Absolute Resolutions Corporation (ARC) is a third-party collection agency based in California. ARC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken and failing to provide written verification of a debt. If ARC has contacted you about delinquent financial obligations, make sure you know your rights before you take action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Absolute Resolutions Corporation was founded in April 2001 and incorporated in June 2002. The BBB established a profile page for ARC in September 2002, and ARC has been a BBB-accredited business since June 2003. The BBB lists ARC as a collection agency and financial services company. Buzzfile estimates ARC’s annual revenue at $9.5 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 45 employees.
According to its website, ARC “is a receivables management firm exclusively focused on acquiring debt portfolios directly from creditors as a part of the debt recovery lifecycle.” ARC specializes “in the purchase and recovery of distressed consumer receivables, business cards and lines of credit, commercial leasing, and specialty finance portfolios directly from originators.” In addition, ARC “maintains a disciplined approach to purchasing debt and has… a diverse purchasing history with experience in a variety of asset classes and portfolio sizes.”
Absolute Resolutions Corporation purchases delinquent debts and then collects the delinquent accounts for a variety of businesses and industries, including automotive finance lenders; bank card issuers; retail credit card accounts; installment loans; consumer purchase finance companies; utility service providers; and telecommunication companies.
ARC uses a “best-in-class business model” that utilizes “proprietary systems, processes, and cutting-edge technology.” ARC has “developed sophisticated data analytics tools to help drive decision-making…and an extensive portfolio evaluation process and …intelligent resource allocation to maximize… financial performance.” Finally, “accounts acquired by ARC are serviced through their…Partner Network” of third-party collection agencies.
ARC’s Compliance Management System utilizes a “comprehensive vendor management program with in-depth oversight into their partner’s operations,” including “financial controls, regulatory compliance, and consumer experience.” In addition, ARC follows the best practices of the Receivables Management Association International (RMA), complies with state and federal laws, and employs Certified Receivables Compliance Professionals (CRCP) in their compliance division. The Consumer Resources page provides links to the RMA website and to websites with information about financial literacy. However, there are no links to consumer protection 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 September 2019, the BBB has closed 3 complaints against Absolute Resolutions Corporation in the preceding three years, with 1 complaint closed in the previous 12 months. Two of those complaints cited problems with billing and collections; the other cited problems with customer service. As of August 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 30 complaints involving ARC. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving ARC.
Absolute Resolutions Corporation
591 Camino de la Reina, Suite 1219
San Diego, CA 92108
Telephone: (800) 713-0670
Website: http://www.absoluteresolutions.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely ARC 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!
Get Free BBB A+ Attorney. Call 475-277-1600 NOW
Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. You can sue a debt collector. Here is a Sample Case Complaint:
In September 2017, in United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, a judge issued an Opinion and Order in a case alleging Absolute Resolutions Corporation had violated certain provisions of the FDCPA. In this case, ARC had sent the plaintiff a collection letter “seeking repayment of a delinquent credit card debt.” The plaintiff “alleged that ARC… falsely misrepresented the nature of the debt and employed unfair and unconscionable means to collect by inserting a sentence into the collection letter that ‘threatened’ to add interest and other fees to the sum owed.” Attorneys for ARC asked the court to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the plaintiff “did not suffer a real, concrete harm from the letter, and, even if she did, such harm would not be fairly traceable to ARC but rather to the plaintiff’s own mistaken beliefs about the debt.”
To address the question of whether the plaintiff had suffered any harm as a result of receiving the letter, the court first stated that the law requires that the court “presumes the truth of ‘all material allegations of the complaint’ and draws all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff’s favor.” Next, the plaintiff had complained that Absolute Resolutions Corporation had violated Section 1692e and 1692f of the FDCPA, which prohibit using false or misleading information to collect a debt or using unfair business practices. The plaintiff had received a letter from a law firm hired by ARC that stated, “Because of interest, late charges, and other charges that may vary from day to day, the amount due on the day you pay may be greater.” The plaintiff also stated that ARC, as a debt purchaser, was not authorized to add interest and never intended to add interest and that “the statement therefore amounts to an improper threat in violation of the FDCPA.” Because the plaintiff had shown that she had suffered “an invasion of a legally protected interest which is (a) concrete and particularized, and (b) actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical,” the court dismissed ARC’s argument that she did not have standing to file the complaint.
As for ARC’s argument that the plaintiff herself was responsible for the injury she suffered, the court stated that ARC’s argument was based on the assumption that the plaintiff “was not intimidated by the sentence at issue in this case, but rather by the fact she had a debt at all.” Attorneys for Absolute Resolutions Corporation attempted to argue that although the FDCPA “bars debt collectors from deceiving or misleading consumers; it does not protect consumers from fearing the actual consequences of their debts.” However, the court stated that the “plaintiff’s subjective beliefs are not relevant to the question of injury… from an allegedly threatening or misleading representation by a debt collector.” Instead, the conduct of ARC, by sending a letter with threatening and misleading language, is what the FDCPA addresses; attempting to shift the focus to the feelings of the plaintiff does not change anything.
As a result, the court denied ARC’s request to have the plaintiff’s complaint dismissed, and the case was set for a settlement conference.
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…
“I used to get up to 15 calls a week from several collection agencies. It got so bad I felt like I should just get a new phone number to make it quit. Happily, I discovered Lemberg Law. They immediately put an end to the calls. Now, when my phone rings I do not dread it.”
“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.
“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.
Share your story
Have you had a bad experience with this agency’s debt collectors? Sound off and share your experience with other visitors in the comment box below.
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."
See more posts from Sergei Lemberg