The harassing company pays our fees.
Tormey Bewley Corporation (TBC) provides mercantile and consumer credit reporting systems, including third-party collection services as The Advantage Group or Advantage Network Systems. TBC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), including illegal communication tactics and attempting to collect debts not owed. If you have been contacted by TBC, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) profile page for Tormey Bewley Corporation is listed under The Advantage Group. According to the BBB, The Advantage Group was founded in 1968 and incorporated in 1985. The BBB opened its profile page in 1983. The Advantage Group is listed as a collection agency offering accounts receivable management and business solutions services. The Advantage Group uses the alternate business names, Advantage Network Systems and Albuquerque Collection Service, Inc.
Buzzfile estimates Tormey Bewley’s annual revenue at $8 million. Both Buzzfile and Bloomberg indicate Tormey Bewley’s web address as www.advantagesys.com.
According to the Advantage Group website, TBC is “a premier third-party collection service… providing consumer sensitive, high quality, cost effective receivable and delinquent account recovery management services.” TBC employs a seven-part process in its collection efforts. The initial work effort involves ensuring activity on all new accounts within 24 hours of receipt. Skip tracing, location, and credit reporting services follow, “utilizing numerous nationwide consumer databases including, but not limited to, credit bureaus and collection specific skip locate programs.”
Once debtors are located, TBC staff send out collection letters “designed to inform the responsible party of the account, their rights under the FDCPA (including state guidelines), and the motivation for prompt payment.” During active collection, “fully automated systems provide excellent tracking, control and activity on all accounts.” A flexible payment options program and a credit reporting program for continued delinquencies are designed to increase recovery rates.
Finally, “account representatives undergo a formalized collection training program that includes the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).”
TBC is a member of “the ACA (American Collectors Association), HBMA (Healthcare Billing and Management Association), HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association), MGMA and AAHAM.” Their client-facing website does not provide links or references to consumer protection resources, 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 16 complaints against TBC in the preceding three years, with 4 closed in the past 12 months. Almost all of those complaints allege problems with billing and collections. Since April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 29 complaints against TBC, and Justia lists at least 5 cases of civil litigation naming TBC as a defendant.
Absolutely. Here are some Sample Cases against Tormey Bewley Corporation – The Advantage Group.
Consumer complaints against TBC indicate a tendency toward overly aggressive collection efforts and inaccurate documentation of delinquencies. For example, in March 2017, a complainant indicated he had been contacted by a TBC representative who said he would garnish his wages if he didn’t pay the debt. The complainant verified the debt, paid it that day, and was told he would receive a receipt and collection efforts would stop. Shortly thereafter, TBC filed a garnishment order with his employer, and when he tried to contact a representative he was treated rudely, with representatives blaming the court.
In January 2017, a complainant indicated that a delinquency had been reported to all three credit reporting agencies for a debt that had already been paid. The complainant contacted TBC, who said they would remove the information, but instead they reported it as paid in full. The complainant insisted that the account had been paid in full when it was with the original creditor and never should have been handled by TBC. Similarly, in April 2017 a complainant indicated that TBC had reported inaccurate information about accounts that had been paid in full as delinquent to the credit reporting agencies and had refused to correct the mistakes.
Finally, in April 2017, a complainant indicated that TBS representatives had been calling his mobile phone about a collection item, but had refused to identify themselves or the reason for their call. The calls often left a pre-recorded message, indicating an automated dialing system was being used. The complainant also indicated that because he is not the owner of the phone contract, the calls may have been intended for someone else.
Tormey Bewley Corporation (aka The Advantage Group)
215 Pitkin Ave
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Telephone: (970) 242-3163
Website: http://www.advantagesys.com/
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.
If you’ve been harassed by debt collectors, we can help. We will fight for your rights.
The Lemberg Law legal team is committed to holding debt collectors accountable, so complete our form for a FREE case evaluation, or call 844-685-9200.
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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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