Immediate Credit Recovery or ICR is a third-party collection agency specializing in student loan debt. ICR has received many complaints from consumers alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) such as using inappropriate communication tactics and making threats. If you have been contacted by ICR regarding a delinquent debt, make sure you know your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Immediate Credit Recovery is a legitimate collection agency founded in 1990, incorporated in New York state in 1998, and has a headquarters located in Georgia. The BBB opened its file on ICR in 2010. Buzzfile estimates Immediate Credit Recovery’s annual revenue at $8.1 million.
Immediate Credit Recovery serves creditors who issue loans or extend credit for higher education and healthcare as well as government and commercial clients. They cite as strengths their “excellent management oversight, zero-tolerance complaint program, exceptional customer service, advanced borrower privacy and data security safeguards, on-line account review and reporting and cutting-edge technology.”
In its mission statement, ICR has made a commitment to providing “superior debt recovery services while maintaining the highest level of professionalism and respect for all parties involved.” They have made a “pledge to ensure that all consumer debtors maintain their dignity and self-worth throughout the assistance being provided to them in resolving their outstanding debts.”
Immediate Credit Recovery homepage features a resource center that provides information for site visitors about information related to debt collection and lending. There are links to pages on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website about the FDCPA and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). There are also links to websites with skip-tracing tools, student loan servicers, and other legal references. However, ICR’s website does not include much information about its own compliance policies. The Client Links tab provides access to web portals for commercial clients. The consumer site is reduced to a link at the bottom of the Contact tab and leads to a page that allows consumers to make online payments.
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 36 complaints against Immediate Credit Recovery in the past three years, with 19 closed in the past twelve months. Most of the complaints allege problems with billing and collection; other complaints focus on problems with customer service. There are also 2 negative customer reviews.Since June 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has logged 26 complaints against ICR alleging violations that include illegal disclosure of information, failure to verify debts,improper communication tactics, and making threats. Justia lists at least 5 cases of civil litigation naming ICR as a defendant.
Immediate Credit Recovery, Inc.
3330 Chastain Meadows Pkwy NW, Ste. 100
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5881
Telephone: (866) 401-7188
Website: http://www.icrcollect.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely ICR 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 November 2014, in United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Meyers Division, a judge issued an Order in the matter of a complaint alleging ICR had violated provisions of the FDCPA that prohibit the use of false or misleading information as well as the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) for failing to obtain written authorization prior to withdrawing payments. The plaintiff prevailed in her argument that because ICR sent several collection letters to her stating repayment terms that contradicted the oral agreement she had already established, and which was already being implemented, they violated the FDCPA’s provision against “false, deceptive, or misleading representation or means in connection with the collection of any debt.” The plaintiff also successfully argued that ICR’s failure to establish recurring authorization of electronic funds transfer from her bank account violated the EFTA. A third charge attempted to establish ICR’s liability for violating the FDCPA’s provisions against “unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect any debt,” but failed because she could not establish that oral agreements to withdraw funds legally constituted a “postdated payment instrument.”
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…
“I would recommend your firm to anyone. You got the debt collectors off my back, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Throughout the whole process your staff were professional and courteous. I was blown away by their efficiency as well. Thank you guys so much!”
“I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you! Being in debt is hard enough without being harassed by collection agencies, but thanks to you I no longer have to be a victim. I did not know what to expect when I emailed your company, but from the beginning you guys were on the ball.”
“I would like to thank you and your staff for all the help you’ve provided to me. Honestly, you have a wonderful staff that has dealt professionally and been very empathetic at a time in my life when I hit a speed bump.”
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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They have been calling my family and ex boyfriend trying to get my info. Not sure what it’s regarding. The agent says his name is Rex Serio, which matches the name of a guy arrested for narcotics and associated with fraud. Extremely creepy.
ICR aggressiveness to get you to do their loan programs during the pandemic. I have a terminal illness. I know that payments are suspended until September 30. Why are they harassing me about signing a loan agreement. I think they are trying to trap you into an agreement. I just want to wait and see how Debt of Ed will deal with student loans. They need to get rid of ICR.
I’ve been making payments to ICR towards my student loan debt and the balance has not decreased. Today they told me that I am charged 6% interest rate every day until the debt is paid off. I don’t know what to do and feel as though they are not putting my payments towards my student loan total balance. They don’t seem like a legitimate company and their website login (which should show what I’ve paid and what I owe) mysteriously doesn’t work and says my account doesn’t exist! I’ve paid over 1k in the past 3 months and they claim that is for collection fees?? I am not sure what I can do because they won’t send any documents stating what I’m paying nor will they get me set up in their online system. They even had the nerve to hang up on me today while they were “getting approval” to send me information on what I owe…
I started having my wages garnished today by Immediate Credit Recovery. Evidently, My employer received a notice from them back on January 23rd. I never got the notice until today because my payroll department forgot to tell me, and when I got paid today, my check was short 100 bucks, so I sent my payroll department an email and all I got was a “sorry for the delay.” So now, these creeps have my check being garnished every pay period for a grand total of $36K, when the original loan was only for $11k, and supposedly the loan is from 2010. Isn’t it illegal for them to garnish your wages without sending you something in writing first? These people need to be stopped. If I owe the loan, I will pay it directly to the U.S. Department of education, but these people at ICR can go suck an egg. What should I do to get the garnishment to stop?
