Are You Being Called By United Accounts, Inc.?*

Every day, consumers across the country receive angry and demanding calls from debt collectors. Although there are laws in place that prohibit unethical debt collection practices, if any of your obligations fall into arrears you may be pursued by a collection agency that harasses you by phone and makes unreasonable demands. If that happens, you have options.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a consumer protection law passed in 1977 to protect debtors from being harassed and abused by third-party collection agencies. Consumers subjected to collection actions like those below can complain to the Federal Trade Commission and file a lawsuit.

• Using profane or obscene language
• Calling you at work after you’ve told them that your employer won’t let you take such calls
• Ignoring a formal cease communications request
• Demanding amounts inflated by ‘service charges’ and other miscellaneous fees
• Failing to report to the credit bureaus that a debt is in dispute
• Presenting themselves as attorneys (if they are not) or police officers

Company Profile: United Accounts, Inc.

If you are being called by United Accounts, Inc., information about the company is below.

United Accounts, Inc. is a debt collection agency located in Fargo, North Dakota. It was established in 1951, has approximately 30 employees, and is managed by its President,Terry Callies. It presently has a D- rating with the Better Business Bureau.

A review of digitized court records at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirm that people who believed they were being harassed by United Accounts, Inc. hired attorneys to help them seek compensation.

Alleged Violations against United Accounts, Inc.

According to PACER, on March 9, 2016, a collector for United Accounts, Inc. allegedly attempted to collect a debt from a Minnesota woman by calling her workplace, speaking to the HR department, and demanding contact information for her.

When the HR manager refused, the collector allegedly asked for the company’s mailing address, so that she could send “garnishment paperwork.”

When the woman called United Accounts, Inc. and asked why garnishment paperwork was being sent without a court judgment. The collector allegedly said that they had a “right” to garnish wages and didn’t have to verify the debt.

After the woman sent a cease communications letter, the caller allegedly continued.
Feeling harassed by United Accounts, Inc., she 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 unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt
• Using false, deceptive and misleading means to collect a debt
• Discussing the debt with uninvolved third parties
• Threatening legal action that could not be taken
• Contacting her after receiving a cease communications letter
• Refusing the validate the debt

The matter was later settled.

Speak with an Attorney

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

• 1-701-237-9494
• 1-701-223-2852
• 1-800-726-3864

If you see any of these numbers on your caller ID at any time of the day or night, it means that you are being called by United Accounts, Inc.. If they call your HR department, threaten wage garnishment, and ignore a cease communications letter, hire a consumer attorney.

Should you file a claim against United Accounts, Inc. and win your case, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus applicable costs. Collection agencies that believe themselves to be omnipotent will soon discover otherwise.

Additional Resources

• What are Debt Collection Statutes of Limitations?
• FDCPA Attorneys in North Dakota

Case taken from PACER (pacer.gov). File number is CASE 0:17-cv-00714-DSD-FLN from the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

*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 United Accounts, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.