Are You Being Called By Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation?*

Are you getting calls or voicemails from Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation? You should know about your rights!

If you’re being besieged with calls and letters from debt collectors, it’s normal to feel stressed and trapped, especially if they issue dire threats about the consequences of nonpayment.

Don’t be intimidated: there are laws to protect you from abusive debt collectors.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, is a consumer protection law that prohibits third-party debt collectors from using underhanded collection tactics. If you are subjected to any of the following, you have grounds to sue.

• Calling you at work after you tell them that you can’t take personal calls there
• Leaving vague messages that do not identify the caller as a debt collector
• Threatening to ruin your credit if you don’t pay
• Using profane and obscene language to intimidate you
• Discussing the debt with anyone but you, your spouse, or your attorney
• Threatening to have you arrested or garnish your wages

Company Profile: Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation

Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation is a collection agency located in Flint, Michigan. It was established in 1960, has 120 employees, and is managed by its President, David Cairndruff.

The Better Business Bureau has awarded the company a B rating. Files archived at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, consumers who felt they were being harassed by Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation chose to fight back in court.

Alleged Violations By Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation

Darci Ravenscraft vs. Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation**

According to PACER, in or around September 4, 2014, Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation allegedly began calling Michigan resident Darci Ravenscraft at work regarding a medical debt. On at least one occasion, she told the caller to send her written verification of the alleged debt, but the collector allegedly refused.

Ms. Ravenscraft also told the agency to stop calling her at work, and asked if she could call them back at another time. The collector allegedly refused and demanded immediate payment over the phone in the amount of $1,600.00.

Ms. Ravenscraft later claimed that this party proceeded to threaten her, stating that her account would be given to an attorney if she failed to tender an immediate payment.

Ms. Ravenscraft retained an attorney, who mailed a cease and desist letter to the agency’s address.

Despite this, on October 10, 2014 at approximately 1:48 p.m., Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation allegedly called her at work again.

Feeling harassed by Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation, Ms. Ravenscraft sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using oppressive, abusive and harassing techniques to collect the debt
• Ignoring a cease communications request
• Using the phone to harass her
• Threatening legal action that could not be taken

The matter was later resolved.

Fight Against Creditor Harrasment!

The phone numbers for Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation are as follows:

• 1-810-239-3030
• 1-800-225-8770
• 1-888-635-6510

If you see any of these numbers calling you, it may mean that you might be getting a call from Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation. If they ignore a cease communications demand and threaten legal action simply to scare you into paying, hire a consumer attorney.

Bullying consumers is illegal, and if you decide to file a claim against Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation with your attorney’s help, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per violation as well as attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages.

When a debt collector pushes you too far, the law has resources that enable you to push back.

**Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 5:15-cv-11163-JCO-MJH from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division.

*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.