OAC Collection Specialists, Inc. (OAC) is a third-party collection agency based in Wisconsin. OAC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including failure to verify debts and attempting to collect debts not owed. If you have been contacted by OAC, 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), OAC Collection Specialists, Inc. is a legitimate collection agency founded in 1919 and incorporated in 1958. The BBB established a profile page for OAC in 2005. OAC is listed as a collection agency that uses the alternate business name, Oliver Adjustment Company. Buzzfile estimates OAC’s annual revenue at $1.4 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 21 employees.
According to its website, OAC “offers outstanding debt collection and professionalism in combination with the personalized service, dedication, and loyalty you would expect in a small family-owned business.” OAC’s mission “is to be the premier healthcare professional fee collection agency in the nation…by providing the best return for… customers and doing all in their power to eliminate the need for client involvement once an account is referred.”
OAC “helps…consumers navigate through insurance issues and make realistic and appropriate payment arrangements” by offering several services. OAC’s Collections division employs “collection specialists who work with consumers to help them understand their charges, to clear up confusion surrounding technical versus professional fees, and to determine payment arrangements.” Their Cleanup division helps clients with new billing services to “identify problems and delinquent accounts and explore the best ways to secure payment either through insurance or through the consumer.” Their Early Out division “handles accounts in the earliest stages of collection,” and their Pre-collection division utilizes “letters, automated calling, or live calling to guide and educate consumers on the importance of clearing their debt prior to it being turned over to collections.”
OAC cites a policy of compliance with all state and federal laws. Its website provides a web-based contact form for complaints and feedback with legal disclosures about liability. Their website does not include a 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 20 complaints against OAC Collection Specialists in the preceding 3 years, with 6 complaints closed in the past 12 months. Almost all of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. Since April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 11 complaints against OAC. Justia lists at least 4 cases of civil litigation involving OAC.
OAC Collection Specialists, Inc.
908 8th Ave.
Baraboo, WI 53913-1247
Telephone: (414) 431-4450
Website: http://www.oac.bz/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely OAC 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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Absolutely. Here are some Sample Complaints
Complaints against OAC Collection Specialists commonly cite problems resulting from disputes about the validity of debts and the accuracy of information reported to the credit reporting agencies.
In August 2017, a complainant indicated she had been notified by OAC that she had an unpaid radiology bill for services she had received the previous year. The complainant stated that she had never received any notification from the radiology group, and that when OAC attempted to verify her identity during their initial contact, they did not have the correct address information. Rather than providing contact information for the radiology group, the OAC representative persisted in telling the complainant to make a phone payment. The complainant said, “This contact made it all feel like a scam.” During the second contact, OAC again pressed the complainant for payment, and the complainant “asked them repeatedly to send…the contact information for the radiology group.” OAC Collection Specialists allegedly told the complainant that the group is “a 50 minute drive away according to Google,” but the complainant stated that she had not driven that far to see a doctor. She also stated that she had “been scammed over the phone in the past when she first arrived in the USA,” and that the “representative from OAC repeatedly kept pressuring her to give… credit card or account information on the phone instead of sending …the bill.” The complainant also stated that the OAC representative “was argumentative and rude.” In addition, her “credit information now shows that she is … in debt collection.” The complainant was upset at the healthcare provider for not approaching her directly. She had contacted “all the…hospitals and health systems in…her town and they all assured her that she doesn’t have bills outstanding with them or their affiliates.” She was also “deeply upset at the OAC collection company for their rude behavior, their insistence on getting her billing information, and their inability to provide… the original bill and overall lack of cooperation.”
In response, OAC Collection Specialists apologized “for any miscommunication there may have been with their representative.” They also stated that they “ordered an itemized statement and will be sending it to the updated address” provided by the complainant.
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 would recommend your company to anyone. You have the debt collectors off my back, and I will finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Throughout the entire procedure your employees were courteous and professional. I was blown away by their efficacy also.”
“Thanks to the staff at Lemberg Law, I have peace of mind again. They worked quickly to find the harassing calls were super considerate when I talked with them. I love the hard work”
“I was almost going nuts receiving calls every afternoon from a person using profane language to push me to pay debts I don’t owe. Someone I trust referred me to Lemberg Law, and I don’t regret having contacted them. The attorneys were very kind and always available when I needed them.”
“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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O.A.C. Is not licensed to collect debts in Wisconsin – they claim to be a DBA of a Licensed Florida Debt Collection Agency, however that does not give them legal status in Wisconsin. They call all hours and hang up without leaving a message. There are many complaints on the BBB Site against O.A.C. including the fact that they are an unlicensed collection agency. I personally have NEVER been notified by mail / in writing of a debt, never the less they continue to call and harass our family.