Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management or CARM is a debt collection agency, which receives a lot of consumer complaints to our law firm for debt harassment. Find out who they are, why they might be calling, and how you can stop them.
Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management, Inc. (CARM) is a third-party collection agency based in Michigan. CARM has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including using false or misleading information in an effort to collect a debt and failing to verify debts. If CARM has contacted you about past due financial obligations,make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management, Inc. is a legitimate collection agency, founded in January 1989 and incorporated in July 1989. The BBB established a profile page for CARM in March 1989. The BBB lists CARM as a collection agency with an estimated 14 employees. Buzzfile estimates CARM’s annual revenue at $480,000 and the size of its headquarters staff at 7 people.
According to its website, CARM has a“keen understanding of the needs and processes of accounts receivable management” and employs “specialists trained to assist businesses with successful accounts receivable management practices.” CARM’s staff is trained using guidelines based on theHealth Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).CARM’s “mission and philosophy are to provide superior accounts receivable management, accompanied by excellent client service, at a reasonable fee.”
CARM collectors specialize in “collecting accounts receivable…for healthcare, commercial business, municipalities, and state and local governments.” Their range of collection services include phone call campaigns for delinquent accounts; credit reporting to the national credit reporting agencies; and legal services that utilize “attorneys who are well-versed in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).” In addition, CARM provides “workshops to train…client staff on point-of-service account…management techniques.” Other services include electronic account transfer; secure file transition via the internet, PGP encryption, or Verisign email; manual account submission using the CARM website; automated remittance; online account access; world class collection management software; and advanced telephone calling technology.
CARM’s About Us page provides links to the FDCPA and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FCRA) pages on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, as well as the HIPAA page on the Health and Human Services (HHS) website. Their Resources page consists of a link to the Ask Doctor Debt webpage, which is hosted by the International Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International). However, the CARM website does not provide information about consumer rights or consumer protection 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.
As of January 2019, the BBB has closed 4 complaints against Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management, Inc in the preceding three years, with 2 complaints closed in the previous 12 months. Almost all of those complaints cited problems with billing and collections. Since October 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 6 complaints against CARM. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving CARM.
Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management, Inc.
1015 Wilcox St.
Cadillac, MI 49601-2527
Telephone: (231) 779-9848
Website: http://www.cadillac-ar.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely CARM 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 Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management frequently cite problems resulting from questions about the validity of debts and the accuracy of information reported to credit reporting agencies; as well as allegations of harassment and overly aggressive collection tactics. In May 2018, a complainant stated that she had visited the doctor for a mammogram and had been billed for all but $74.00 of the expense for the procedure. The complainant stated that her medical insurance was handled by the Veterans Administration (VA), and that she was therefore not responsible for this debt. Regardless, she claimed that CARM representatives had reported the unpaid portion of the bill as a delinquency to the credit reporting agencies. She stated that she had “contacted CARM several times within this past year about incorrect billing,” including “the day it appeared on her credit profile.” The complainant alleged that the representatives she spoke with were “very rude…and treated her like a criminal.” She also claimed that she had contacted the VA and that CARM was instructed to “remove that collection off all her records immediately but they didn’t.” The complainant alleged that the CARM representatives are “criminals trying to ruin people’s reputations” and that “if they were doing their jobs this would have been resolved sooner.”
In its response, CARM confirmed that the complainant had “contacted their office…and stated she was covered by the VA.” CARM stated that they had “advised her to fill out the insurance portion of the statement and return it to their office, which she never did.” CARM claimed further that they had had no other contact with the complainant until she called requesting that they remove the item from her credit report. Subsequently, CARM stated that they had validated the debt with their client and had sent an itemized statement to the complainant; however, they also stated that after validating the debt, they were contacted by the client and told to bill the insurance company. CARM stated that they had told the insurance representative that CARM is “strictly a collections agency, and… advised the insurance representative to contact the client directly,” a statement that seems contradictory in view of their earlier statement that they had requested the complainant to complete insurance paperwork.Ultimately, the client contacted CARM and told them to put the account “on hold.” Regardless, CARM billed the complainant again and stated that they had not received a response. CARM concluded by stating that they had “requested that the consumer reporting agencies report the account as disputed.”
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…
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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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Constant calls from Cadillac Accounts Receivable Management. All of my medical bills are paid in full.