their favor, then the debt collection agency has a right to collect that money. One way of doing that is by putting a lien on your house or property. That’s why it’s imperative to respond to legal papers and to have an attorney by your side who will fight on your behalf.
Can Armada Corporation call me at work?
Yes, Armada Corporation can call you at work however there are strict limits about what Armada can say or ask about you if they are calling your at your place of employment. If you want them to stop calling your job, you should tell them not to and you say that your employer either doesn’t allow those types of calls or it’s inconvenient for you. If they keep calling after you have made this request, it’s actually a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act for them to continue to call you. These laws prevent calls to work when you’ve told them not to, so it’s important to make that clear to the debt collector calling you. Take the date, and time, and the name of the person that you spoke with when you asked them not to call at work and then consult with an attorney about your rights
Can Armada Corporation call my family members?
Yes. Again however, there would be strict limits to what they can say. It would be illegal, for example, if Armada called your family and discussed your debt with them. It might be easier to say that the ONLY reason a debt collector can contact your family is to obtain or confirm your location information so that they may contact you. That is the only exception to the law regarding third party contact. Collection calls are annoying enough, but when a collector is calling your friends, family, co-workers or place of employment and discloses information about your finances, the annoyance can quickly turn into harassment. Under federal law, debt collectors cannot discuss your debts with your children, roommates, and in many states, even your spouse.
Can Armada Corporation arrest me?
No. Armada Corporation – or any other debt collection agency like Armada for that matter – has no authority whatsoever to arrest you. In fact, threatening you with arrest or jail is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. While so-called “debtors prisons” are illegal, only non-payment of things like traffic tickets can lead a judge to issue a bench warrant, which in turn can lead to arrest.
Can I sue Armada Corporation?
Yes. You can sue Armada Corporation if you believe they violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The FDCPA says that debt collection agencies that violate the law must pay consumers up to $1,000 in statutory damages, as well as court costs and attorney fees. That’s why engaging a fair debt attorney to represent you in an FDCPA lawsuit typically doesn’t cost you anything out of pocket. The attorney that agrees to take on your case knows that the debt collection agency will be forced to pay their fees.
Ready to fight for your rights?
If Armada Corporation – or any other debt collection agency – is calling you to the point of harassment, using abusive or profane language, or violating the FDCPA in some other way, it’s time to fight back. Under the law, you may be entitled to up to $1,000. At Lemberg Law, we won’t charge you a dime out of pocket, and we only get paid when you win. Call us today for a free, no-obligation, case evaluation. We’ll get the justice that you deserve.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.