Fortress Management Services , LLC (FMS) is a third-party collection agency based in Florida. FMS has received complaints from consumers alleging serious violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) such as misrepresentation and threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken. If you have been contacted by FMS regarding a delinquent debt, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Fortress Management Services, LLC is a legitimate collection agency, founded in 2008. The BBB established its profile page in 2012. FMS is listed as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates FMS’ annual revenue at $99,000 and the size of its headquarters staff at 2 employees.
The website for Fortress Management Services at www.fortressmgt.com is currently not in operation. A basic search using an internet search engine reveals very little publicly available information about FMS, aside from its address, phone number, and identity as a third-party debt collection agency.
The Glass Door website includes one employee review of FMS. The 5-year veteran of FMS describes the company as a collection agency with “good clients, recent paper, and super flexible schedule and work environment.” In addition, FMS has “plenty of dialer support, multiple skip tools…and the best teamwork… in a call center environment.” On the negative side, FMS is described as “not the best shop if you are new or newer to the business. Management is relatively hands-off, so…employees who need a lot of direction or micro-managing…won’t find it.”
A search of company profiles On LinkedIn and Facebook does not produce any results.
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 December 2017, the BBB has given Fortress Management Services a rating of F. In the preceding 3 years, the BBB has closed 18 complaints against FMS, with 1 closed in the past 12 months. Almost all of the complaints allege problems with billing and collections. Neither the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) nor Justia list any complaint activity involving Fortress Management Services.
Fortress Management Services, LLC
649 US Hwy. 1, #5
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Telephone: (561) 249-3135
Website: http://fortressmgt.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely FMS 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
Complaints against Fortress Management Services cite reports of FMS representatives making false claims about their identity and threatening consumers with illegal activity. In October 2016, a complainant indicated that he had been contacted by an FMS representative who claimed he was an attorney representing the emergency department of a local hospital, and that the complainant owed $3,108.00 in medical bills. The FMS representative allegedly stated that they were going to sue the complainant, but were offering a one-time, out-of-court settlement of $500.00. The complainant requested verification of the debt and of the identity of the caller. The Fortress Management Services representative allegedly “recited the complainant’s correct social security number and birthdate, and told the complainant that if he wanted to, he could access the complainant’s bank account and take his money out and transfer it to other accounts, and by the time the complainant realized what happened, the representative would be long gone, so the complainant should just pay the money.” The complainant refused and advised the representative to file a lawsuit if that was his intention. The FMS representative allegedly replied that he would “be ‘nice,’ and allow the complainant until 1:00pm that day to pay…the money…then…proceeded to tell the complainant that he could get the amount lowered to $436.00.” The complainant alleged further that the Fortress Management Services representative continued to recite accurate personal information about the complainant, but when asked for proof about his own identity or the validity of the debt, he “would go off on an unrelated tangent, once telling the complainant that his mother had a ‘life-alert emergency’ on the previous day, and that was why it was imperative that the complainant pay by 1:00pm that day.”
The complainant hung up and the Fortress Management Services representative called back later the same day “and told the complainant that because he was nice, he was going to give the complainant a few more minutes to pay him the money.” The complainant allegedly told the representative that he had contacted the hospital, and they had confirmed that no money was owed. The representative allegedly hung up. The complainant called him back and told him that he was contacting the police, and the representative became… irate, and… told the complainant that he had better get a good lawyer and hung up.” The FMS representative called back again the next morning and left a voice mail “saying that using the complainant’s social security number and the police, he had obtained his location of employment and that he should expect someone at that address between the hours of 3:00pm…and 5:00pm… that day to serve ‘legal papers.’”
Fortress Management Services did not respond publicly to this complaint.
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.
Your debt harassment checklist:
“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.”
“I won’t be afraid to contact you or recommend your services to others for debt collection difficulties. Please keep up the outstanding work you do, and again, thank you for helping me through this challenging time. I am most grateful.”
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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