Are You Being Called By FirstCollect, Inc.?*

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

Nonstop calls from collection agencies can damage the quality of our lives. We become anxious every time the phone rings, and the sound of the mail arriving causes our hearts to race, fearful that we’re getting another demand letter. If a collection agency is pursuing you to the point that you feel harassed, there are ways to make them stop.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which was passed in 1977, gives consumers the right to dispute a debt and order the collector to cease communications. It also prohibits third-party collection agencies from using approaches like the following:

• Calling you before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. your time
• Calling you at work after you’ve told them that your employer doesn’t allow such calls
• Demand outrageous amounts that exceed the amount of the original debt
• Leaving voice messages that do not identify the collector and the reason for their call
• Contacting you after you have sent a cease and desist letter
• Swearing, raising their voice, and calling you names

Company Profile: FirstCollect, Inc.

If you are being called by FirstCollect, Inc., information about the company is below.

FirstCollect, Inc. is a debt collection agency located in Sussex County, Delaware. It was established in 1986, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its CEO, Matthew Spinella. According to records retained at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, consumers who felt they were being harassed by FirstCollect, Inc. filed lawsuits against the company to demand compensation.

Alleged Violations against FirstCollect, Inc.

According to PACER, on or around May 18, 2016 FirstCollect, Inc. sent a collection notice to a Delaware resident regarding a medical debt in the approximate amount of $4,322.58. The letter, however, demanded $8,541.97. The Summary of Accounts on the correspondence included collection charges listed in the total amount of $528.20.

Feeling harassed by FirstCollect, Inc., the plaintiff 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 or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect a debt

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this debt collection agency are:

• 1-302-644-6804
• 1-302-678-1735

If you see either one on your caller ID, it’s confirmation that you are being called by FirstCollect, Inc.. If they add unauthorized charges to a debt you allegedly owe, hire a consumer attorney who can protect your interests and help you file a claim against FirstCollect, Inc.. If the claim is successful, you could receive $1,000 per FDCPA violation in addition to other costs associated with litigation. Never pay an agency to stop harassing you: if you sue them, they could be required to pay you instead.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 1:16-cv-01048-JEJ from the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

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