The CMI Group aka Credit Management LP is a debt collection agency, which receives a lot of consumer complaints to our law firm for debt harassment. Find out who they are, why they might be calling, and how you can stop them.
The CMI Group was founded in 2000 and lists them as a collections agency. Buzzfile indicates a founding date of 1999, an annual revenue of $27.3 million and an estimated staff of 96. CMI has a satellite office located in Rochester, MN. CMI’s business model includes two major areas of activity. Their A to Z call center service offers “a seamless extension of client operations…to extend customer lifecycles, enhance brand image and maximize the value of each customer contact.”
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), CMI Group was founded in 1990. Its collections division, Credit Management LP, was started in 2001. Credit Management LP has been a BBB-accredited business since 2014. The BBB lists Credit Management LP as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates Credit Management LP’s annual revenue at $14.9 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 152 employees.
The CMI Group is a legitimate collection agency which claims compliance as one of its core strengths, with a Chief Counsel who specializes in defending collection agencies against FDCPA and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lawsuits. Thus, for CMI, compliance may have less to do with ensuring the rights of consumers are protected, and more with ensuring litigation costs are kept to a minimum.
CMI Group’s collections division, known as “Credit Management LP and The Affiliated Group,” offers third-party collection services for the following industries: cable, satellite, and telecommunications; healthcare; utilities; and government accounts including municipalities and education.
CMI’s website is aimed less at the consumer and more at corporations seeking effective third-party debt collection services. For example, all consumer resources have been reduced to a link at the top of the home page labeled, “Did we contact you?” Clicking on this link leads to a “Manage Your Account” page, but there is no mention of consumer protection laws like the FDCPA, consumer rights, or the responsibilities of collection 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 lists a total of 264 complaints against Credit Management LP or CMI Group in the past three years, with 92 closed in the past twelve months. Of these 264 complaints, 113 have been resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant. Many complaints allege that CMI tries to collect debts without providing verification or that their customer service is substandard, rude, or non-responsive. As of August 2017, the BBB gives them a rating of A-. Justia lists at least 4 cases of civil litigation naming CMI as a defendant.
CMI Group
The Offices of Credit Management, LP
P.O. Box 118288
Carrollton, TX 75011
Telephone: 1-800-377-7723
Website: http://www.thecmigroup.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely CMI 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
Laws such as the FDCPA contain provisions protecting consumers from certain, specific violations. Complaints against CMI allege violations such as the failure to provide debt verification; inappropriate or abusive communication; and inaccurate reporting of delinquent debt to credit reporting agencies. In a 2012 civil action in United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division, the plaintiff filed a complaint with the court alleging violations of the FDCPA including Sections 1692 (d), (e), and (g), which address harassment or abuse; false or misleading representation; and validation of debts; the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); and the Texas Debt Collection Practices Act (TDCPA).
Although the judge in this case denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgement, the defendant’s motion for summary judgement was only partially granted, leaving intact the plaintiff’s charges against CMI with regard to violations of the TCPA, the TDCPA, and FDCPA provisions concerning validation of 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…
“I didn’t know there was a group of professionals who were willing to go above and beyond to ensure their clients get justice. You helped stopped the notorious payday loans staff from calling me every now and then. I highly recommend your services to anyone”
“It’s never too late to say a BIG thank you. It’s a month since you assisted me in stopping the numerous telemarketing calls from a company I signed up for their services a few months ago. My interaction with your staff was a great experience.”
“I received a scary call from a group saying that my credit card has been flagged for fraud. They threatened me that I needed to pay off $1,500 or end up incurring heavily in attorney fees, fines or worse a bail. I knew this is likely to be a scam and I contacted Lemberg Law who responded immediately and took over the case. I really appreciate the efforts of the entire legal team for putting an end to what seemed to be a mountain to me.”
In short, chances are we can. Call us to today and we’ll tell you how we can help.
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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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CM, L.P. inherited a Spectrum Cable bill debt that was being deducted from my account all during Covid & my unemployment still. All the sudden with no notice they quit the deduction and handed over to CMI, Plano. TX. Now they’re saying I owe for a computer router that I never had as I didn’t have WiFi in my home ever. I returned the equipment I had used over a year ago and went to great lengths to explain in person with Spectrum. The agency will not produce any proof or what I really owe for other than to say it was a router. I had Cable service since early 90’s and never missed a bill 1× as the it changed hands (4)X. I declared bankruptcy because of illness and it finally lifted after 10 yrs. ìn Oct. All my other accounts are 100% paid on time, utilized and I was so happy to see my score up. Now, I’m unemployed and these fools annihilated my credit report without providing any requested evidence by paper. They just said I owed Spectrum for a “router”. OF COURSE, they said I needed to contact Spectrum again trying to put burden in me. My score had jumped from FAIR to GOOD and now lower than ever, impeding me from finding affordable housing, health care, work/transportation and I’m considered disabled as of recent. I have no clue why Spectrum stopped deductions from my bank nor why they turned over to CMI!? I’m exhausted with medical debt and survival and can’t spend more time and energy on.
Help! I have no access to a library or laptop and no access to old paper records. Can they ruin me that quick even though I had returned calls and follow through?! Thanks, Sarah
They call my number over and over, within seconds of hanging up. They’ve called me 15 times this week. I called them to see what was up. They have my number tied to a man named Greg. I’ve had this number since 1999. This is either a scam or someone gave them false info. My credit is perfect. I’ve never had a late payment in my life.
To CMI Group,
I may, or may not have small debt that it is owed…..
EITHER WAY, I know my rights, and harassing people on a daily basis with calls to BOTH my home phone (cell) AND my work phone number is not at all cool. And “IF” I owe these people money, they won’t be getting ANYTHING if they get me fired from my job.
CMI Group keeps calling for the wrong person! No Barbara here!
This CMI Group keep calling here all the time and i told them nicely to stop calling me and they wont. They are looking for some lady and barely can understand there language. They need to stop calling here and looking for her.
The CMI Group keeps calling me. I have no debts!
The CMI group has put 186$ on my account (credit report) saying I owe them the money for a telemarketing service. The service is spectrum. This is not true, I stay in an apartment complex and we do not need to purchase any cable because the apartment complex purchases that. They keep calling me everyday.