Delmarva Collections or DCI is a third-party collection agency based in Maryland. DCI has received complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including attempting to collect debts not owed and illegal communication tactics. If you have been contacted by Delmarva Collections, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Delmarva Collections Inc is a legitimate collection agency founded and incorporated in 1979. The BBB established DCI’s profile page in 2002. DCI is listed as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates DCI’s annual revenue at $1.9 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 23 employees.
According to its website, Delmarva Collections is “a proven, successful, full-service collection agency with over 39 years of experience.” DCI treats its “clients and customers…with the highest level of professionalism, dignity, ethics, and care” and has made a “commitment to providing sound advice, problem solving, and creating a positive relationship with our community.”
DCI’s website does not provide a lot of detailed information about the types of delinquent accounts it collects. However, their website includes a Consumers and Patients page that cites compliance with all federal and state laws, including HIPAA. In addition, DCI’s collections staff is “certified… according to the American Collectors Association training guidelines. Each agent must pass the Professional Telephone Collectors Techniques and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Training tapes and pass the subsequent Certification Test.” Delmarva Collections also employs a “state-of-the-art auto-dialer system, called CTCenter from IAT.” DCI’s “predictive dialer stations are monitored, managed, and coached daily by…supervisors…using satellite PC’s …so managers…can interact with both the agent and the customer simultaneously.”
Delmarva Collections’ full range of third-party collection services includes client account access and servicing; automated skip tracing; account scoring; an in-house legal department; and customized reporting. DCI’s website does not offer any links to consumer protection resources, laws, or enforcement agencies.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
The BBB has closed 10 complaints against Delmarva Collections in the past three years, with 2 complaints closed in the previous 12 months. All of those complaints allege problems with billing and collections.As of March 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 2 complaints against DCI. Justia lists at least 1 case of civil litigation involving Delmarva Collections.
Delmarva Collections, Inc.
820 East Main Street
Salisbury, MD 21804
Telephone: (410) 546-3005
Website: www.delmarvacollections.com
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely DCI would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. Here are some Sample Cases
Complaints about Delmarva Collections commonly cite problems resulting from inaccurate billing documentation and reporting of delinquencies to the credit reporting agencies. In November 2016, a complainant indicated he had discovered delinquent items on his credit report while checking his credit score. He insisted he had not opened any new accounts and that a few months previously, there had been no items from DCI. There was allegedly no indication of where the delinquency originated. In response, DCI indicated the delinquent items resulted from a visit to an emergency room that was covered by the complainant’s insurance. Delmarva Collections indicated they had just learned of the insurance coverage and requested that TransUnion remove the item.
In January 2016, a complainant indicated that he had requested verification of a debt in writing and called to ask about an agreement to delete the item from his credit report in exchange for establishing a payment arrangement but was denied on both counts. He also indicated that he had asked “for a mailed statement of charges and was also denied.” The complainant alleged that the “agents only wanted to take a payment…over the phone” as the condition for deleting the item from his credit report, but when he“asked for this agreement from the supervisor” in writing he “was denied.” The complainant concluded by stating that “Delmarva Collections just seemed to want to avoid giving me any documentation about this account.” In response, Delmarva Collections indicated that if the complainant “desires to pay this bill, and sends a letter with the payment requesting the bill be removed from his credit report we will look at the account and make a decision to delete the account.” However, they also indicated that they cannot send what he requested.
Finally, in October 2015, a complainant who was an employer indicated that Delmarva Collections representatives “repeatedly called…to speak to… employees about personal collection issues only to be told repeatedly that the employer does … not accept personal calls for employees.” Despite requests that DCI “remove the employer’s phone number from their call list and to not call again… the calls keep coming.” In response, Delmarva Collections indicated they had removed the employer’s phone number “from every file it was in as an employer.”
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
But here’s the rub: If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. These laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
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“Prior to contacting you, we had tried repeatedly to handle this matter without threatening litigation. In the end, not only were they unapologetic, but they were dismissive – even of an attorney friend who called on our behalf. Sincerest thanks for resolving this matter for us!”
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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Delmarva keeps calling me for a collection I do not owe. Please make them stop