Armada Corporation is a third-party debt collection agency based in Washington. Armada has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including improper contact or sharing of information and failing to verify debts. If you have been contacted by Armada, make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the BBB, Armada Corporation is a legitimate collection agency founded in 1945 and incorporated in 1956. The BBB established Armada’s profile page in 1998. Armada is listed as a collection agency that uses the alternate business names, Commercial Collection Services, Computer Business Service, and FBDA. Buzzfile estimates Armada’s annual revenue at $2.4 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 20 employees.
According to its website, Armada Corporation “is a regional debt recovery firm with 69 years of leadership in the debt collection industry.” Armada has “six offices licensed in two western states…to provide an uncommon level of service to the business community and to consumers utilizing the latest in technology and communication tools.”
As a “leading provider of professional debt collection and payment solutions,” Armada Corporation offers several proprietary services, including Pay Assist, & Pay, ClientAccessWeb, and PayStream. PayAssist allows businesses to implement “time/self-pay monitoring services to dramatically increase cash flow and significantly reduce the time staff is spending on follow-up.” Similarly, &Pay enables telephone and internet credit card transactions. ClientAccessWeb is the software behind Armada’s online client access portal. PayStream is an “online payment and negotiation tool where consumers can forgo the process of speaking with a collector… as an easier way to manage their finances.”
In addition, Armada’s DebtCollect division provides third-party collection services for regional businesses. Benefits include “high recovery rates, local offices, payment plan management, electronic data transfer, an online reporting system, and complimentary professional on-site training.”
Armada Corporation accepts delinquent accounts for healthcare providers such as hospitals, clinics, ambulance, chiropractor, dental practices, and veterinary; utilities, including water, electric, and landfill; financial service providers, including banks, credit unions, and payday lenders; government agencies such as superior court, district court, municipal court, cities, counties, and treasurers; and retail businesses, including check recovery, florists, and attorneys.
Armada Corporation provides fairly comprehensive consumer protection information on its Consumer Center page, including information about the FDCPA, credit reports, and regional laws.
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 7 complaints against Armada Corporation in the past three years, with 3 complaints closed in the past 12 months. All of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. Since April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 13 complaints against Armada. Justia lists at least 4 cases of civil litigation involving Armada Corporation.
Armada Corporation
93 Eastmont Ave., Suite 100
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Telephone: (800) 949-2372
Website: http://www.armadacorp.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely Armada 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 filed in Federal Court
In June 2011, in United States District Court, Western District of Washington at Tacoma, a judge issued an Order in a case alleging several violations of the FDCPA. In this case, the plaintiff allegedly bounced a $25.00 check to a nail salon in 2005. Three years later, Armada Corp sent the plaintiff a Notice of Dishonor, which read, in part:
“You are also CAUTIONED that law enforcement agencies may be provided with a copy of this notice of dishonor and the check drawn by you for the possibility of proceeding with criminal charges if you do not pay the amount of this check within thirty-three (33) days after the date this letter is postmarked.”
The plaintiff claims never to have received the notice. Because the plaintiff did not respond, Armada began making collection calls to her home and place of employment. Armada Corp collectors left voice mail messages that did not disclose their identity as a debt collector. Eventually, Armada filed a lawsuit in county district court in its effort to collect the $25.00 bounced check, plus interest, fees, and statutory damages. The plaintiff was served with a notice of the lawsuit nearly five years after the initial incident. In response to the summons, the plaintiff requested validation of the debt, and Armada sent a copy of the Notice of Dishonor. Although the parties were unable to settle the claim prior to court, Armada moved to strike the hearing in April 2010 without indicating whether the debt had been paid.
As a result of Armada’s actions, the plaintiff filed a complaint alleging violations of the FDCPA’s provisions that prohibit a debt collector from representing or implying “that nonpayment of any debt will result in the arrest or imprisonment of any person…unless such action is lawful and the debt collector or creditor intends to take such action”; from using the “false representation or implication that the consumer committed any crime or other conduct in order to disgrace the consumer”; and requiring a “debt collector to disclose…that it is a debt collector and any information received during the communication will be used for that purpose.” Armada Corp attempted to argue that Washington state law allows the use of Notices of Dishonor for bounced checks, and that because Armada’s company policy only requires them to disclose their identity in the initial contact, they had satisfied their obligation in that regard. The court disagreed, indicating the FDCPA supersedes state laws, and that all of Armada’s actions constituted factual FDCPA violations. The plaintiff’s motion for summary judgement was granted.
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…
“As we discussed on the phone earlier today, this settlement is perfectly okay to me. I need to thank you and all of your cohorts at Lemberg Law to get a project handled so professionally. Please allow Amy, the first person who contacted me from Lemberg, know how much I appreciate her efforts, kindness, and professionalism.”
“I won’t be afraid to contact you or recommend your services to others for applicable legal issues. Please keep up the outstanding work you do, and again, thank you for helping me through this challenging time. I’m most grateful. I can not say thank you enough!”
“I received outstanding professionalism from the own staff. I had a horrible experience when trying to solve a debt. 1 debt collector associate said she would speak to the prosecutor’s office and another representative told me that when I called the office back he would call the police and have me arrested. I had been insulted, mocked, and threatened, and feared that the police would appear at my door any given moment.”
“I just wanted to let you know we received the check from your office on now and I wanted to take some time to inform you that we really appreciate all of your efforts in this matter.”
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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