Is Amcol Systems Inc Calling You?*

Is Amcol Systems Inc Calling You? Here’s What You Need to Know

Many people sink into serious debt through no fault of their own. They’ve lost their jobs, become disabled, or had an unexpected financial setback.

Whatever the cause, they will eventually be pursued by debt collectors, who are not always ethical when pursuing payments. If you are being harassed, you should know that such behavior is illegal and you don’t have to tolerate it.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, requires third-party debt collectors to adhere to a certain code of conduct when dealing with indebted consumers.

Manipulative and abusive tactics like those below are illegal, and can result in both fines and revocation of the agency’s license.

• Cursing and calling you names
• Threatening legal action they cannot take or have no intention of taking
• Maliciously reporting false information to the credit bureaus
• Failing or refusing to identify themselves as debt collectors trying to collect a debt
• Calling you at inconvenient times and places
• Demanding amounts that exceed the original debt

Company Profile: Amcol Systems Inc

Amcol Systems Inc is a debt collection agency located in Columbia, South Carolina. It was founded in 1984, has approximately 200 employees, and is managed by Jeff Murphy.

A search of records on file at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirms that Amcol Systems Inc has been sued in the past by consumers who alleged that their rights had been infringed upon.

Alleged Violations by Amcol Systems Inc

Glen Classey vs. Amcol Systems Inc

According to PACER**, on or around July 2012, Wisconsin resident Glen Classey began receiving calls from Amcol Systems Inc about an alleged medical debt. Each time he answered, the collector asked for his date of birth for verification purposes.

When he asked who they were and why they were calling, he was allegedly told that they could not tell him unless he first provided his date of birth.

Mr. Classey had once been a victim of identity theft and was reluctant to provide personal information over the phone to an unidentified third party, so he replied that he would not disclose his birthdate unless he knew who was calling and why.

When he asked to speak to a manager, the call was allegedly terminated.

During another conversation, Mr. Classey disputed the medical debt, saying he believed the it had been paid by a third-party insurance company. The collector allegedly told him that he had to contact the original creditor to see if he really owed it, although Amcol Systems Inc was obligated under the FDCPA to verify the debt upon request.

Mr. Classey hired an attorney and sued Amcol Systems Inc for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Calling a consumer without meaningful disclosure of the caller’s identity
• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
• Failing to identify the caller as a debt collector each time

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for Amcol Systems Inc are:

1-803-798-6370

1-800-849-8500

If you see either number on your caller ID during an incoming call,be aware that a collections agency may be on the line. If they fail to identify themselves as debt collectors during every communication with you or validate the debt upon request, hire an attorney.

Such omissions violate the FDCPA, and if you sue Amcol Systems Inc, you could potentially win $1,000 per FDCPA violation as well as attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages in a court action.

The law grants you rights as an indebted consumer, and debt collectors disregard them at considerable risk.

**Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is (Case 2:12-cv-00934-PJG from United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Division)

*Disclaimer:

The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Aargon Collection Agency or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.