Asset Acceptance Complaints - Know more about them

Hi,
Does anyone know if asset acceptance llc has the right to pursue collections from someone who lives outside the U.S?? I'm Canadian and I've received a credit letter from this company regarding money I supposedly owe for a gym membership I had in 1998 with Bally Total Fitness in Canada. Unless I've suffered from a case of amnesia for the past 7 years, I never signed a contract. The truth of the matter is, I did use the gym facilities, but paid cash on a month-to-month basis - NO contract was ever signed!!! I contacted both the collection agency and Bally's and neither have been able to produce this alleged gym contract from 1998.

I'm completely frustrated over this entire situation...can Asset Acceptance, a US based company, really ruin my credit in Canada???

Thanks...

Hi Angry Woman
Welcome to the forums.
Please go through the letter formats shown in link below
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com...s/sample6.html
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/letters/
Please let us know if there is anything that we can assist further. It will be a pleasure.
Regards
Roxette
Truth always wins

Don't feel bad. They were trying to collect from me for a Bally's membership I had in 1992 (I also didn't owe Bally's any money). According to the FCRA, the statute of limitations is 7 years, but these people don't seem to care about abiding by the law. Be careful. They might enter this on your credit report. Asset Acceptance is a scam company. There are many complaints about them.

Hi larbabe

Welcome back again. I have placed your link of other post so as to create general awareness among the community.

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com.../about305.html

Please keep visiting the forums for your posting and suggestion. It is a pleasure to have you on the board.

Regards
Roxette

Hi Angry Woman
Welcome to the forums.
It is possible that a debt can be collected by a company outside the country because some debt collection agencies have wide network which is willing and able to collect debts in other countries. They have made the arrangements with other agencies or because they have branches operating in those countries.
As you are sure that you have paid cash on a month-to-month basis and that no contract was ever signed, please ask the collectors to validate this debt. It is your legal right to dispute the validity of the debt. Please be assured that this burden of proof is on the collector's part and not on your part. So, it is your legal right to request that the bill collector provides adequate proof of the particular debt.
Please go through the debt validation letter format posted by our moderator roxette for your convenience.
I am also dealing with Asset Acceptance LLC. They have ignored my request to verify a debt with a lender and account number(revolving credit account)that I never had. The Revolving credit account they say that I owe money to is my mortgage company. This matter has exceeded the statue of limitations. Now, after this matter expired, they pulled my credit report(CR) which is supposedily illegal.
Now they are trying to collect on a debt listed on my CR. Another matter that is beyond the statue of limitations. I just had a nice Phone call today. They will not provide any documents that they have rights to collect any debts. He informed me today that he was going to search for assets unless I make a payment. These guys are shake down artists. Im sure that there are consumers out there that dont know their rights and are sending them money. My problem is that I want to send them something by registered mail but all they list is a PO box. How can I send them something if there is no one there to sign for it? I want them to verify the debt.

Hi Angry guy

Welcome to the forums. Taking the first step please put your debt collection accounts in "Disputed Status" as they are trying to collect a debt which you think is invalid, inaccurate or doesn't belong to you. It is mandatory on your part.

Please use your right as per the fdcpa by issuing a notice to them to stop the illegal harassment and abuse.

Please keep in track of all the methods of correspondence used by the debt collection agency along with your dispute letter. Please tape record all the modes of communication and inform them of your action.

Please use the following precautionary measure to deal with the collection agents who use unfair and illegal collection techniques.

1. Please use your legal rights and do not get intimidated.
   
2. Please make sure that every sort of communication is in written form so that there is a valid proof.
   
3. Report all the harassments and abusive treatment used by the collection agents to the CCCS office.
   
4. Please do not get bullied.
   
5. If you get puzzled over anything while interacting with them, request for a call back in an hour so that you can gather some thoughts.

You can remain protected and keep your sanity only when you understand your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Please contact them at:

Asset Acceptance Corp
PO Box 2037
Warren, MI 48090

Tel: 586-939-9600
Fax: 586-446-7837
(877) 768-9844

Angry Woman and Angry guy: Here's the web address of the Better Business Bureau which handles complaints for Warren MI.

I have filed a complaint with them and I would advise both of you to do the same. Acceptance is a member in good standing of BBB, and thus far has had no complaints against them. Also, I would advise lodging complaints with the FTC and (in angry guy's case) the Attorney General. I have done some research on Asset Acceptance and arrow financial services, both of which have made inquiries on my TransUnion credit report under false pretenses T.U. doesn't seem to care). I have had to file a statement regarding these fallacious entries on my TransUnion CR.

Both of these companies have reputations as being among the worst of the collection agencies. They purchase old and sometimes (as in my case) non-existent collection accounts for pennies on the dollar. They will hound individuals (as they originally did me), until many pay them off just to get rid of them (I didn't). One debt consolidator refers to them in terms of "Organized Crime".

Good luck!

Hi larbabe

Welcome back. Please check about this entry with Equifax and Experian also before you make your move. If this entry is not in those reports, you should dispute it with Transunion. They will provide you the updated credit report after they find your dispute to be valid.

We will be waiting to hear from you about this update.

Regards
Roxette

AACC is a publicly traded company on NASDAQ as AACC, and I found the following information.

