Launched in 1989, Meridian Financial Services Inc is a third party collection agency based in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Nevada and Alabama. Meridian has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as failing to provide written verification of debts and threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken. If Meridian Financial Services has contacted you about delinquent collection items, make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Meridian Financial Services was founded in 1989. The BBB established a profile page for Meridian in 1996. The BBB lists Meridian Financial Services as a collection agency.
With over two dozen workers, Meridian Financial Services collects on behalf of hotel developers, property management companies, timeshare businesses, and homeowner associations. Meridian has an extensive history of harassing consumers over debt. They utilize typical tactics like phone calls, letter and email communications, and credit reporting to pressure consumers into making payments. They also employ skip-tracing applications, which enables them to access and gather consumers’ location details. Meridian Financial Services is a subsidiary of Interval International, a company which sells timeshares.
If you’ve suffered from Meridian debt harassment, you do have options. Under the law you can recover up to $1,000 for violations of the FDCPA, and $500 to $1,500 for each cell phone robocall.
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 April 2017, the Better Business Bureau reported 40 closed Meridian Financial Services complaints over the previous few decades, including 13 closed Meridian Financial Services complaints over the past 12 months. The BBB provides Meridian Financial Services a B evaluation. Additionally, Justia lists two Meridian Financial Services complaints filed in federal court in the past year alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Moreover, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lists 30 closed Meridian Financial Services complaints for 2016.
Meridian Financial Services, Inc.
1636 Hendersonville Road, Suite 135
Asheville, NC 28803
Phone Number: 800-849-1236
Website: http://www.merid.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely Meridian Financial Services 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 2002, a judge in U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, denied Meridian Financial Services’ motion for summary judgment in Hartman vs. Meridian Financial Services for alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Instead, the judge granted summary judgment to the customers. Meridian Financial Services allegedly attempted to collect the debt under its own name and the title of the timeshare owner. The customers were represented by lawyers, and Meridian seemed to possess records that indicated collectors were told that. Nonetheless, the consumers alleged that collectors maintained calling them straight. The customers also alleged that Meridian violated other provisions of the FDCPA. The court rejected Meridian’s argument that it was an in-house collector or supplied pre-collection billing solutions, which would exempt it from the FDCPA. The judge ruled that Meridian tried to collect debts under a false name; delivered collection notices to customers after having been informed that they were represented by lawyers; neglected to send validation notices within five days of first contact; and delivered a letter that was misleading.
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).
Consumers have reported this agency harassing them from the following numbers:
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 used to get up to 15 calls a week from several collection agencies. It got so bad I felt like I should just get a new phone number to make it quit. Happily, I discovered Lemberg Law. They immediately put an end to the calls. Now, when my phone rings I do not dread it.”
“Just a brief message to let you know I got my settlement and also to thank you for your help. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anybody who’s on the receiving end of the sort of harassment that collection agencies participate in.”
“Seriously! Thank you a thousand times over! The debt collector kept phoning me but would not give me any information regarding the debt that I owed except the sum. They threatened me over and over again and would not stop calling. I hunted on Google for ways to make the calls stop and discovered Lemberg Law. They took my case and found that the debt was too old to accumulate. This firm had ‘bought’ my accounts and expected for me to pay! Guess what? They ended up paying me for each of the harassment they put me through! I was SHOCKED when I received my check.
Odds are good that we can help. Contact us now and we’ll clarify.
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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 have been receiving weekly robocalls from Meridian Financial for over a year. What they say I owe is an account set up by a person who stole my identity (using an alias), was prosecuted, and ordered to pay restitution 14 YEARS AGO! The perpetrator has since died. I attempted to explain this to the MF rep, who said that the debt is still my responsibility and they would expedite my case to their legal department. I told them to do what they needed to do. When they called again and asked to speak to the name the identity thief used, I told them no one lived here by that name. She called me a liar, said she knew my voice and had talked with me the week before. I hung up and blocked their number. Now they call using different numbers, which I block without answering.
Called me today, claiming I owed 4k and had made a payment in 2019 (which I did not), gave an old address from 20 plus years ago, threatened me with the police, and called my daughter a liar because she said it was a collection agency (and it is). Called 3 times in 5 minutes, leaving a lengthy and saved message on my voicemail.
I received a call from Meridian Financial Services stating my wife owed them for a medical debt from her family doctor prior to our marriage. The only problem is that doctor takes payment before services are rendered. She called the doctor to verify and they made her aware they do not turn patients over to collection agencies. These rude blood suckers are scammers. Dont give them a dime, curse them out, then block their number if they call you (unless you actually owe someone money)
They dinged my credit report for a time share my father owned. I called and explained that to this smart *** woman who just wanted my fathers phone and address. When I told her he is 88, senile and living in a nursing home she said there was nothing she could do to remove the negative report on my credit file.
I paid my timeshare in St. Pete twice one year, since I was told that they could not locate the payment that I had given to the facility’s office manager’s secretary and i needed to pay again and would get credit/refund if they figured it out. The person that I stated I gave the payment to was fired recently before I was contacted re my taxes were due and not paid.. the office manager stated, “who did you pay?” I said “I paid the girl in your office” She replied “Oh, I fired that girl. She has my office and files in a mess. ” and I paid again hoping that she would credit me back on one of the payments when she figured it out..
