Unique Management Services or UMS 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.
Unique Management Services or UMS is a third-party collection agency based in Indiana that specializes in collecting past due accounts for libraries. UMS has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including attempting to collect debts not owed and failure to verify debts. If you have been contacted by Unique Management Services, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Unique Management Services , Inc. is a legitimate collection agency founded and incorporated in 1994. The BBB established a profile page for UMS in 1997. UMS is listed as a collection agency that uses the alternate business name, Unique National Collections. Buzzfile estimates UMS’s annual revenue at $6 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 58 employees.
According to its website, Unique Management Services “partners exclusively with libraries to effectively recover materials, fines, and fees, while preserving patron goodwill through…their Gentle Nudge® process.” UMS “understands the particular needs and concerns of libraries” and employs a “process that saves… time through extensive automation, while remaining budget-friendly thanks to the considerable fiscal value of asset recovery.”
Unique Management Services collection process is based on their proprietary Gentle Nudge® process. The process begins with a letter campaign “designed to respectfully remind patrons of their material and financial obligations. The letters make it clear that a debt is owed, but their overall tenor is a gracious invitation for patrons to return and renew their good standing with the library.” UMS collection calls continue “the tone of their letters, …with specialists…trained to remind patrons of their material and financial obligations while cordially inviting them back to the library.” UMS also employs “the best skip tracing services in the industry to identify up-to-date address and phone number information.”
In addition to collection services, Unique Management Services also offers “phone- and chat-based customer service solutions” through their Unique Integrated Communications division. Their supplemental Small Balance program is designed to “recover assets on accounts whose total balance falls below the scope of the $25 minimum of the Gentle Nudge® process.” In addition, UMS provides data service “for planning outreach, advertising strategies, and new branch locations” and internal notification service with “several efficient, effective, custom tailored solutions for library notices.”
Unique Management Services is a member of several professional associations, including the International Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International) and the American Library Association. Their patron interactions are based on the respectful, Gentle Nudge® philosophy. However, they do not provide any 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 7 complaints against Unique Management Services in the preceding 3 years, with none of them closed in the past 12 months. All Of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. Since December 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 11 complaints against UMS. Justia lists at least 5 cases of civil litigation involving Unique Management Services.
Unique Management Services, Inc.
119 E. Maple Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Telephone: (812) 285-0886
Website: https://www.unique-mgmt.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely UMS 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. Here are some Sample Cases
Complaints against Unique Management Services commonly cite problems resulting from disputes about debt verification. In January 2016, a complainant charged UMS with failing to provide her with validation of a debt they had been attempting to collect. The complainant alleged that she had sent two letters requesting validation to UMS—the first letter was allegedly sent in July 2015; the second letter was sent in September 2015. The complainant cited state laws that require collection agencies to provide, at the minimum, “the name and address of the original creditor; the original date of default or non-payment of the debt with original creditor; the date the debt was transferred from the original creditor to the third party debt collector; the original balance; the current balance; and any fees added by their agency.” The complainant indicated that instead UMS had sent “a list of original charges” that did not constitute “proper validation of this alleged debt.” In its response, Unique Management Services indicated that they had received the complainant’s request for validation. They also indicated they had sent “sufficient validation…on August 10, 2015 and again on September 14, 2015.” In both cases, validation was sent “certified mail and verified as delivered.” Unique Management Services insisted they had complied with the complainant’s requests and “encouraged her to contact the two libraries she owes to take care of the balances owed.”
In October 2015, a complainant indicated she had been “engaged in a continuous battle with …Unique Management Services for the past 3 years.” She had sent a dispute letter in response to a demand to pay a $145 outstanding balance that appeared on her credit report. She claimed the debt was the result of fraud and that the delinquency appearing on her credit report was inaccurate and contained an address at which she had never lived. She claimed not to have received any validation from UMS and criticized the accuracy of their highly detailed reports to the credit reporting agencies as proof that they knew more than they were telling her. She also alleged that their ongoing collection activity was an FDCPA violation since they had failed to provide validation of the debt. In its response, UMS indicated that her complaint was “the first dispute sent directly to UMS.” Unique Management Services insisted that they had followed the proper procedures for addressing requests for validation and disputes about reports to the credit reporting agencies.
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.
Your debt harassment checklist:
“We realize that ours is just one small case among many – and many more serious – but are heartened by the fact that you accepted it and represented us with a professionalism that belied the small dollar amount.”
“If you are unsure about this company…DONT BE!!! They are for real when they say they are here to help you. It only takes a few short minutes of your time to talk to a rep. I was a skeptic, but you did everything you said you would! I can’t say thank you enough!”
”Lemberg Law has saved me from the endless calls, and harassing voicemails. They really do go to bat for you. I didn’t know that debt collection agencies can end up paying your legal bill. What a surprise, to receive free legal help. I’m very grateful for all the hard work they did to finally give me my life back.”
“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.
We can absolutely help. Call us today.
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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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