Acme Credit Service (aka Check Alert aka A.C.S. Companies, Inc.

Acme Credit Service was established on August 1, 1961 by its current owner, Peggy Wilson. The collector has operated out of Springfield, Illinois since its opening and currently has fewer than 10 employees. Acme Credit Service also conducts business under the fictitious business names ‘Check Alert' and ‘A.C.S. Companies, Inc.' Under its various names, Acme acts as a general debt collector, using phones, letters, skip tracing, Internet and legal processing to execute all steps of the recovery process.

1124 S 8th Street

Springfield, IL 62703-2515

(217)2 41-4400 (phone)

(800) 500-2263 (toll free)

(217) 241-4418 (fax)

http://www.acmecredit.com/ (unprotected website)

Acme Credit Service has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has been BBB-accredited since 7/1/1993 (BBB file originally opened 5/27/1993). Acme has received two BBB complaints in the last three years and currently has 5 CFPB complaints on public file. Acme Credit Services is listed on Yelp but has not yet been reviewed.

Acme does not have an extensive litigation history but has engage in at least one notable dispute. A lawsuit was filed in Illinois for collection actions taken by Acme in 2010, including using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt and failing to identify itself a debt collector in all communications. This lawsuit settled out of court but is representative of the types of complaints received by Acme, namely that Acme makes threatening phone calls, attempts to collects amounts greater than what is owed, and is uncooperative in provider the debtor with information about the account being collected.

The FTC enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which makes it illegal for debt collectors to use abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices when they collect personal debts, including credit card debt, auto loans, medical bills, student loans, mortgage, and other household debts. Under the FDCPA, debt collectors are, generally, allowed to call, send letters, send emails, or even send text messages to collect on debts, but they are not allowed to bother consumers at inconvenient times without the debtor's permission or at locations such as a debtor's place of employment unless personal calls are permitted by the employer.

Complaints regarding Illinois-based collectors can be made to the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Questions or complaints regarding Springfield-based collectors specifically can be directed to 1-800-243-0618. To learn more about how the federal government regulates debt collection and protects debtors and other individuals from collector harassment, see FTC Debt Collection pamphlet.

If you believe you have a claim for collector harassment or are a victim of another violation of state or federal debtor's rights, you should speak with a consumer rights attorney or debt collector harassment lawyer immediately. Contact us today at 1-800-219-3577 to discuss your matter and see how we can help at no cost to you.