Is Integral Recoveries, Inc calling you? You need to know a few things.*
The average American household debt is growing at a rate that exceeds income. Credit card balances in indebted homes average over $15,000, and interest alone can easily consume nearly 9% of the family’s income.
If you lose your job or become too injured or ill to work, you can easily start missing payments, and sooner or later debt collectors will be calling to recoup the overdue balances.
Debt collectors have a long-standing reputation for using intimidation and harassment to pry money out of cash-strapped consumers.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) mandates that third-party debt collectors be ethical and professional when collecting or attempting to collect a debt.
![Integral Recoveries, Inc Harassment Lawyer]()
Even though they have been made illegal, actions like the these below are not uncommon:
- Calling people early in the morning or late at night
- Swearing and name-calling
- Threatening to have the person arrested if they don’t pay
- Contacting the person’s friends, family, and coworkers about the debt
- Pretending to be police officers or federal law enforcement officials
- Ignoring a written cease communications request
Alleged Violations against Integral Recoveries, Inc*
Tactics like these are illegal, but some debt collectors keep breaking the law, confident that the consumer will be too stressed-out to do anything but pay.
Integral Recoveries, Inc is a collection agency located in Englewood, Colorado. It was established in 1995, employs 20 to 49 staff and is a member of the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals.
According to civil litigation records on file at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, indicate Integral Recoveries, Inc has been accused of violating the FDCPA during certain debt collection attempts.
David Gregory Starchman v. Integral Recoveries, Inc
In November 2013, Integral Recoveries, Inc contacted Colorado resident David Starchman in an attempt to collect a debt he allegedly owed to Inner Mountain Rural Electric Association.
The agency called his cell phone using an automated telephone dialer system and/or by using an
artificial or prerecorded voice.
When Mr. Starchman answered the calls, he experienced a period of silence before a live person came on the line.
If he did not answer, Integral Recoveries, Inc would then allegedly leave a prerecorded message stating, “This is a call for David Starchman. Please ask David Starchman to call us at 303-317-8521 and reference account number 1097187. Thank you.”
On one occasion, when he got through to a live person, Mr. Starchman stated that he had previously disputed the debt with the original creditor and requested that Integral cease all calls.
Regardless of the request, the agency allegedly continued to call his cell phone.
Mr. Starchman hired a consumer attorney and filed a complaint accusing Integral Recoveries, Inc of the following FDCPA violations:
- Using using harassing and abusive means to collect a debt
- Harassing him via telephone
- Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
- Leaving voicemail messages that failed to identify the caller and company as a debt collector seeking to collect a debt
The matter was later dismissed.
The phone numbers for Integral Recoveries, Inc are 1-800-660-8450 and 1-303-317-8521. If it appears on your caller ID, it means that a debt collector may be trying to reach you.
If they keep trying to collect the debt after you dispute it, see a consumer attorney.
The FDCPA prohibits such collection practices, and if you decide to sue Integral Recoveries, Inc, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation, as well as court costs, attorney fees, and any actual damages such as stress and embarrassment.
Collecting debts is legal, but it has to be in accordance with the law, or expensive penalties result.
*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is 1:14-cv-00814-MJW from the United States District Court, District of Colorado.
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 Integral Recoveries, Inc or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.