Can these hungry people can they go to you job and get witnesses your superior
For me to sign papers
In front of them don’t know what it’s a out.
I have no school loans
What should I do? Worried of these eating
Scammers
My original debt was to Celtic bank, approximately $500. This debt has been sold off to these bottom feeders. The first agency was threatening if I didn’t immediately give them my credit card/debit card to pay in full. I offered a repayment plan, they said absolutely not – pay in FULL now. Then, they said I would be in trouble with the law and hung up. Mind you, they knew my home address and alleged they sent me correspondence regarding the matter (they did not). Now ICR is calling me about this matter, same bull*** /jargon. They said my “court papers came back undelivered” – yet, the address is the exact same as ALL my mail comes to. They said I am “permanently in trouble with Chex Systems and can never open another account”. I told them I had met with my attorney and would recall him today to discuss this and the guy kept saying “It Doesn’t matter you blew off court” – how could I blow off court when I NEVER GOT THE LETTER b/c YOU NEVER SENT IT! <– was my response. I said I'm calling my lawyer and he said good luck you will owe us fees, plus our cost, plus your original debt. I can't stand this company. All of my other creditors have worked with me to establish repayment plans, etc. I need this company off my back!!!!!!!! This is Awful to have these bottom feeders that paid pennies for my small debt harass me and make threats. What can I do???? I am VERY WILLING to work with a legitimate company, not these phonies who have NEVER sent me paperwork which is the law!
Unauthorized false certification loan icr us ed treasury are garnishing for recovery and debiting account after loans were paid calling billing more than what loan was , electronic funds transferred Loans were unreceived ,, but I paid to obtain passport as this was being held back denied
Icr allegedly purchased my loans from us dept of education gsl/atl located in Iowa city according to the bbb this place has been closed since 2016. Also the us dept of education has only one location Washington DC so this place in Iowa city is a fake business that was trying to impersonate us dept of education. The us dept of education shows my loans as paid in full on time with a zero balance and a positive credit rating but the location in Iowa city shows me owing 96,000 that they’ve taken over 30,000 from my accounts over the last 5 years. Neither company shows record of my original loan account and that was with the us dept of education which again shows me as paid off and in good standing with them. This fake dept of Ed cannot sell fake loans to icr. I want my 30,000 back and all the service fees I’ve been charged for them stealing my money
I recognize the verbatim
In most if the calls.
My concern is now that they aren’t applying the payment that I’m making towards my debt.
They are still calling me and asking me to verify things from nowhere. I’ve been paying on my agreement for several months.
I got a call from this company stating I owed a company $1600, and if I didn’t give them my card info to start payments today I would have a lawsuit filed against me and they would be coming to my job to have me sign papers. I don’t even know of the company they say I have a debt from, but that I’ll be charged with breech of contract and fraud … Over non payment. The number they called from shows restricted and they leave several voicemails over the span of a day threatening lawsuits in my county.
I have already paid$5 which they told me I had to pay for 10 consecutive months and then I will be turned over to a new loan carrier. They sent me numerous letters stating an unexpected of debt for my daughter’s student loan.
This company has sent me a letter stating i would be having my wages garnished if i didnt contact them within 7 days which i did. I was then told that i needed specific information about all my expenses. I had to call back the next day when i was finally able to get all the information together. He takes down all of the information tells my about a payment plan i quaily for if i send all the information to them with in a certain time frame and attatch all documents. I was then told that they could make me a settlement offer of 40,000 dollars and had the nerve to ask me would i like to take care of this today. I mean i just told you that my account stays in the negative just so can get by and you are asking me to do what. He says well i have to offer it. I am worried that this will never end. I am worried that even after i send all this information and pay like i am supposed to they wont keep up there end of the deal and take my loans of default. how can i be sure they follow there own laws and rules.
Inability to resolve debt with this agency and set up appropriate arrangements due to no returned calls
I just got a call from this company, at first they did not identify themselves, and tried to get me to say that i owed 15,000 in student loans , the person on the phone first told me , that they are contractors of the federal government to collect debts, I said ok, and what debt would that be, they said you have a student loan from 1997 , And asked me why and if i refuse to the federal government, I said well have the feds call me first , and i will answer that , So he said the debt is due today are you going to pay it, I said well unless money falls from the sky right now, then i do not have the funds, Theysaid of we can give you options to pay it, but first we need your financial information, I was like ok what are the options, that you mentioned, He said first we need your financial information, I said no, i don;t give financial information over the phone, send me to your website, offer me the options first he refused. Could be a scam posing as this recovery company, Who knows, but don;t give these people any information about you, or agree to give any financial info or details over the phone to anyone ever. What they don;t know is that I studied to be a consumer lawyer.
They called my home and work number threatening legal action. I called them and told them my dad works for the attorney general’s office here in my state. Not sure if that will stop them but these leaches need to be stopped
They called and left a threatening message for the last user of my call phone number. They threatened all sorts of legal action against my spousecand I and we owe them nothing. When I called back to find out the company’s information they refused to provide it.