Automated Collection Services , Inc. or ACSI is a third-party collection agencybased in Tennessee. ACSI has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) such as failure to verify debts.If you have been contacted by ACSI, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Automated Collection Services, Inc. is a legitimate collection agency, founded and incorporated in Tennessee in 1988, and is currently headquartered in Nashville. The BBB established its profile page for ACSI in 1990. Buzzfile estimates Automated Collection Services’ annual revenue at $18 million and the size of its staff at 198 people.
ACSI’s mission is to “invest in its commitment, culture, leadership, sponsorship, and participation for the purpose of providing our clients with the benefits of superior performance, a collaborative and productive relationship, and real-world accomplishments that matter to our clients and their success.” Originally an Accounts Receivables Management (ARM) company servicing local retailers, ACSI soon began offering its services to healthcare providers. Success in healthcare collection led to clients in higher education and eventually government and financial markets. ACSI transitioned from small business to large business during the early 2000s.
Currently, ACSI offers full-service third-party collections for education; state and municipal government; large and small healthcare providers; and private finance including financial institutions, debt buyers, and retailers. ACSI’s education division includes repayment, consolidation, and rehabilitation programs as well as cohort management and administrative wage garnishment for federal, institutional, and private student debt. Their healthcare division addresses self-pay, managed healthcare reimbursement, and third-party billing follow-up.
ACSI cites its free financial literacy education program as one of its strengths. The BBB includes a statement of Additional Information indicating that the BBB has met with the management of ACSI “as a means to assist them with educating consumers and debtors on responding to debt collection attempts [and to ensure] consumers…understand their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.” Consumer resources on ACSI’s website include links to information about student loans and a link to the Internal Revenue Service website, and can be found by hovering the mouse over the Contact tab and selecting, “Consumer Contacts.”
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 20 complaints against ACSI in the past three years, with 5 closed in the past 12 months. Most of the complaints allege problems with billing and collection issues. Since March 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received 4 complaints against ACSI alleging problems in “dealing with the lender or servicer.” Justia lists a case of civil litigation in which ACSI was named as a co-plaintiff.
Automated Collection Services, Inc. (ACSI)
2802 Opryland Dr.
Nashville, TN 37214-1200
Telephone: (615) 361-6997
Website: http://automatedcollections.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely ACSI 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. You can sue a debt collector. Here are some Sample Cases filed in Federal Court
In August 2016, in the United States Court of Federal Claims, a judge ruled on Motions for Judgement on the Administrative Record. Collection agencies view Department of Education contracts as “‘the most sought-after contract within this industry’ because of the ever-increasing volume of student loan debt that is extremely difficult to discharge in bankruptcy.” This case involved a dispute about the process for awarding these contracts through the General Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Education (ED). In this case, ED requested proposals for the award of “multiple Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (‘IDIQ’) contracts to collect defaulted student loans” to qualifying third-party collection agencies in December 2015. Qualifying agencies were to be evaluated on the basis of three factors: Past Performance (Factor 1); Management Approach (Factor 2); and Small Business Participation Plan (Factor 3). Automated Collection Services submitted a proposal according to the guidelines but was not offered a contract in this round of bids. Subsequently, along with 21 other unsuccessful bidders, ACSI filed a protest with the GAO. In March 2017, the GAO sustained the protests, citing unreasonable evaluation by ED of Factors 1 and 2. In May 2017, ED announced its decision to take corrective action by revising aspects of the Solicitation with regard to Factors 1 and 2, initially with no changes regarding commitments to small business contractors, but then to re-open the competitive bid process entirely. Revised small business plans from all offers would be reevaluated, and ED would be able to consider all three factors of the revised proposals.
In June 2017, ACSI filed a bid protest complaint citing ED’s corrective action as “arbitrary, capricious…an abuse of discretion, and otherwise contrary to federal law,” and enjoining ED from “considering revised small business participation plans in connection with the corrective action and a new award decision.” The government’s Motion to Dismiss ACSI’s complaint argued that “ACSI does not have standing to challenge ED’s proposed corrective action to allow all potential offers to provide updates regarding small business participation.” Ultimately, the judge in this case decided that “ED should be entitled to take corrective action to address both the deficiencies identified by the March 27, 2017 GAO decision and new information brought to the attention of ED” and denied ACSI’s Motion for Judgement.
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).
Yes. If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. Federal 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…
“We realize that ours is just one small case among many – and many more serious – but are heartened by the fact that you accepted it and represented us with a professionalism that belied the small dollar amount.”
“If you are unsure about this company…DONT BE!!! They are for real when they say they are here to help you. It only takes a few short minutes of your time to talk to a rep. I was a skeptic, but you did everything you said you would! I can’t say thank you enough!”
