Automated Collection Services ACSI Collections Complaints? Calling, Harassing You?

Is ACSI legit? Are they a scam?

Automated Collection Services Inc or ACSI is a Roanoke, Virginia-based third-party debt collection agency with a branch location in St. Cloud, Minnesota. ACSI is a subsidiary of Encore Capital, which purchases debt and utilizes ACSI to collect that debt. Encore purchases unsecured consumer debt of any and every sort, such as credit card, automotive, mobile phone, health care, and utilities. Encore is one of the largest collectors and buyers of debt in the United States, and it has settled complaints and lawsuits for unfair or unlawful debt collection practices brought from the national Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as by government agencies in New York and Colorado.

According to its website, ACSI purports to help customers handle their debt, and it operates under the principle to be “Committed to treating every individual with integrity and honesty.” ACSI’s debt collection tactics include, but aren’t limited to, robo-calls, letters, and law suits. If a lawsuit is filed and a judgment is obtained against the debtor, this judgment will accrue interest until paid in full. Additionally, the judgment can be used to obtain a wage garnishment against the debtor.

ACSI is a member of numerous professional debt collection associations, including the Association of Credit and Collections Professionals (ACA International).

Who does ACSI collect for?

ACSI’s website does not specify which industries in which it offers its debt collection services.

As a third-party debt collection agency, ACSI 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 ACSI 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 ACSI debt collectors.

Reviews: How many complaints have been filed against ACSI?

ACSI is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though the BBB issued ACSI an “B” rating, despite the presence of 105 complaints against ACSI in the past three years, only 38 of which have been resolved in the past 12 months. 87 of these complaints contained allegations related to ACSI’s billing and collections practices, while the remaining 18 complaints contained allegations related to delivery issues and services provided by ACSI. Since July 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received an astonishing 255 complaints against ACSI, 234 of which contained allegations related to ACSI’s debt collection practices, including its communication tactics, improper sharing of contact information, threats of legal action, and attempts to collect debts not owed, while the remaining complaints contained allegations related to credit reporting and consumer loans. In addition, Justia, one of the largest online legal databases in the United States, lists at least 200 federal cases of civil litigation involving ACSI. Many of these complaints contain allegations that ACSI violated the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

 Are you asking yourself…

Why is ACSI calling me?

ACSI 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 Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI from calling?

First you can write a cease and desist letter. Explain to ACSI 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 Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI harass me?

No. If you’ve been contacted by Automated Collection Services, 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 ACSI sue me?

Yes. ACSI 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 Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI garnish my wages?

Yes. However, ACSI cannot threaten you to garnish your wages and garnishment can only only occur if Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI report my debt to the Credit Bureaus?

Yes. ACSI 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 ACSI 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 Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI call me at work?

Yes, ACSI can call you at work however there are strict limits about what Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI call my family members?

Yes. Again however, there would be strict limits to what they can say. It would be illegal, for example, if Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI arrest me?

No. ACSI – or any other debt collection agency like Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI?

Yes. You can sue ACSI if you believe Automated Collection Services 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 ACSI – 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.