Are You Being Called By Puget Sound Collections?*

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

Are you behind on your monthly financial obligations? If so, you may be contacted by a debt collector sooner rather than later. While the law allows reasonable attempts to collect validated debts, there is a federal law in place to protect you from abusive collection practices.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) mandates that debt collectors behave professionally when attempting to collect a debt. Using tactics like the following can lead to fines and even a revocation of the agency’s license.

• Using profane and obscene language
• Contacting you if the debt collector is aware that you are being represented by an attorney
• Pretending to be attorneys or police officers
• Calling you at work when your workplace doesn’t let you take such calls
• Telling your friends and family about the debt
• Claiming that you can be arrested if you do not pay

Company Profile: Puget Sound Collections

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

Puget Sound Collections is a debt collection company located in Tacoma, Washington. It was established in 1964, has 30 employees, and is managed by its President, David Michaud. The company presently has 22 complaints on file with the Better Business Bureau. Legal files viewable at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirms that consumers who believed that they were being harassed by Puget Sound Collections stood up for themselves and demanded literal payback.

Alleged Violations against Puget Sound Collections

According to PACER, in or around late 2016, Puget Sound Collections started trying to collect a debt from a California resident. He faxed a dispute letter immediately but on October 7, 2016, he pulled his credit report and saw that the company failed to report the debt as disputed.

Feeling harassed by Puget Sound Collections, he 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
• Reporting false information to the credit bureaus

The matter was later settled.

Hire an Attorney

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

• 1-253-566-1800
• 1-800-922-8932

If you ever see either number on your caller ID, be aware that you are being called by Puget Sound Collections. If they fail to report a debt as disputed to the credit bureaus even after you fax the request in writing, hire a consumer attorney to help you protect your rights. If you file a claim against Puget Sound Collections for harassing you, you could receive $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Never be too intimidated to fight back.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 2:17-cv-02202-CAS-JC from the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

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