Puget Sound Collections Inc or PSC is a third-party collection agency based in Seattle. PSC has received complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken and using false or misleading language in an effort to collect a debt. If you have been contacted by PSC, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the BBB, Puget Sound Collections, Inc. is a legitimate collection agency, incorporated in 1985 and started in 1987. However, the BBB initially established a profile page for PSC in 1964. Buzzfile estimates PSC’s annual revenue at $3.4 million and the size of its staff at 30 employees. PSC indicates a founding date for PSC of 1996.
According to its website, PSC is “a professional debt collection agency focused on exceptional client services and highest recovery rates.” PSC has been “headquartered in the state of Washington since 1960… and employs exceptionally well-qualified and experienced staff with expertise in all areas of collection… to deliver… results you want.”
Puget Sound Collections offers collection services in three areas: collections, pre-collections, and pricing. PSC’s collections division offers collection calls and mailings; litigation services when requested by clients; expertise in all applicable laws, including objection handling and negotiations; analytics to determine propensity to pay; account segmentation and workflow based on propensity to pay; credit reporting; account scrubbing; bankruptcy confirmation, claim filing, and follow-up; probate verification, claim filing, and follow-up; online account access for clients; recovery reporting and statistics; and specialized call campaigns.
Puget Sound Collections’ pre-collection first-part accounts receivables management division utilizes pre-collection calls and mailings; payment plan set-up and monitoring; billing notices and renders; and payment processing in the clients’ name or in the name of the PSC affiliate, PayMark Systems. Finally, PSC’s pricing division manages client billing with fixed-rate and flex-rate contingency-based collection plans.
Puget Sound Collections’ mission is “to provide the highest level of customer care.” PSC “strives to make every experience with clients… a positive one” by providing personal service, ethical collections, qualified staff, and customized reporting.
Puget Sound Collections’ FAQ page states that “all…collection activity is conducted in compliance with federal and state law including FDCPA, HIPAA, the ACA PPMS accreditation requirements and red flag rules.” However, their client-facing website does not provide links or references to consumer protection resources, laws, or 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 25 complaints against Puget Sound Collections in the preceding three years, with 6 complaints closed in the past 12 months. All of those complaints allege problems with billing and collection services. As of June 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 15 complaints against PSC. Justia lists at least 1 case of civil litigation involving Puget Sound Collections.
Puget Sound Collections, Inc.
738 Broadway, Suite #400
Tacoma, WA 98402-3777
Telephone: (800) 922-8932
Website: http://www.pugetsoundcollections.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely PSC 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 is a Sample Complaint:
Complaints against Puget Sound Collections commonly cite problems resulting from failure to verify debts and inaccurate information reported to credit reporting agencies. In January 2017, a complainant indicated that his lender had advised him of 5 delinquent items on his credit report, all of them originating from PSC. The delinquent items were the result of medical services originating in 2013, with a listing date of August 2016. The complainant allegedly contacted PSC to request validation, but for some reason they were unable to verify the debt and referred the complainant to the original creditor. The complainant contacted the healthcare services provider, and they told him he had a $0 balance. The complainant relayed this information to Puget Sound Collections and asked them to remove the items form his credit report. The complainant informed PSC that “it was considered fraud to list inaccurate information with the credit bureaus,” but PSC allegedly continued to refuse to take any action. When the complainant asked PSC why they had never informed him of the delinquency or why he had never received any bills from the medical services provider, PSC allegedly told him it was because they “were not licensed in …his state and were looking to refer …his account to a collections agency in his… state.” The complainant explained that PSC was required “to notify him of the debt and allow him to dispute the debt before they listed negative activity with the credit bureaus.” In addition, he “spoke to 3 different people and all refused to validate the debt or take the negative marks off.” He also sent a letter making the same request. In January 2017, he called them again, asking for the status of his account. Puget Sound Collections allegedly told him it was “listed as disputed.” He asked again for PSC to remove the delinquent items from his credit report, but “they refused once again.” The complainant concluded by stating that “the law states PSC must notify him and allow him to dispute or pay this debt prior to listing it with the credit bureaus. PSC must also be able to prove it’s a valid debt, and cannot list inaccurate information with the credit bureaus.”
In response, Puget Sound Collections indicated that they had “advised the consumer that…PSC could not cancel the charges but…would check with the original creditor to see if they wanted to review their records and have …PSC forward the account to an agency in Texas where the consumer is verified to reside.” PSC confirmed that they coded the accounts as disputed. PSC also indicated they had provided the complainant with “dates of service, billed amounts, amounts due after insurance, and the providers account number to each account while the matter was being researched.” In addition, PSC indicated that according to “the medical provider, the balances showed 0 as they were written off as bad debt accounts for after insurance was billed; … that the… original creditor states that verification of the debt(s) …was mailed to the complainant; and that the reinvestigation shows that the complainant has unpaid charges from 2013.” Finally, Puget Sound Collections indicated that they would “remove the accounts from the guarantor’s credit report while they… review…verification of the debts.”
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…
“As we discussed on the phone earlier today, this settlement is perfectly okay to me. I need to thank you and all of your cohorts at Lemberg Law to get a project handled so professionally. Please allow Amy, the first person who contacted me from Lemberg, know how much I appreciate her efforts, kindness, and professionalism.”
“My mom and I want to say thanks to the team of Lemberg Law for all the hard work and effort that was taken to take care of the debt collector and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Because of this, the phones do not ring off the hook .”
“We realize that ours is only one little case among many — and a lot more serious — but are heartened by the fact that you accepted it represented us with a professionalism that belied the dollar amount.”
“I just wanted to let you know we received the check from your office on now and I wanted to take some time to inform you that we really appreciate all of your efforts in this matter.”
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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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Illegal practice with PSC In Tacoma Washington
PSC is currently threatening me with a judgment and refusing to negotiate or accept payments as they are “angry” that I reported them to the Federal Consumer Protection Agency. They advised that they will not accept any kind of settlement or payment plan and have stated that they will be moving for a judgment against me. They have already filed suit. Their harassment is unbelievable and comes at a time in my life that I am in a complete financial crisis. I am willing to pay the debt but I am I will to be without food or my home to pay a medical debt. They need to be stopped from this kind of harassment.
Is Puget Sound allowed to add interest on medical debts? Do you know if that is in their agreement or disclosures with physicians offices?
Iv’e been paying PSC for several years now. They have completely destroyed my credit. They have a major account with MultiCare and it all sums up to one big account but they reported to my credit each account per charge. It was originally 27 negative accounts on my credit. They never report any of the payments I’ve made, but they do report interest charges monthly continuing to bring down my score. I have never seen a breakdown of money applied only money still owed. I have asked them to start applying my payments to specific accounts so they can be removed but they failed to do this. Just applying the monthly payment as a whole so that each account is only getting a small amount, making it very difficult to improve my score. I have to sign an agreement every year to continue any payments with them. I’m not sure if I have any leverage here but they have ruined my credit/life for the past 5-6 years ?