Are You Being Called By Collection Specialists, Inc.?*

Are you being called By Collection Specialists, Inc.?* Here’s what you need to know.

When you encounter financial difficulties and debt collectors are on your trail, it’s stressful enough. But if they swear at you and threaten to discuss your debt with your boss or the payroll department, it can be unbearable. You may not even realize that such harassment is actually illegal, but it is, and you have the ability to fight back.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

Debt collection is legal, but consumer harassment is not. This is the premise of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, which limits what actions third-party collection agencies may take. Tactics like those below are illegal and can result in fines and even license revocation.

• Swearing, yelling, and calling you names
• Telling your friends, neighbors, and co-workers that you owe money
• Refusing to prove that a debt is valid and they are authorized to collect it
• Contacting you if the debt collector is aware that you are being represented by an attorney
• Pretending to be attorneys or police officers
• Calling before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone

Company Profile: Collection Specialists, Inc.

If you are being called by Collection Specialists, Inc., information about the company is below.

Collection Specialists, Inc. is a debt collection company located in Anderson, Indiana. It was established in 1982, has less than 10 employees, and is managed by its President, Jeff Rattler. Records viewable at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website indicate that consumers who believed they were being harassed by Collection Specialists, Inc. opted to demand compensation and damages in court.

Alleged Violations against Collection Specialists, Inc.

According to PACER, on November 16, 2016, an Indiana resident went to the office of Collection Specialists, Inc. to see which accounts of hers they were collecting. She was advised that there were two open accounts for her, one for $401.77, and one for $92.02. When the representative discussed a payment plan, she said she was unable to afford to make a payment at that time, but would come back in when she had money available. After leaving she looked up details on the accounts and learned that one dated back to 2003, which was outside the applicable statute of limitations period.

Feeling harassed by Collection Specialists, Inc., the Indiana resident hired a consumer attorney and sued the agency for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt
• Using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt
• Trying to collect a debt barred by statute

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this collection agency are:

• 1-765-649-4650
• 1-765-646-6005

If either number shows up on your caller ID when the phone rings, it means that that you are being called by Collection Specialists, Inc.. If they try to pressure you into paying a time-barred debt, hire a consumer attorney. If you file a claim against Collection Specialists, Inc. and win, you could receive $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus attorney’s fees and court costs. When you fight for your rights, you could be the one who ends up getting paid.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 1:16-cv-03505-WTL-DKL from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division.
Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Collection Specialists, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.