Called By First Federal Credit & Collections?*

If your credit card, student loans, and medical debt go into arrears by at least three months, you may eventually be contacted by a debt collector. If you experiencing problem with a collection agency being too overbearing in their payment demands, be aware that the law prohibits the agency from bullying or harassing you.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

Many people are surprised to learn that abusing indebted consumers is against the law. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, prohibits third-party collection agencies from using harassing or deceptive methods to pressure debt payments out of people. Examples include:

• Swearing and using profane language
• Demanding amounts that exceed the original debt
• Calling at all hours of the day and night
• Threatening to tell everyone you know that you owe money
• Refusal to provide you with information about the debt
• Calling before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone

Has a debt collector called you before 8:00 a.m.? If so, your rights may have been violated.

Company Profile: First Federal Credit & Collections

If you are being called by First Federal Credit & Collections, information about the company is below.

First Federal Credit & Collections, which also does business as Alchro, Inc., is a debt collection office located in Hollywood, Florida. It was established in 1986, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its owner, Alan Rosenberg. The company currently has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau, allegedly due to 46 complaints filed against it. According to digitized files retained by the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, consumers who believed they were being harassed by First Federal Credit & Collections sued the company for compensation.

Alleged Violations against First Federal Credit & Collections

Mark Becker vs. Alchro, Inc. d/b/a First Federal Credit & Collections,*

According to PACER, on September 9, 2013, a Florida resident sent First Federal Credit & Collections a dispute letter after learning that a medical debt was being reported to the credit bureaus. Although the letter was received, the debt was allegedly not marked as disputed.

Feeling harassed by First Federal Credit & Collections, the plaintiff hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA by reporting inaccurate information to the credit bureaus. A judgement was entered in favor of the plaintiff.

If you believe you’ve been harassed by First Federal Credit & Collections, here are some additional damages you might be entitled to.

Hire an Attorney

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

• 1-954-332-2628
• 1-954-332-2629
• 1-305-653-7634

If any of those numbers appear on your caller ID, it means that you are being called by First Federal Credit & Collections. If they fail to report your debt as disputed to the credit bureaus, hire a consumer attorney who can assist you in filing a claim against First Federal Credit & Collections. If a judge decides in your favor, you may receive $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus court costs and attorney fees. It’s an expensive reminder that you have rights, and debt collectors ignore them at their own professional risk.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 0:14-cv-60524-JIC from the United States District Court for the Southern District of 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 First Federal Credit & Collections, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.