Asset Acceptance Capital Corp
28405 Van Dyke Avenue
Warren, MI 48093
Phone: 586-939-9600

Victor Miller

Hi Roxette:

The only entries are on my TransUnion CR. I have disputed this with them and they have responded that these entries are "permissable" and that I need to take my dispute directly to the collection agencies in question (which I've done). IMO this really makes a mockery of the whole process, since I have presented clear evidence that Asset Acceptance and Arrow Financial are both in violation of the FCRA and California statutes.

Incidentally, I have received a response from Arrow Financial via the Better Business Bureau. They state that they will contact me directly. I can hardly wait. I just wanted to say Thank You to all of you who consistently help me in my credit matters

Hi larbabe

Welcome back. I have gathered from your post that the invalid entry of Asset Acceptance and Arrow Financial is only in your TransUnion credit report and not in the other two credit reports. You have also contacted the TransUnion and they have further asked you to contact the mentioned collection agency.

If your other two credit reports are not highlighting the wrong entries, then it means that TransUnion need to fix these errors. The collection agency will only come in question if all the three credit report highlights the same entry.

Please handle your approach more strongly with the photocopies of the other two credit reports and file a dispute with TransUnion completing the "request for reinvestigation" form along with return receipt requested. It is purely the mistake of the TransUnion and they will have to notify you about the verification process being done. It is they who will contact the collection agency in question and verify the entry. They will inform you within 30 days about your updated credit report.

If you don't hear from them within 30 days, please send one follow-up letter. Additionally, if you tell them that you are looking for a mortgage or a car loan, they can do investigation at rush.

After finding your entry to be correct, they must remove the negative entry from your credit report.

If you still don't hear anything from them, please contact them at 800-888-4213 (Trans Union) to discuss the problem individually.

Please be informed that you have the right to put a 100 word statement in your credit report. The credit bureau will have to furnish this information whoever asks for your report. While writing your 100 word statement, please be very clear, concise and use the fewest words possible.

I really feel that you must have worked very hard doing this. If you don't reach anywhere still by this point, finally contact the FTC regarding this matter.

Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Response Center - FCRA
Washington, DC 20580 1-877-382-4357

Please inform us the latest of your action.

Regards
Roxette

Roxette:

I just got off the telephone with TransUnion. They informed me that they treat inquiries differently than credit information. In order to have these two entries removed, they must receive "authorizations" from Asset Acceptance and Arrow Financial, plus an authorization from me to remove them. Supposedly, it falls on my shoulders to have this done. Of course, I've written both of these companies without response. I've also filed complaints with the FTC. But the FTC contends it is not their function to prosecute violators of the FCRA.

According to the FTC: "The FCRA provides that any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both. Authority to bring criminal action for violation resides solely in the U.S. Department of Justice, not the Federal Trade Commission."

I told TransUnion that these inquiries could not possibly fall under "permissable" catagory and that the entries were only on their CR, not on Equifax and Experian. It didn't seem to hold any water. I also told them how frustrating this whole process was. I recently filed a statement about this which is included on my TR CR. They sent me out a copy of my new CR yesterday (I haven't received it yet). I informed them I am currently buying a new home and this is dragging my credit score down. They apologized, but essentially said there was nothing more they can do.

My only recourse is a lawsuit. According to the FCRA, I could seek damages up to $1,000 for willful noncompliance (Section 616) and willful noncompliance (Section 617). I consulted with an attorney friend who told me it wouldn't be worth the effort. He said these kind of inquires only drag down my credit score by a couple of points. Is that correct? Other than these two entries, my CR is clean as a whistle (It's been a lot of work). Am I getting all worked up about nothing?

Oops: I forgot to enter my Username and Subject.



I just got off the telephone with TransUnion. They informed me that they treat inquiries differently than credit information. In order to have these two entries removed, they must receive "authorizations" from Asset Acceptance and Arrow Financial, plus an authorization from me to remove them. Supposedly, it falls on my shoulders to have this done. Of course, I've written both of these companies without response. I've also filed complaints with the FTC. But the FTC contends it is not their function to prosecute violators of the FCRA.

The FCRA provides that any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.
I told TransUnion that these inquiries could not possibly fall under "permissable" catagory and that the entries were only on their CR, not on Equifax and Experian. It didn't seem to hold any water. I also told them how frustrating this whole process was. I recently filed a statement about this which is included on my TR CR. They sent me out a copy of my new CR yesterday (I haven't received it yet). I informed them I am currently buying a new home and this is dragging my credit score down. They apologized, but essentially said there was nothing more they can do.

My only recourse is a lawsuit. According to the FCRA, I could seek damages up to $1,000 for willful noncompliance (Section 616) and willful noncompliance (Section 617). I consulted with an attorney friend who told me it wouldn't be worth the effort. He said these kind of inquires only drag down my credit score by a couple of points. Is that correct? Other than these two entries, my CR is clean as a whistle (It's been a lot of work). Am I getting all worked up about nothing?

Hi larbabe

Good to hear back from you. If filing a lawsuit can get these two negative entries removed from your credit report, then I will suggest you to deal with it legally.

Since you are looking for a new home, these negative entries might have a bad impact on your credit report.

We will appreciate getting you in touch with us soon.

Regards
Roxette

For those folks in OH. Let's unite and try to get a class suit against them. Let's complain with the Attorney general in Ohio. Unite against asset acceptance/ballys. Let's see what can we do together.

Hi Mrs. Robinson

Welcome to the forums. It is nice to hear that you are extending your arms to fight against the injustice that has been caused by some bad practicing companies.

Let all of us join our hands together to fight against this. Please post your comments and suggestions on this board so that it does some good to our other community members.

Regards
Roxette