Are You Being Called By Collection Associates Ltd.?*

Are you being called by Collection Associates Ltd.?* Here’s what you need to know.

Debt collectors are not always diplomatic when they’re trying to collect money from you. They may be civil in the beginning, but once you make it clear that you can’t pay, they switch tactics and become overbearing and aggressive. If you find yourself dealing with such a company, stay firm and know your rights.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, is a consumer protection law that regulates what debt collectors can say or do while attempting to collect a debt. When a collection agency uses measures like those below to compel consumers to pay, they risk being shut down.

• Calling you at work after you tell them that you can’t take personal calls there
• Demanding amounts that exceed the original debt
• Threatening to report the debt to the credit bureaus until it is paid
• Using profane and obscene language
• Demanding amounts that are not supported by law or the original creditor agreement
• Calling you at inconvenient times, such as before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. your time

Company Profile: Collection Associates Ltd.

If you are being called by Collection Associates Ltd., information about the company is below.

Collection Associates Ltd. is a debt collection company located in Brookfield, Wisconsin. It was established in 1997, has approximately 15 employees, and is managed by its President, Richard Dobberstein. It currently has a B- rating with the Better Business Bureau. Records retained by the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website suggest that people who believed that they were being harassed by Collection Associates Ltd. did not hesitate to fight back in court.

Alleged Violations against Collection Associates Ltd.

Gerald Turner vs. Collection Associates Ltd. et al*

According to PACER, on or about March 15, 2016, Collection Associates Ltd had an agent send a collection letter to Arizona resident Gerald Turner. It demanded $4,519.77 for a debt that Mr. Turner disputed. The agency also allegedly reported the debt as valid and active to the credit bureaus without noting that it was disputed.

Feeling harassed by Collection Associates Ltd., Mr. Turner hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
• Using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt

The matter was later settled.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this debt collection agency are:

• 1-262-641-2500
• 1-262-641-2501

If you see either number appear on your caller ID when the phone rings, be aware that you are being called by Collection Associates Ltd.. If they continue to demand payment for a disputed debt and fail to update its status with the credit bureaus, contact a consumer attorney who can protect your rights. If you file a claim against Collection Associates Ltd., you could win $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus legal costs. If a collection agency takes things too far, a consumer attorney can help you get the compensation you are entitled to.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 2:16-cv-01323-DJH from the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.

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 Collection Associates Ltd. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.