Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation or MMCC is a third-party collection agency based in Michigan. MMCC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) such as attempting to collect debts not owed and threatening to take illegal actions. If you have been contacted by MMCC, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation was founded and incorporated locally in Flint, MI in 1960. The BBB opened its file on MMCC in 1995. MMCC is listed as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates MMCC’s annual revenue at $9.1 million, and the size of its staff at 120 people.
According to its website, MMCC’s mission is to “effectively and efficiently collect funds owed to our clients while maintaining the dignity of the consumer.” MMCC is a “multifaceted collection agency serving local, state, and nationally-based clients.”
Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation collects delinquent debts for lenders, creditors and service providers from a variety of industries, including education, finance, healthcare, insurance, and property management.Their approach to collections utilizes “customized recovery solutions geared toward…specific demographics to achieve superior results.” A full-service collection agency, MMCC employs “highly trained financial counselors; telephone and letter campaigns; state-of-the-art technology; multi-layered collection stages; convenient payment methods for consumers; and strict adherence to all rules and regulations regarding collection.”
In addition, Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation maintains one central location to ensure “greater internal control of accounts, due diligence, and compliance,” and cites its policy of adhering to “the highest ethical standards and demands the best conduct from all…employees. MMCC uses multiple layers of accountability and risk management across all departments.” MMCC is a member of ACA international; AICPA; “has developed policies, procedures, and specific work instructions;…and undergoes numerous annual audits, network scans, and penetration testing…conducted by independent auditors.”
MMCC’s website does not contain any references or links to consumer resources or consumer protection laws or 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 32 complaints against Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation in the past three years, with 17 closed in the past 12 months. Almost all of those complaints allege problems with billing and collections. Since March 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 49 complaints against MMCC. Justia lists at least 8 cases of civil litigation naming Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation as a defendant.
Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation
6324 Taylor Drive
Flint, MI 48507
Telephone: (800) 562-0273
Website: http://www.mermed.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely MMCC 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
In June 2010, in United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, a judge issued an Opinion and Order in a case alleging Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation had violated provisions of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA). In this case, the plaintiff disputed the collection efforts of MMCC for a bill resulting from medical treatment he had previously received. After his medical treatment, he was initially billed for a remaining amount, but then his insurance company notified the hospital that they had incorrectly processed the claim and that no balance remained. At the hearing, the hospital where he received treatment confirmed that he owed them nothing, and that they had never asked a debt collector to collect any funds form the plaintiff. Regardless, the plaintiff subsequently began receiving collection letters from MMCC, indicating an unpaid balance of $85 for anesthesia services was charged off and had been reported to the credit reporting agencies. Much of the hearing was devoted to an attempt to identify the origin of the business entity responsible for issuing the $85 bill. The hospital billing department testified that the billing statement did not originate from their billing department, and MMCC was unable to provide any evidence about where the bill originated. Regardless of this uncertainty, Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation had persisted in its efforts to collect the past due funds, even after the plaintiff had established the uncertainty surrounding the debt.
The court cited the ultimate failure to determine with certainty the origin of the billing statement as the reason for their refusal to issue a statement that the plaintiff did not owe the debt. However, because Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation representatives had made knowingly false statements about the information they had reported to the credit reporting agencies concerning the debt, the court upheld the plaintiff’s claim that MMCC had violated FDCPA provisions against “the false representation of (A) the character, amount, or legal status of any debt; or (B) any services rendered or compensation which may be lawfully received by any debt collector for the collection of a debt; threatening to take any action that cannot legally be taken or that is not intended to be taken;communicating or threatening to communicate to any person credit information which is known or which should be known to be false, including the failure to communicate that a disputed debt is disputed; and the use of any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a consumer.”
Here are some past Press Releases of Lawsuits Brought On By Lemberg Law Against Merchants & Medical Credit Corporation – MMCC
November 11, 2015. On behalf of our client, Lemberg Law recently filed a complaint in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. The case, against Merchants and Medical Credit Corporation, charges the debt collection agency with violating federal law and asks for $2,000 in statutory damages, plus other relief.
Most people don’t realize that they should never give a debt collection agency their bank account information. Doing so can lead the way to unauthorized withdrawals and a snowball effect with overdraft charges and other fees.
Our client tells us that she agreed to allow Merchants and Medical Credit Corporation to withdraw two payments of $160 from her bank account, but that the debt collection agency withdrew $893 without her permission.
This lawsuit charges that Merchants and Medical Credit Corporation violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by engaging in harassing behavior; by employing false and deceptive means to collect a debt; and by using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt. It also charges Merchants and Medical Credit Corporation with violating the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) by executing an electronic fund transfer from our client’s account without her written permission; and by failing to obtain her electronic signature.
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 was so excited when you told me about the positive outcome of the lawsuit. If the need ever arises again, I will not hesitate to call your office or recommend your law services to a friend in need.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn’t be happier with all the hard work your office has done for me. I feel throughout the whole process I was kept informed, and my questions were always answered completely. The calls have stopped, I no longer have a mountain of junk bills piling up, and I owe it all to Lemberg Law.”
“I found your website. I filled out the information and much to my surprise received a call back within the hour. She listened intently and addressed each one of my concerns. She immediately forwarded me an email and advised I would not be charged for services rendered. She made me feel confident and assured, and that someone was in my corner.”
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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