Are You Being Called By Olympic Collections?*

Are you being called by Olympic Collections?* Here’s what you need to know

If your monthly debts, such as credit cards and student loans go into arrears by at least three months, a debt collector may soon contact you to collect the balance. If you experiencing problem with a collection agency being too overbearing in their payment demands, be aware that the law prohibits them from bullying or harassing you.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) uses a consumer protection law called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act or FDCPA to regulate the activities of third-party collection agency activities. Conduct like the following is illegal when used to collect a debt.

• Raising their voice and making threats they have no intention of following up on
• Threatening to damage your reputation and credit rating
• Calling at all hours of the day and night
• Using profane and obscene language
• Discussing the debt with anyone except you, your spouse, or your attorney
• Demanding amounts that are not supported by law or the agreement that created the debt.

Company Profile: Olympic Collections

If you are being called by Olympic Collections, information about the company is below.

Olympic Collections is a debt collection office located in Tukwila, Washington. It opened its doors in 1996, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its President, Farooq Ansari. According to its website, it is a member of the American Collectors Association and Washington Collectors Association. According to digitized files retained by the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website, consumers who believed they were being harassed by Olympic Collections sued the company for compensation.

Alleged Violations against Olympic Collections

According to PACER, on or about September 10, 2007, a Wisconsin resident received notification that changes had been made to his credit report. Upon checking his credit report, Plaintiff observed that a trade line had been placed on his account from Olympic Collections.

He called the agency to dispute the debt and learned that it was for a medical bill for his ex-wife. When he advised that he was not responsible for it, the collector allegedly said that the case had already been filed in court. He was also allegedly threatened with a lawsuit and wage garnishment if he did not pay the debt. When the plaintiff threatened to contact an attorney, the collector allegedly stated,“Why would you want to do that? You will just have to pay them a lot of money and there is nothing they will be able to do.”

Feeling harassed by Olympic Collections, the plaintiff hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using harassing and abusive means to collect a debt
• Using false, deceptive and misleading means to collect a debt
• Threatening legal action which could not be taken
• Using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt

The matter was later settled.

Hire an Attorney

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

• 1-253-942-4733
• 1-800-891-1054

If either of them appear on your caller ID, it means that you are being called by Olympic Collections. If they threaten you with lawsuits and wage garnishment when you refuse to pay a debt that isn’t yours, hire a consumer attorney who can assist you in filing a claim against Olympic Collections. You could potentially win $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 2:08-cv-00883-RSM from the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

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