Is Bureau of Medical Economics Calling You?*

Is the Bureau of Medical Economics Calling You? Learn how to protect your rights!

Being targeted by a debt collector is extremely stressful, especially if you can’t afford to pay the debt they’re after. Every time the phone rings you cringe and even the arrival of the daily mail makes you nervous because it could contain another letter.

You even wonder if it’s really legal for them to yell at you, call you at work, and threaten to send you to jail. The good news is that it isn’t, and you have the right to make them stop.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) makes it illegal for third-party debt collectors from use bullying, deception, and coercion to collect payments.

This means that ruses like the following can result in expensive fines and even loss of the agency’s license.:

• Calling you at inconvenient times and places, such as before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Using profane and obscene language
• Failing to identify themselves as debt collectors trying to collect a debt
• Pretending to be police officers, attorneys, or government agents
• Demanding amounts not supported by law or the original creditor agreement

Company Profile: the Bureau of Medical Economics

The Bureau of Medical Economics is a medical debt collection agency located in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in 1951, has 20 to 49 employees, and is managed by Assistant Director Cydnee Smetek.

Searching through records held by the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website reveals that consumers have accused the Bureau of Medical Economics of violating their rights.

Alleged Violations against the Bureau of Medical Economics

According to PACER** , on or about November 9, 2015, an Arizona consumer obtained his credit files and noticed that the Bureau of Medical Economics was reporting an $80 medical debt.

He subsequently sent the agency a letter disputing the alleged debt. When he obtained his Experian and Equifax credit files over two months later and noticed that the Bureau of Medical Economics had failed to flag the debt as disputed.

The consumer hired a consumer attorney and sued the Bureau of Medical Economics for allegedly violating the FDCPA by failing to communicate that the debt was disputed.

The matter was later settled.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for the Bureau of Medical Economics are:

• 1-800-439-8561
• 1-602-252-3469

If you see either number on your caller ID, be aware that a debt collector may be on the line.

If they report inaccurate information about your alleged debt to the credit bureaus, hire an attorney who can help you rectify the matter in court.

You could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation as well as attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages, making their inaccuracy with your credit file an expensive mistake.

**Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is (Case 1:14-cv-03097-SCJ, from United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta 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 Bureau of Medical Economics or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.