Called By American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc.?

Are you being called by American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc.? Here’s what you need to know.

When debt collectors call you on a regular basis and make a point of belittling and embarrassing you for your inability to pay, you may be tempted to declare bankruptcy to make it all stop. While bankruptcy can give you a fresh start when debt is crippling your life, there are other ways you can stop a collection agency from making your life miserable.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, gives you the right to dispute a debt and tell a debt collector to stop contacting you (unless it is to advise you that legal action has been initiated or the case has been dropped). It also regulates how third-party agencies may collect a debt and prohibits actions like the following.

• Failing to identify themselves during each communication as a debt collector
• Calling you at work after being informed that the workplace does not allow non-business calls
• Threatening legal actions that they have no intention of taking
• Calling at inconvenient times, such as before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Using an autodialer to leave a series of pre-recorded messages
• Reporting false information to the credit bureaus

Company Profile: American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc.

If you are being called by American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc., information about the company is below.

American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc. is a debt collection company located in Jacksonville, Florida. It opened its doors in 2001, is a smaller company with less than 10 staff, and is managed by its President, John Hoblit. Consumer lawsuit records retained by the the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website indicate that people who felt that they were being harassed by American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc. responded to lawsuit threats by commencing litigation at their end.

Alleged Violations against American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc.

Jon-Michael Price and Anita Pass vs. American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc.*

According to PACER, starting in or around September 2011, American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc. allegedly started calling Florida residents Jon-Michael Price and Anita Pass regarding a debt owed by a relative, Alan Pass. Both Mr. Price and Ms. Pass advised that this party could not be reached through them and to stop calling, but one collector allegedly threatened to keep calling until they provided Alan Pass’s phone number.

Feeling harassed by American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc., Mr. Price and Ms. Pass hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA by:

• Continuing to call after being told to stop
• Communicating with uninvolved third parties regarding someone else’s debt

The matter was later settled.

Hire an Attorney

The phone number for this debt collection agency is 1-904-399-3818. If you see it on your caller ID, it means that you are being called by American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc., presumably about a debt it is trying to collect. If they harass you over someone else’s debt, hire a consumer attorney. If you file a claim against American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc., you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus court costs and attorney fees. When a debt collector mistreats you, taking legal action can get you the compensation you deserve.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 3:12-cv-00396-TJC-JRK from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

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 American Billing Service of Jacksonville, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.