Are You Being Called By Municipal Collections of America, Inc.?*

Are you being called by Municipal Collections of America, Inc.?* Here’s what you need to know.

When debt collectors call you several times a day and send rude, demanding letters, they’ll always defend themselves by claiming that they’re only doing their jobs. This is far from the truth. Even an aggressive industry like debt collection is regulated, and abusing consumers violates federal law.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) allows collection agencies to contact you about paying a debt, but they may not pursue you to the point of harassment or use collection tactics like those listed below.

• Swearing, yelling, and calling you names
• Failing or refusing to report a debt as disputed to the credit bureaus
• Pretending to be police officers or federal agents
• Discussing the debt with your family, friends, and co-workers
• Persisting in trying to collect a disputed debt
• Calling you outside of the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. your time

Company Profile: Municipal Collections of America, Inc.

If you are being called by Municipal Collections of America, Inc., information about the company is below.

Municipal Collections of America, Inc. is a debt collection company located in Lansing, Michigan. It was originally established in 2010, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by owner Jolene Wood. As its name suggests, it helps municipalities collect outstanding debts such as parking tickets, overdue utility bills, and local ordinance infractions. Records on file at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirms that people who felt they were being harassed by Municipal Collections of America, Inc. did not hesitate to assert their rights.

Alleged Violations against Municipal Collections of America, Inc.

Wayne Borawski vs. Municipal Collections of America, Inc.*

According to PACER, on May 28, 2014, Municipal Collections of America, Inc. contacted Illinois resident Wayne Borawski about a debt he allegedly owed to the Village of Lansing. The call was followed by a collection letter that did not mention what the bill was for or how the amount was determined. There was also no information about his right to dispute the debt and request its validation.

Mr. Borowski contacted the agency and asked what the bill was for. A “Mr. Leslie” stated that it was an unpaid water bill and offered to send documentation, but when it arrived, the invoice stated that the amount owed was not due for any water bill, but rather for “mowing”.

Feeling harassed by Municipal Collections of America, Inc., Mr. Borowski hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Failing to send a debt validation letter
• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
• Using unfair or unconscionable means to collect a debt
• Falsely representing the character, amount, or legal status of the debt

The matter was later resolved.

Hire an Attorney

The phone number for this debt collection agency are:

• 1-708-895-8522
• 1-708-455-4030

If you ever see any of them on your caller ID, you are being called by Municipal Collections of America, Inc. about a municipal debt you allegedly owe. If they send invoices and demand letters with unclear or inconsistent information about the debt, hire a consumer attorney. If you file a claim against Municipal Collections of America, Inc., you could be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus reasonable legal costs. Such awards remind debt collectors that ignoring the law is never a smart move.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case: 1:14-cv-01099 from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

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 Municipal Collections of America, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.