Are You Being Called By Universal Data Services, LLC*? Here’s What You Need to Know

Many Americans today face the difficult choice of paying their rent or paying an abusive debt collector who calls them every day and makes threats. The first thing that you need to know is that legally, you don’t have to make this choice.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, requires third-party collection agencies to behave civilly when communicating with consumers, but not all of them comply. Abusive tactics like those below can result in both fines and revocation of the agency’s license.

• Calling before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Discussing the debt with your family, friends, and co-workers
• Calling you several times per day using an autodialer
• Using profane or obscene language
• Threatening you with consequences or actions they can’t legally take or have no intention of taking
• Contacting you even after you send a cease communications request

Company Profile: Universal Data Services, LLC

If you are being called by Universal Data Services, LLC, below are some additional details about the agency.

Universal Data Services, LLC is a debt collection agency in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was founded in 2009, has 17 employees, and is managed by Jeff Daum. A review of case files at the PACER website indicates that consumers who believed that they were being harassed by Universal Data Services, LLC went to court to fight back.

Alleged Violations against Universal Data Services, LLC**

According to information on the PACER website, on or around July 21, 2011, Universal Data Services, LLC sent a collection letter to a California consumer. He sent a dispute letter on August 2, in which he also ordered the agency to validate the debt and stop contacting him. Despite receipt of this letter on August 5, the agency allegedly sent another collection letter on August 8.

Feeling harassed by Universal Data Services, LLC, the consumer sued the company for:

• Continuing to collect after he disputed the debt
• Failing to send a debt validation letter

The matter was later settled.

Hire a Consumer Lawyer

The phone number for this debt collection agency is 1-816-233-2299. Its presence on your caller ID, Universal Data Services, LLC is trying to collect a debt from you. If they ignore your dispute letter and keep trying to collect from you, hire a consumer lawyer and file a claim against Universal Data Services, LLC. You may be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation and plus fees and costs. Working with an attorney can get debt collectors to stop their abusive practices.

**Case taken from PACER (pacer.gov). File number is Case 5:11-cv-05263-HRL from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose 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 Universal Data Services, LLC or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.

Additional Resources

• Debt Collectors Ignored Written Request?
• Debt Collector Sent a Notice of Debt?