Accelerated Collection Service is a debt collection agency which appears to have received a large amount of complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Find out who they are, why they might be calling, and how you can stop them.
Accelerated Collection Service is a debt collections agency based in Kent, Washington. It appears as though there are a variety of different complaints against Accelerated Collection Service alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) including, failure to validate debt and using false, deceptive means to collect on debt. If you have been contacted by this debt collector, make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. Accelerated Collection Service can be considered a legitimate collections company due to the fact that it has been in business for 17 years. Therefore, it is unwise to ignore the need to resolve your debt and write off Accelerated Collection Service as a scam. The Better Business Bureau has both accredited the business and given it an “A” rating on their website. The accreditation occurred on May 18th, 2006. Accelerated Collection Service was established in 2003 and is managed by Diana Hernandez, the Vice President of the company. In regard to the professionalism of the collection business, Accelerated Collection Service is part of the Washington Collectors Association, The Association of Credit and Collection Professional (ACA International), and Health Care Financial Management Association (HFMA).
On their website, Accelerated Collection Service promises to deliver “innovative solutions” and “positive economic outcomes”. The collections agency also claims to have the most current and efficient software programs and the capability to “preserve a client’s image” throughout the collections process. In addition to their website page, Accelerated Collection Service also maintains a Facebook page for their business. The page itself is followed by 20 people and liked by 19 people. It appears as though the purpose of this page is to establish a closer relationship with clients and potential clients through providing testimonials, articles of interest, and information about the company itself.
According to the Accelerated Collection Service LinkedIn page, the company specializes in “medical debt recovery, financial debt recovery, consumer debt recovery, receivables management, 501(r) and patient charity requirements, judgments recovery, debt collection, dental debt recovery, and credit union debt recovery”. Ultimately, this means that your debt most likely came from an error in medical billing, though it is possible that Accelerated Collection Service is collecting for a different type of business. It is important for you, as a debtor, to resolve your debt to ensure the safety of your assets and your future ability to take out loans. Accelerated Collection Service also highlights their “15+ years” of medical, dental, and financial recovery experience as well as their HIPAA and PCS certified collectors, and compliance with GLBA. Some of their past clients, according to testimonials on Accelerated Collection Service’s Facebook Page, include: Meridian Valley Country Club, Willow Brook Homeowner Association, Ace Accounting Services, LLC, Weyerhaeuser Employees Credit Union, and Dr. Cory Fletcher, DDS.
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.
Accelerated Collection Service has received a number of complaints across the internet. While BBB.org rated the company with an “A” and accredited the business, there were still 2 complaints closed in last 3 years and 2 complaints closed in last 12 months for Accelerated Collection Service on the BBB website. A majority of these complaints included complaints about false credit reporting and lack of documentation provided by the company. It does appear as though Accelerated Collection Service is very responsive to these complaints on the BBB.org website, but the reoccurrence of these events can shine a negative light on the company. In addition to the BBB.org complaints, Accelerated Collection Service has also received 5 reviews on Yelp amounting to a 3.5 star review overall, and 13 Google Reviews totaling to an overall 2.9 star review.
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. Like most debt collection agencies, Accelerated Collection Service would likely choose not to sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot verify. This does not mean, however, that is uncommon for debt collection agencies to summon debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. In order to avoid finding yourself in this situation, contact an attorney preemptively to ensure the safety of your assets and rights. Lemberg Law has helped thousands of consumers fight back against these cases of fraudulent collection practices. Call us today to find out how we can help you resolve this issue.
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 complaint:
A complainant became aware that Accelerated Collection Service had purchased their debt from an emergency (anaphylactic shock) visit at a hospital. The complainant had never before received a bill from Accelerated Collection Service. It was after the complainant became aware that this charge was on their credit card and had not been fully paid that they called Accelerated Collection Service to clear up the discrepancy. When asked whether there was a settlement option, Accelerated Collection Service declined and the complainant agreed to pay the “$918.00” which was owed. The collections company then informed the complainant that the fee had now risen to “$1,134.00”. The company claimed that this additional fee was was interest, “because the medical center is a non for profit”. The complainant then proceeded to pay the “$918.00” and the payment was received on 7/22/2020. After this exchange the complainant asked for, “a receipt to be sent via email and postal” and never received one. A month later, the charge was still fully reported on the complainant’s credit card and when the complainant chose to dispute it, the company told the bureau instead that the amount was accurately reported, even after the complainant had the fee paid for over a month.
It is important to learn to protect yourself by understanding your rights when it comes to collections companies. This protection can be achieved by familiarizing yourself with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which outlines a person’s protections against the abuses and misconduct of collection agencies. If you wish to take a look at these rights, you can find these rights listed on the Federal Trade Commission’s website under, “Debt Collection FAQs”. In addition to your rights under the FDCPA, do not forget that you also have additional rights to protect yourself from fraudulent practices under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
Yes, you can. If you would like to be able to recover your damages and protect yourself as an individual you ideally should. Lawsuits are necessary when the Federal laws which protect citizens like you from these fraudulent practices are breached. You should choose to award yourself the ability to defend your rights and receive compensation by suing if you feel as though these rights have been violated. Individuals like you can recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
“The associates at Lemberg Law took amazing care of me and my situation involving the collection agency. They walked through the steps of process thoroughly and the rest is history. I can’t thank them enough. Thank you!!”
“Thank you. I do appreciate all that Lemberg Law has done on my behalf. I do hope that no one else has to go through harassment like I did, but if anyone I come in contact with is ever experiencing the same, I will refer”
“I’m so happy with the service. You made me feel like I count as a person. I want to thank the whole firm for the excellent service and hard work they put in on my case. No one does it better. Keep up the good work, and keep wining for the little guys.”
“I would recommend this firm hands down. They are truly professional and very polite. I could not have found a better firm to deal with. THANK YOU to all who worked on my case. You are the BEST. I HIGHLY recommend you and your services.”
Yes, we would love to 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