Is Kings Credit Services calling you? Here’s what you need to know.
Have debt collectors gotten you so stressed and upset that you shudder when the phone rings and put off going through your mail for fear that yet another demand letter has arrived.
If so, you’re not alone. Thousands, if not millions, of Americans carry a substantial amount of debt, and many of them already have accounts in collections.
Prior to 1977, so many Americans were opting for personal bankruptcy due to unethical debt collectors that Congress had to step in and pass the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA. Among other things, this consumer protection law made it illegal for debt collectors to use tactics and ruses like the following when dealing with indebted consumers.
- Swearing and calling you names
- Contacting you after you have sent a cease and desist letter (unless it is to advise you that legal action is commencing or collection activities have stopped)
- Threatening legal action that they are not in a position to take or have no intention of taking
- Calling you before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in the your time zone
- Threatening to have you arrested for nonpayment of the debt
- Discussing the debt with your coworkers, neighbors, and friends
Alleged Violations against Kings Credit Services*
Despite these restrictions, many debt collectors use unethical tactics to get your money. Kings Credit Services is a collection agency located in Hanford, California. It was established in 1932, employs 20 to 49 staff, and collects all types of consumer debt. Records archived at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirms that Legal Recovery Services Inc has been accused of violating the FDCPA while trying to collect consumer debts.
Corina Parraz v. Kings Credit Services et al.
In or around 2014, Kings Credit Services obtained a judgement against California resident Corrina Parraz and her husband and began garnishing her wages. In or around October of 2014, the agency called the Human Resources department of her workplace regarding the garnishment.
During that conversation, the collector allegedly told the HR representative that the debt did not belong to Ms. Parraz, and that it was actually her husband’s debt, but her wages were being garnished because she made more money.
When Ms. Parraz learned about this alleged conversation, she was so embarrassed and upset that she hired a consumer attorney and filed a lawsuit against Kings Credit Services for the following alleged FDCPA violations:
- Using harassing and abusive conduct to collect a debt
- Using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt
The matter was later settled.
The phone numbers for Kings Credit Services are 1-559-587-4200 and 1-800-366-0950. If either number appears on your caller ID, it means that a debt collector is trying to collect a debt you allegedly owe. If they misrepresent the debt in any way to you or a third party, see a consumer attorney because such actions are illegal under the FDCPA.
Your attorney will help you fight back in court, and you could potentially receive $1,000 per violation plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages. Collecting a debt is legal, but breaching the FDCPA in the process is not.
*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is 1:15-cv-00003-MCE-SAB, from United States District Court, Eastern District of California, Fresno Division.
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 Kings Credit Services or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.