”Lemberg Law has saved me from the endless calls, and harassing voicemails. They really do go to bat for you. I didn’t know that debt collection agencies can end up paying your legal bill. What a surprise, to receive free legal help. I’m very grateful for all the hard work they did to finally give me my life back.”
Chances are good that we can help. Call us today and we’ll explain.
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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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ACSI calls daily and rings only once with no voice message left. It’s like they are keeping the case opened by doing this, but never speak to me directly. So frustrating!
They called me today and identified themselves as “calling on behalf of Vanderbilt Medical”. And that they had important information to discuss. Then when I confirmed my identity they identified themselves as a debt collector. When I told them that they can’t represent themselves as a hospital to confirm my identity, they responded by saying they had only said they were calling on behalf of Vanderbilt and that they never misrepresented themselves.
ACSI is reporting a collection on my experian credit report for a Sprint account.
I have never had an account with Sprint. In fact I have used a company cell phone with Verizon for more than 10 years and had a different company cell phone with ATT for 3 years prior to that.
When I disputed the account with experian, ACSI “verified” the debt and kept it on my report.
I have contacted ACSI twice and asked for a copy of any contract or any other document that would validate this account. I have been told they “cant find” my account because my current (valid) cell phone number isnt on file with them.
They have told me that the only way to solve this is to contact Sprint, but they cant give me a phone number or contact information for anyone at Sprint.
The most recent call I had with them, I asked for a supervisor. The collections representative hung up on me.
I asked for back up on what SPRINT said I owed as I had paid for my services and then got a collection notice from ASCI . So I sent them a request for proof of what I owed. Never heard from them. They would call and let it ring once several times a day. I went to answer it and they were gone. I call back and no answer.
Today I got an alert that they now have attached a collections account on my credit report. They never sent me anything showing what I owed for and I dispute the validity
I too have had 3 to 4 calls a day from the acsi jerks, at least 6 days a week.. I finally got @@##$% tired of it yesterday and told them where to put it. I had called the medical group I supposedly owed the money to and they had no record of that bill.
I have had a stroke and heart attack probably in part due to stress from these guys. Doesn’t this stuff ever stop? I am headed for another one and have instructed my wife to pursue it legally if these $$#@##! knuckles continue the harassment and something more happens to me. This is the very last thing in the world I need when I am trying to recover from the stroke and learn to walk again.
ACSI, on behalf of College Assist, issued an “Order Of Witholding From Earnings” to my employer, Zulily, which they received at their corporate offices in Seattle on 03 May 2019 and implemented on my 17 May 2019 paycheck.
I work at Zulily’s Reno Fulfillment Center in Nevada and have worked there since 15 January 2018.
ACSI has attempted to contact me over the telephone and has done so as early as December 26, 2018 and as recently as 22 May 2019, but has made no attempt to contact me in writing, which is the only means that I will respond to a Debt Collector.
ACSI has made no attempt to validate the debt at this time and has probably submitted the garnishment order in the hopes that I will contact them and they can go forward with the debt collection proceedings, which are for a delinquent student loan.
The only notice that I received regarding a garnishment action was my paycheck of 17 May 2019.
I then contacted the Lyon County, Nevada Court Clerk and found out that they had no record of a garnishment action against me, and I then contacted the Storey County, Nevada Court Clerk and they also checked with the Sheriff’s Office, who do handle serving garnishment orders on Zulily because they are situated in Storey County, and they also had no record of serving any garnishment action involving me.
On 22 May 2019 I received the copy of the garnishment order that was served on Zulily and it doesn’t appear to be all that legal to me, considering that it is on College Assist’s corporate letterhead and that ACSI is the one conducting the action.
If you need more information and need copies of my correspondence and the garnishment order sent to Zulily, please let me know.
More than 20 years ago Automated Collection Services maintained an account against me that was fraudulent.
I had a problem with Sprint because I obtain 3 phone lines under a plan a plan that gave me unlimited everything for a very cheap rate. Then the bandwidth changed and demand surged. Sprint wanted more for my lines than what they charged. They cancelled one line that I was not using, just paying monthly fee.
On the other 2 lines they reduced services changed agreement and increased premium. I accused them of fraud and changed carriers. I never heard back from from Sprint.
I just found out that ACSI had a collections account open more than 20 years that they have been using to harm my credit and deny me carrier service.
Automated Collection agency reported a debt I have never received a bill for. I am not despiuting the bill but never sent to me, or to my mailing address.
Automated Collection Agency contacted me once, and sent the report to the Credit bureau even after I agreed to pay and waiting for them to send me the details of the bill.
They did it when I am at the beginning of Security Clearance investigation for my military service. I believe they rush to do it because they know my Security clearance Investigation is started. Right now I am not sure if this affect my clearance to go through because of this or not.
Recently I made the payment in full, but my record has not yet been updated.