Universal Recovery Corporation (URC) is a third-party collection agency based in California. URC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as using false or misleading information in an effort to collect a debt and improper sharing of information. If URC has contacted you about delinquent financial obligations, make sure you understand your rights before you respond.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Universal Recovery Corporation was founded in 1993 and incorporated in 1996. The BBB established a profile page for URC in 1994. The BBB lists URC as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates URC’s annual revenue at $820,000 and the size of its headquarters staff at 19 employees.
According to its website, URC’s “primary goal is to provide… the best possible debt recovery services and legal support for the recovery of …debts.” URC “provides old fashioned service, state-of-the-art technology accompanied by modern results, and top-ranked professionals to handle …accounts.” URC “has…foundations in customer service and has developed a reputation for obtaining superior results…using flexible techniques and procedures.”
Universal Recovery Corporation “currently recovers unpaid receivables for a wide range of companies throughout the country…ranging from internationally recognized companies to local small businesses.” Clients include medical and healthcare service providers; casinos; consumer retail debt, including “direct loans from financial institutions…and retail charge accounts”; and NSF check collection and check recovery. URC also provides commercial business-to-business debt collection.
URC’s collections services feature contingency-based collection rates; no start-up costs for new clients; competitive rates for non-contingency-based accounts; experienced staff; personalized service; and professional practice standards. URC “collection specialists assume… responsibility for contacting delinquent account” holders and use “the latest technology and innovative techniques…that include a variety of tools… to locate, contact, report, and secure payment on all accounts placed.”
Universal Recovery Corporation collectors undergo several weeks of training, including “familiarization with both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” and training in “the types of files, cases, and accounts that the employee may be expected to manage.” In addition, “monitoring is used to assess skill development and proper handling techniques… and to assure… that URC is in compliance with state and federal laws.” However, their website does not provide any links or references 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.
As of August 2019, the BBB has given Universal Recovery Corporation a rating of D-, citing a large number of complaints, failure to resolve 2 complaints, and failure to respond to 1 complaint. The BBB has closed 19 complaints against URC in the preceding three years, with 2 complaints closed in the previous 12 months. Most of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections, although 3 complaints also cited problems with customer service. As of March 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 28 complaints against URC. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving URC.
Universal Recovery Corporation
2880 Sunrise Boulevard, Suite 136
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742
Telephone: (916) 631-8191
Website: http://www.universalrecovery.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely URC 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 Complaints
Complaints against Universal Recovery Corporation cite problems resulting from disputes about the validity of debts and the accuracy of information reported to the credit reporting agencies. In July 2018, a complainant stated that he had been the victim of fraud, with fraudulent checks in his name used for purchases over a year previously. According to the complainant, “when the…checks bounced, the collections requests were sent to URC.” The complainant said that he had “gone through the necessary channels to identify the bounced checks as fraud and had an affidavit of forgery sent to URC’s office.” Subsequently, a month previous to the complaint, he said he had “received a phone call regarding the already explained ‘debt,’ which was fraudulent and should not have gone to collections.” Allegedly, he explained his position to a URC representative, “and she said she had identified the affidavit on file and apologized for the inconvenience.” However, shortly after his communication attempt, he “received notification from a credit reporting agency that URC had sent the debt to collections.” The complainant said that URC wouldn’t “return or answer phone calls and are extremely hard to get ahold of.”
Also in July 2018, a complainant stated he had been contacted by Universal Recovery Corporation about a debt, but he “did not know what this bill is about.” In addition, he stated that URC “will not send him a piece of paper outlining the charges they say he owes.” The complainant suspected the bill may have been the result of a previous tenancy at a rental unit, but he stated that he had “left the residence with a court agreement that he owed nothing.” He also stated that the URC representative he had spoken with “was abusive, rude, and threatening; … would not let him speak or finish his sentences; and would not let him speak with a supervisor.” He said he had “called back several times to work it out, but they put him on hold over and over again, never answering his call or allowing him to leave an uninterrupted message.”
In August 2017, a complainant stated that he had “received a collections notice from Universal Recovery Corporation…. for cancellation of a car insurance policy.” He said he had “been trying to request documents from URC” and had sent “two request letters, called their office multiple times, and emailed once.” He said he had also called the insurance company “directly three times in the last 6 months but was told to call URC for the documents.” Allegedly, the URC representative he spoke with “first told him she did not see a record of his first written request and to send a letter again. After sending the second letter, … she told him she did not handle documentation requests and forwarded him to…voicemail.” He also said that after “a dozen condescending emails back and forth, URC still did not provide… the information…and instructed him to ‘call the office.’”
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…
“With your help the nagging collection calls have ceased! I was thrilled I was also able to get damages from the collection agency. I am unable to adequately express my joy. I am so thankful I made the call.”
“I would recommend your company to anyone. You have the debt collectors off my back, and I will finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Throughout the entire procedure your employees were courteous and professional. I was blown away by their efficacy also.
“After speaking to one of the partners, and going over the plan of action, I felt I’d chose the perfect company to go to work for me. He was very accommodating in describing what was going to happen. I would strongly recommend Lemberg Law to anybody being hassled by debt collectors”
“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!”
We can absolutely help. Call us today.
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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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Received an email from Credit Karma about a collections account reported by Universal Recovery Corporation. Debt is purportedly for a cancelled insurance policy. However, insurance policy documents show no penalty for insurance cancellation. Contacted URC and was told that collection letter was sent out on 9/16/2019 to an address that I no longer reside. Moreover, insurance cancellation letters were sent to my current address by URC’s client Pronto insurance, none of which mentioned a cancellation penalty.
Insurance cancellation notice was sent to my current address but URC sent collection letter to an address that their client Pronto Insurance stopped sending my monthly bills to over a year ago.