Forest Recovery Services , LLC (FRS) is a third-party collection agency based in Illinois. FRS has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as failing to verify debts and attempting to collect debts not owed. If FRS has contacted you about past due collection items, make sure you understand your rights before you take action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Forest Recovery Services, LLC was founded in August 2013. The BBB established a profile page for FRS in December 2013 , and FRS has been a BBB-accredited business since 2018. The BBB lists FRS as a collection agency, financial services company, and billing service. Buzzfile estimates FRS’s annual revenue at $113,000 and the size of its headquarters staff at 4 employees.
According to its website, Forest Recovery Services “is focused on solutions for improving …customers’ bottom line.” FRS is “committed to recovering …outstanding debts quickly, efficiently, and amicably.” In addition, FRS employs a “staff of seasoned professionals who work with…clients to arrange…payment plans.”
The FRS website does not provide a lot of detailed information about its business practices or the types of businesses or industries for whom they collect debts. FRS provides recovery services for healthcare service providers; municipal government agencies; and “general services.” Their services include “customized recovery efforts based on clients’ business needs”; credit bureau reporting; “online client access to view account activity 24/7”; and “flexible new account placement options.”
All employees of FRS are FDCPA-certified, professional collectors with at least 10 years of experience. However, their website does not include any information about their regulatory compliance policies, and there are no links or references to consumer protection resources, 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.
The BBB has closed 1 complaint against Forest Recovery Services in the past three years, in November 2018. The complaint alleged problems with billing and collections. As of April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 8 complaints against FRS. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving FRS.
Forest Recovery Services, LLC
PO Box 83
Barrington, IL 60011
Telephone:877-276-1066
Website: http://www.forestrecoveryservices.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely FRS 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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Absolutely. Here are some Sample Complaints
Complaints against Forest Recovery Services cite problems resulting from disputes about the validity of debts and the accuracy of information reported to the credit reporting agencies. Many of the debts FRS attempts to collect originate with municipal agencies, such as utility service providers and funeral and cemetery service providers. In April 2018, a complainant stated that FRS had been attempting to collect a debt on behalf of a fraudulent funeral service provider. The complainant stated that she had been “defrauded…and will be filing complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and the New York and New Jersey Attorneys General accordingly.” To support her claim, she cited “samples of various state actions taken against” FRS’s client, including statements form the Attorneys General of Colorado and Georgia, both of whom had “ordered a summary suspension” against this company for violations that included falsely advertising that they reside within or were licensed to do business in, certain states; falsely advertising that they have “appropriate equipment or personnel to provide funeral goods or services”; falsely advertising that they are “a licensed cremation provider and that cremations are performed by licensed funeral directors.” Additionally, FRS’s client offered similar services in Florida, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, California, Texas, and Wisconsin, with “a number of these states having either issued Cease & Desist orders or Advisory Notices to its consumers.” Serious violations included endangerment of the “public health, safety, or welfare that required emergency action…including multiple violations of the Mortuary Science Code.”
The debt collection letter she originally received from Forest Recovery Services was for a debt “in the amount of $1,600.00 on behalf of …this fraudulent company that is not licensed and has been sanctioned and ordered to cease and desist operations in numerous states due to fraudulent, illegal, unfair, and deceptive consumer practices.”This company allegedly “issued a fraudulent, illegal contract for the cremation service of the complainant’s mom…based on the deliberately deceptive pretense that they were a family-owned and operated, licensed funeral home and cremation provider…On its website,” this funeral services company allegedly represents itself to be “locally owned, operated, and licensed nationwide in all states.” However, it is “not licensed in any state, nor is it an actual funeral home or cremation provider, but is instead a web-based marketing company that targets grieving families… in a nationwide scam that covertly subcontracts cremation services to… local funeral homes, … essentially acting… as a body broker.” According to the complainant, FRS had promised to close her account and cease and desist all collection activities; however, she stated that they had neither “closed this account, nor… ceased or desisted.” She said that FRS continued to call her and send “more harassing debt notices…instead of doing what they stated they would do in response to her previous complaint.” She alleged that FRS was “engaging in complicit behavior with their client.”
The CFPB indicated that the complaint had been closed with an explanation, but FRS declined to provide a public response.
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 have to admit, I was not sure of y’all initially but you proved me wrong. You not only got the calls to stop but you have the company to dismiss the accounts once and for all! It had been more than I anticipated.”
“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!”
“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.”
“Thank you and your team at Lemberg Law for the exceptional work you did on my behalf. I have never experienced the level of care, professionalism, timeliness in follow-through, and monetary compensation obtained through your firm.”
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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