Keynote Consulting or KCI is a third-party collection agency based in Illinois. KCI has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including making false statements and threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken.If you have been contacted by this debt collector, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Keynote Consulting, Inc. is a legitimate collection agency founded in 1994 and incorporated in 1999. The BBB established a profile page for KCI in 2003.KCI is listed as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates KCI’s annual revenue at $1 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 10 employees.
The BBB states that Keynote Consulting “works on…behalf of other companies in order to obtain payments for debts that have been incurred by customers and have not been paid, including primary placements (accounts that have been delinquent by 90-150 days), secondary placements (accounts that have been unsuccessfully placed by other accounts), and immediate placements.” In addition, KCI“works to abide by all rules of collection law and guidelines in order to obtain the highest percentage of payment possible without harassing the delinquent payee.”
According to its website, KCI “is a collection agency…with experience in all aspects of consumer, commercial, and retail debt collection.” KCI “has sustained continued growth by providing a set of comprehensive services, which maximize the liquidity of… clients’ collection portfolios.” KCI’s clients include “small businesses, such as psychotherapists in private practices, medical offices, ambulance companies, events and social activities clubs, medical billing offices, and financial offices.”
KCI’s collection services include an early-out program by sending “collection agency letters… prior to charge off.” Their primary placement services are intended for “accounts that are 90…to 150 days in delinquency” and offered “at a very competitive contingency rate.” Their second placement services are intended for “accounts that have been placed with a collection agency without success and are now eligible to be placed with another agency.”
KCI’s collection strategy “is to employ a unique approach in dealing with consumers so that when they are able to pay they are positioned to be a priority.” KCI uses an “automated collection package …with a state-of-the-art, network-based system taking advantage of all of the most current hardware and software.” In addition to collections, KCI offers skip tracing, a legal referral network, a customized letter service, and customized client reporting.
KCI cites compliance with regulatory laws and provides links to trade organizations such as the American Collectors Association and the major national credit reporting agencies. However, their website does not include an easily accessible consumer resources page with links and references to laws and 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 4 complaints against Keynote Consulting in the preceding 3 years, with 2 complaints closed in the past 12 months. Most Of Those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. Since June 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 9 complaints against KCI. Justia lists at least 4 cases of civil litigation involving KCI.
Keynote Consulting, Inc.
220 W. Campus Dr., Ste. 102
Arlington Heights, IL 60004-1498
Telephone:(847) 788-1530
Website: http://keynote-collections.com
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely KCI 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 Keynote Consulting commonly cite problems resulting from allegations of harassment and attempts to collect invalid debts. In April 2018, a complainant indicated she had been contacted by KCI regarding a medical bill. The complainant stated that the bill resulted from treatment for her ex-husband’s father, but it had been reported on her credit report. She stated that when she called KCI, the representative she spoke with “was very arrogant and rude… and wouldn’t let her finish talking.” The Keynote Consulting representative told her that “because she was married to him it was her … responsibility.” However, the complainant stated that she felt that because the bill was for treatment for someone who was not her dad and that she had her “divorce decree,” she thinks it should be her “ex-husband’s responsibility to pay…and that she shouldn’t get involved.” She said that when she tried to explain her opinion, “the first thing” the representative did “was hang up on” her, which she stated “was very rude and unnecessary.” She stated that when she called back, she asked to speak to someone else, but the representative told her there was no one else in the office and that the owner does not take calls. The complainant stated her intention to file a complaint, and the representative allegedly stated that she was threatening him and telling him how to run his company and that he was going to “write off …her credit… if she refused to make a payment.” She was also concerned that the representative’s conduct was motivated by gender-based or ethnic discrimination.
In response, KCI indicated that the complainant was identified as the wife of the individual responsible for the debt, and that under “the Illinois Family Expense statute, husband and wife are both legally responsible for the medical… bill, which is classified under a necessity.” KCI also denied allegations of gender and ethnicity-based discrimination and maintained that the item would not be removed from her credit reports until it was paid. The complainant replied that although the medical bill did identify her ex-husband as the responsible party, her name appeared only as an emergency contact. In addition, the physician identified on the bill was her ex-husband’s primary care doctor, not hers. She insisted that because she was “already divorced from him,” it should be “his responsibility to pay his debt not” hers. In its rebuttal, KCI stated that the “Illinois family expense statute…allows the wife of the patient… to be held legally responsible for the debt.”
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…
“Thank you Lemberg Law!!! Harassed non-stop by rude collectors. My attorney was speedy and polite, really knew what she was doing. They took my call, asked what was going on, never interrupted, and were extremely patient. I knew what was going on every step of the way. They got the calls to stop and sent me a check in the mail as promised. I even paid off my debt with the settlement! Ha!.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it a miracle like some of these other people, but whatever it is, they did it right. Exactly what you are looking for in a law firm: professional, polite, and efficient. They know what they are doing, and usually have a check waiting for you at the end. As a professional myself, I know how to spot competence and these guys have it. I recommend Lemberg Law”
“Recommend them highly. Quick to settle my claim, polite, diplomatic, and advocated aggressively on my behalf. Very professional, would gladly use them again.”
“Thank you for standing with me Lemberg Law. I was so afraid I could lose my job because of a caller who called my job number 4 hours straight back to back. He not only harassed and threatened me but also abused workmates who received the call when I wasn’t around. Since I solicited for your services, I’ve had a peace of mind, and I’m happy because of the few dollars I got as a settlement.”
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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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I periodically get calls from this Keynote Consulting, I don’t know of any debts I owe. How do I stop these calls? I attempted to block their number, but, the calls continue. How do I stop this harassment?