The Law Office of Paul Mankin

Is the debt collection agency Asset Collection Experts harassing you?

How often do you get calls about a debt or bill that needs to be paid? For some, it can be once a day. For others, it can be as many times as five to 10 times per day. They can call at any time, any place, and always seem to be able to contact you even if you block them.

So who are they? Well, debt collectors can run in many circles, some illegal and some legal. Asset Collection Experts is a collection agency that doesn’t have much information on them. So who are they, and should you listen to them? Here is what you need to know if you have been contacted by the the debt collection agency Asset Collection Experts.

What is Asset Collection Experts?

Asset Collection Experts is listed as a debt collection agency working primarily out of Colorado. With their headquarters located in Colorado Springs, they have also been known to go by the name Ace Adjustment Co. as well. There is no listed profile for Asset Collection Experts, nor is there a profile for Ace Adjustment Co, in the Better Business Bureau Database. As such, it is assumed that they may be using multiple unknown aliases.

Is Asset Collection Experts a legit Debt Collection Agency?

Asset Collection Experts should be considered a legitimate debt collection agency in name primarily. Founded in 1969, known information states that it is run by Richard Mills who is listed as the president of the company. They are extremely small, only having around 10 employees, so it makes many assume that they should have quite a few complaints and complications.

Asset Collection Experts Contact Information

Address: 1520 N Union Blvd #103, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Phone Number: 1-719-634-7707

Website: Paidinspades.com

Of note: Information on Asset Collection Experts is quite scarce. Some information may be outdated, as well as misplaced from the company itself. There is also a high chance of Asset Collection Experts using false identities and company names.

Does Asset Collection Experts have Complaints against them?

Asset Collection Experts is a bit of an enigma. There are no registered complaints against Asset Collection Experts in the BBB database, or in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database. Neither is their alias, Ace Adjustment Co.

These two issues seem to suggest that Asset Collection Experts is the overhead name, with the actual company calling under different names entirely. If this is true, Asset Collection Experts are in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act’s (FDCPA) laws and guidelines.

There are some noteworthy issues with Asset Collection Experts, however. PACER shows that there is record of a 2013 case between Ace Adjustment Co./Asset Collection Experts and one Jonathan Hemphill. In this case, it was stated that Hemphill was served a summons and complaint from Asset Collection Experts with regard to collecting a debt. They used derogatory and offensive language with him, as well as threatened him with legal and monetary problems, stating that they would be saddling him with the legal fees on the debt as well. Because of this, he ended up paying them the set amount, but later hired an attorney to sue the company for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in the following ways:

  • Using Abusive Language
  • Misinformation about Debt Amount
  • Using Abusive and Harassment in an attempt to collect on the debt
  • Using unfair and unconscionable means to collect the debt
  • Using false, misleading, and deceptive methods to collect on the debt

It appears that this case resolved with a settlement in favor of Mr. Hemphill.  The details of this settlement and whether Asset Collection Experts had to pay money is unknown.

Are the Practices of Asset Collection Experts Legal?

As noticed by the aforementioned case, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act safeguards you against many illegal and inappropriate collection practices employed by debt collectors. The debt collection harassment can come in many forms, and the case of Mr. Hemphill and Asset Collection Experts is just one such example.

In the FDCPA, it explicitly states that a debt collection agency/representative may not use the following in an attempt to collect on a debt:

  • Excessively obscene or profane language
  • Repeated calls after being told not to call/robocalls
  • Falsifying claims of legal action
  • Misrepresentation of debt amount
  • Lying about who they are
  • Call you at work, or at inappropriate times

How can I protect myself and fight back against Asset Collection Experts?

If you or your loved ones have been contacted by Asset Collection Experts, or Ace Adjustment Co., then you need to know how to defend yourself against their illegal tactics. Thankfully, there are plenty of steps you can take to safeguard yourself against their practices.

The first step is to authenticate the debt. Asking for authentication of the debt is standard, and is well within your right as a consumer and debtor. The authentication can be done in many ways, including asking the representative that you are speaking to for the original debt holder’s information and phone number so that you can get in contact with them, or asking for a written letter with said information on it. If they are not able to authenticate the debt, then you are under no obligation to pay the debt.

The next step to take is to tell them to stop calling and contacting you. This is also within your right, and is allowed. Once you have stated as such, and they continue, it is considered debt collector harassment, and you have the right to take them to court over it. If you do plan to make a case, it is important to try to get in touch with a knowledgeable debt collection harassment attorney or lawyer. We here at Law Office of Paul Mankin, APC make sure our legal team is up to date on the latest cases and laws surrounding debt collection harassment. We are able to assist you in identifying debt collector harassment, stopping the harassment, and reporting the harassment 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. So do not wait, make sure to give us a call, and get started fighting back against the debt collection harassment.