Now a management company has taken over, and when I called regarding past due taxes of one year, I was told “oh, (my name) I found you here in the computer. You are paid. Week xx, Room xx. I replied that is not my week, nor room. That is where my missing payment has gone since there is another person with my same name and my name doesn’t show up on a search in the computer system since the first person listed is the only name that shows up as owner. My mom’s name is the first name on ownership and mine second( which doesn’t show up in a simple search for payment) thus the other person was given my payment .. with my same name. Now Meridian sends me a collection notice and says that i cannot stay there this month for my annual weeks since i haven’t paid. and also, several hundred dollars in fees are added. can the timeshare prevent me from accessing my room during my normal vacation time/ weeks. etc
I am getting calls from these scammers also called MERIDIAN about a pay day loan I have never had or got. DONT WORRY ABOUT IT ITS A HUGE HUGE SCAM AND I ALREADY REPORTED THEM TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES. AND ARE PURSING IT. IF YOU GET A CALL FROM AREA CODE 470 240 1201. DONT ANSWER IT AND DONT WORRY ABOUT IT THE MORE REPORTS THEY GET ABOUT THEM THE BETTER OFFVTHEY WILL BE WELL ON THERE WAY WITH A ONE WAY TICKET TO JAIL. JUST KEEP REPORT THEM . TO BAD A ZERO STAR IS NOT AND OPTION.
Median Financial Services has been calling me on a weekly basis non-stop for several weeks using the following phone number, 1-800-849-1236. According to my research, they are part of Interval International, a time-share company. I have not received any notification in the mail of any delinquent bill on my timeshare. My phone number is also registered on the do not call list. However, their constant phone calls are annoying.
I just got a call from Meridian saying I owed money to their client. I need to call back and verify some facts and information. So they can move on with a wage attachment. I asked what the place was I owed and she said she couldn’t tell me. How can they garnish and threaten u when u don’t know who u supposive owe.
Got a bill from Meridian Financial Services,Inc – DEBT COLLECTOR for $26,307 yesterday onbehalf of SUNSET WORLD RESORT in MEXICO .I am currently a victim of SUNSET WORLD RESORTS TIMESHARE fraud. I was there 2 years ago with a friend.First of all the floor room where we checked into was full of water and we had to pay extra to upgrade to another room(Not knowing that it’s their way of making you uncomfortable to request for an upgrade to another room!!!) .I signed up for their 1 BEDROOM TIMESHARE with a deposit of $5000. When I got home, I wasn’t satisfied with their reviews and some clauses in the information packet,I quickly called the number given to me for early termination & membership cancellation.I made hundreds of call for 3-4 days to both USA &outside the country numbers before I was able to get through and was finally able to express my concern to one of their top managers & request to cancel via phone as directed by the sales /tour officer. I specifically told the sales manager that I might not meet the 7 day cancellation by mail by the time I returned home on Friday being weekend, he gave me a number to call for cancellation by Saturday/Sunday which I did. The top manager now telling me that phone cancellation is not acceptable but he confirmed with his sales man that gave me the number to call &now he was forcing me to keep the Timeshare which I totally refused. After,the sales man called me telling me to keep the timeshare & I kept on receiving various offers via phone calls & mails to consider & I told them NO, just wanted a refund of my $5000 deposit & membership cancellation with immediate effect as earlier requested .Please, I need help to stop the debt collector from harassing & threatening to mess up my credit
I have 3 negative credit dings on my credit report from Meridian Financial. The timeshare company out of Las Vegas misrepresented the entire transaction and when I tried to call them the number was disconnected. They had set up a pop up shop in Utah and when I went back to the shop they were gone. The timeshare company had said they were able to switch our previous timeshare for weeks to points and just needed all of our info to do so. Well we then found out they have lied and they actually signed us up for a crappy timeshare in Las Vegas. We’ve never used it, never received any information and we were had. Now our credit is ruined and they say we owe double the amount.
Just received a call at my job. Representative wanted me to verify information that she should have had. Stated i had a payday loan which isnt legally possible in the state of GA. When i denied it she became rude and forceful and then hung up on me.
I have sent in a dispute (over two months ago) for two collections that I just noticed on my credit report from 2014. These were from a timeshare that under the original contract agreed to purchase my current timeshare at the time. Upon paying the new timeshare for about one year I received a collection notice about the timeshare that was to be taken over per the new contract. Upon being taken to collections it was my take that it was a breach of contract and upon this I stopped payment to the new timeshare as I had to take care of the collection and continue to pay the old timeshare. I am now trying to get these collections off my record, all I get from Meridian is that they have been trying to get documentation from the timeshare and have not received anything and that there is nothing I can do until they do.
They recently called my place of employment and left a message with my Human resources director pretending to call on behalf of cook county sheriffs office telling him they need to get a hold of me because I’m going to be served at work if I do not contact them to tell them where I live. When I called back I got a name of a Josh and he mentioned Meridian. That was when I put two and two together that I had been lied to. My HR director had been informed and he documented the information he was provided with the phone number and case number I allegedly have with cook county sheriff department *which was really meridian*
i am michael smith and meridian is caling m,e abouit a pay loan 2 pay day loans saying wages may be takeing if i do not set up payments with them i ask for paper work and got one page saying payment was due in the office of 650.00 by 7-31-2018 as ag