Are You Being Called By Credit Systems International, Inc.?*

Are you being called by Credit Systems International, Inc.?* Here’s what you need to know.

Dealing with regular and often insulting calls and letters from debt collectors can compound the stress you already feel during a financial hardship. Although your creditors have every right to request payment, you also also have rights as a consumer, and when they are violated you have grounds to sue the collection agency.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, limits what third-party debt collectors can say or do when communicating with consumers. Actions like those listed below violate the FDCPA and can result in fines and even loss of the agency’s license.

• Using profane and obscene language
• Discussing your debt with your friends, neighbors, and co-workers
• Maliciously reporting false information to the credit bureaus
• Threatening action they cannot legally take or have no intention of taking
• Contacting you after you have sent a cease and desist letter
• Contacting you directly after you retain an attorney

Company Profile: Credit Systems International, Inc.

If you are being called by Credit Systems International, Inc., information about the company is below.

Credit Systems International, Inc. is a debt collection company located in Fort Worth, Texas. It opened for business in 1980, has 50 to 99 employees, and is managed by owner Darlene Mead.

According to its website, the agency is a member of the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. Digitized records viewable at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website indicates that many consumers who felt they were being harassed by Credit Systems International, Inc. filed claims of their own.

Alleged Violations against Credit Systems International, Inc.

According to PACER, on August 28, 2014 New York resident Rachel Quinones checked her credit report and saw that Credit Systems International, Inc. was reporting a medical debt. She called the agency and told the representative that she believed the charges were covered by medical insurance and would therefore like to dispute the balance claimed.

The representative allegedly replied, “What would you be disputing about it?”

She replied that she believed she had medical insurance at the time of the services. The representative allegedly replied, “That’s not a dispute, ma’am. lf you had insurance, you’ll have to get whatever insurance you had to pay the bill.” She stated that the name of Credit Systems International, Inc. was on her credit report, so her dispute was with the company. The representative said, “Right but if you have insurance that you think should pay this then you’ll have to get with the insurance company.”

Feeling harassed by Credit Systems International, Inc., she 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 dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this debt collection agency are as follows:

• 1-817-381-4688
• 1-800-316-8064

If either number flashes on your caller Id when the phone rings, be aware that you are being called by Credit Systems International, Inc.. If they disregard you when you dispute a debt, hire a consumer attorney who can help you protect your rights in court. If the judge decides in your favor, you could be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus legal costs incurred pursuing the claim. Never be afraid to act on the protections that the law gives you.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 1:14-cv-06595-DLI-RLM from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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 Credit Systems International, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.