There are hundreds, if not thousands, of debt collection agencies working for a multitude of businesses. From small-town businesses and management, to large conglomerates, debt collectors will do just about anything to try to get paid as a middleman.

The same can be said for Alternative Recovery Management. Who exactly are they? Should you be worried if you are contacted by them? Here are the things you need to know about this debt collection agency, and if you should be worried about them or not.

What is Alternative Recovery Management?

Alternative Recovery Management is listed as a debt collection agency that offers their debt collection services to many different companies. They operate in the California area, and only have one office to serve the Pacific Southwest.

Is Alternative Recovery Management a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Alternative Recovery Management is a legitimate debt collection agency. They have been in operation for 29 years, having been started in 1990. Since then, they have been accredited since 1995 from the Better Business Bureau, who is the leading business information and profile database on the market. They currently hold an A+ BBB rating. However, they have a 1 star out of 5 stars from 2 customer reviews.

Alternative Recovery Management Contact Information

Address: 7373 University Ave Ste 209 La Mesa, CA 91942-0524

Website: https://alternativerecoverymgmt.com/

Other Website: https://www.ethicalcommunity.org/alternativerecoverymanagement

Fax Number: 1-619-469-9956

Phone Number: 1-619-469-6194

Does Alternative Recovery Management have Complaints against them?

Currently, Alternative Recovery Management has 8 listed consumer complaints on the BBB database. They also have 2 listed reviews, both at 1 star each.

Within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database, there are no listed 

What kind of Complaints have been made?

Of the 8 complaints made on the BBB database, 4 are made through the billing/collections section, and 4 are having problems with the product or service.

There is one discrepancy that is disputed by Alternative Recovery Management. The most recent complaint, made in January of 2019, alleges that the staff of Alternative Recovery Management were racist and rude to the consumer. The company retorted, stating that the claim was false, and that the consumer leaving the complaint was a fake consumer, refuting the claim that they were harassing and racist towards the consumer.

Although the racist comments may be false, it does not take away that they do have some issues. Many of the complaints allege that Alternative Recovery Management have attempted multiple times to falsify debt information to elicit larger payments than the original debt required. In a complaint in 2017, it states that there was even contested information between the debt collector and the original account holder of the debt.  If these allegations are true, Alternative Recovery Management violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RFDCPA).

Are the Practices of Alternative Recovery Management Legal?

Although the racist callout is something of an enigma, and should not be taken lightly, there is no substantial information as to the legitimacy of the statement.

The practices of the other complaints and reviews, however, are worrisome. The usage of falsifying information, or deliberately misconstruing information, is considered debt collector harassment and an abuse of power. In regard to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a debt collector may not use harassing phone calls, repeat phone calls, robocalls, abusive language, or misinformation to collect on a debt. These are all considered an abuse of power and seen as debt collector harassment that can be punishable by law.

Of the statements above, Alternative Recovery Management has used illegal methods in an attempt to collect on debts and should always be verified.

How can I protect myself and fight back against Alternative Recovery Management?

If you have been contacted by Alternative Recovery Management about a debt or outstanding balance, the first step you can take is to contact them asking for a verification of the debt. This can be an itemized letter with information on the original debt holder, as well as the original amount made. If they are unable to give you this information, you are free to refute the claims of the debt, as well as report them to higher authorities.

If Alternative Recovery Management does not back off, it is safe to start looking for an experienced and knowledgeable debt collection harassment attorney or lawyer. We here at the Law Office of Paul Mankin, APC, we have a well-trained and well-versed team of debt collection harassment attorneys that will work with you to secure your future and fight back against the debt collectors. We can assist you in identifying debt collector harassment practices, as well as help you document these abusive behaviors, and report them to the proper authorities.

Not only can we help you to defend against harassment, we can also help to build a case, and assist you in understanding where the illegal collection patterns are for debt collectors. We are also able to help facilitate any communications or discussions between the parties, ensuring that nothing you say can be used against you.

The most important bit of information in your fight is to always remain vigilant. No matter who you have at your side, it can seem like a daunting battle against such a large company and agency. If you have ever been the subject of:

• Multiple calls per week from a third-party collection agency
• Multiple calls in the early morning or late night from debt collectors.
• Violent and belligerent language and harassment from debt collectors.
• Threats of arrests or poor credit due to outstanding debts.
• Having your friends, family, and coworkers harassed from debt collectors.
• Automated robocalls from third party collection agencies.

Then you may have a case available under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). So do not wait, make sure to give us a call, and get started fighting back against the debt collection harassment.