After 2 months and 29 phone calls from Academy Collection Services I took the bull by the horns and researched this company. On November 14, 2008 United States of America sued Academy Collection Service, Inc; Keith Dickstein (perfect name for the business he's in); Albert Bastian and Edward Hurt (another great name for collections) all officers of Academy Collection Service. The Civil Action was for Civil Penalties, Injunctive Relief and other Relief. Basically the United States wants Academy to obey the rules set forth by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Academy was fined $2.5 Million and was told to basically clean up their act. They must be in compliance of this court order. Or face the judge again and be sanctioned. According to the court documents which you can read online:
Academy has collected over 1 million debt accounts a year. Can you just imagine how many people have suffered thru their relentless annoying phone calls? On numberous occasions Academy collectors THREATENED or implied that Academy would garnish your wages, seize or attach your property or initiate lawsuits against them if they failed to pay Academy. Academy had NO LEGAL AUTHORITY or intent to do any of the above. On numerous occasions Academy collectors withdrew amounts from consumers' bank accounts without obtaining prior authorization or consent. Academy collectors deposited or threatened to deposit postdated checks prior to the date on such checks. On numerous occasions Academy collectos called consumer's employer and third parties such as parents, children, other relatives, neighbors and co-workers. Academy collectors used harassing and abusive tactics. They call numerous times a day. If you hang up they call right back. They used abusive language including profanity when speaking with consumers. Does any of this sound familiar?
So, here's what I did to get rid of them. And by the way......they continued to call after receiving the Cease Communication letter sent to them via Certified Mail and signed by their representative. I sent the Cease Communication letter on August 5, 2009. On August 8, 2009 the letter was delivered and I have a digital signature from C. Alessandrine at the address: Academy Collection Service, Inc, 10965 Decatur Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154. That should have stopped all communication. But it didn't. On August 10, 2009 they called me 5 times in a single day. I faxed them at 215-281-7512 to show them the Cease Communication letter they signed for on 8/8/09. They called me 4 more times after the fax. These people think they're above the law.
SO then I decided to go to a higher power. I filed 4 complaints with the FTC regarding all the violations including calling before 8am on August 6, 2009. And I found the court documents with the Class Action Lawsuit filed in 2008. I emailed Patrick Rose, Assistant U.S. Attorney in Las Vegas where the case was filed. Civil Action No.2:08-CV. email address: [email protected] and I emailed John Burke, Trial Attorney Office of Consumer Litigation with the U.S. Dept of Justice in Washington, D.C. [email protected] and Deborah Marrone, Attorney for Federal Trade Commission, New York [email protected]
I got a response from Ms. Marrone immediately. She provided me with the contact information for Academy Collection Service for compliance. [email protected] or call 800-220-0605 ext 2261. Make sure you send your Cease Communication letter first. Make sure you have written proof they received the certified letter. If they continue calling......email, call or fax Academy showing your proof of the Cease Communication letter being received by Academy. If they still keep calling I'd email the attorneys listed above. Academy cannot violate the court orders they agreed to in April, 2009 when they were fined $2.5 Million. The highest fine ever to a collection company for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in U.S. history. You have rights and no one has to take the abuse these people spew in an effort to line their own pockets. My debt was 19 years old. The debt was written off over 10 years ago. The Statute of Limitations ran out years ago. They have no standing on this case and deserve nothing from me. Good luck ridding yourselves of this disease known as Academy Collection Service
UNFORTUNATELY - they will go right back to their ILLEGAL tactics as you have seen yourself.
THE FTC should have SHUT THEM DOWN!
Paying fines is nothing but a slap on the wrist, the CA's that violate the fair debt collection practices act - just laugh it off and go back to business as usual.
they are not even collecting valid debts - they are a JUNK DEBT buyer, they only collect debts that are beyond the statute of limitations, discharged in bankruptcy, already paid etc. Its all worthless legally uncollectable debt!
COLLECTION AGENCIES DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!
FROM www.budhibbs.com A CONSUMER ADVOCATE WEBSITE that specializes in Debt Collections and offers assistance to consumers.
THEY ALSO EXPOSE THE WORST FDCPA VIOLATORS IN THE COUNTRY
Academy Collection Service, Inc.
10965 Decatur Road
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19154-3210
Phone: 800-220-0605
800- 441-6881 800-503-3852
Local: 215-281-7500 215-992-8966
Fax: (215) 281-7512
Call Center:
9350 Ashton Road, #1
Philadelphia, PA 19114
(215) 698-1308 Las Vegas:
750 Pilot Road, Suite #A
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 889-3180
and Belmont, California 940002
Web Address: www.academycollection.com
Head Debt Collectors:
Keith Dickstein, CEO
Like most debt collection agencies, Academy Collection Service makes more money when they DON’T abide by the law as detailed in this email from a former employee:
Subject: Academy Collection Service (Email From A Collector)11/08/04 Email: “…I felt compelled to write this letter to you after having read some of the information you have provided online regarding Academy Collection Service” “I was employed as a collector at Academy from **/**/ thru */**/ when I was fired. The reasons for my being terminated had everything to do with my unwillingness to violate FDCPA regulations as I was expected to at Academy” “Every word I have read about Academy online (all of it very negative) is completely accurate. I began keeping an informal log of each time I witnessed an FDCPA violation, other crimes being committed in the office, unethical/illegal demands placed on collectors by management, etc., and I stopped after reaching 150 violations in less than one week.” “We (the collectors) were regularly provided with written instructions on how to perform our duties which fell within FDCPA guidelines and then immediately thereafter given verbal instructions which were in direct contradiction to the written instructions.” “All collectors were not only expected, but required to do or say absolutely anything required to collect the most money from debtors as quickly as possible regardless of the law while at the same time it was understood that if a collector received a complaint from the Attorney General Office or other agencies we would not received our commissions on that particular account and would possibly be required to pay a fine. I saw a more than one instance in which collectors were fired for having received a complaint (these collectors were doing and saying the same things everyone did literally hundreds of times each day).” “After seeing people lose their jobs or being financially penalized through a variety of methods by Academy management personnel and because of the fact that I needed my job very much, I was afraid to violate the law as was expected for fear of losing my job. Academy management immediately began to penalize me financially for my "lack of compliance" and I was eventually fired because of it.” “I worked as a collector for about six years before leaving the business in the early 1990s and earlier this year returned to collections work obtaining employment at Academy. In my previous collections jobs I worked at reputable firms and I never felt like the "bad guy" in fact in general I had a good, positive and well-working relationship with the debtors with whom I had regular contact. I have never been employed at a place like Academy Collection Service before. It is a nightmare of a place that I never imagined could be doing business the way they are because of existing laws and regulations covering third-party collections.” “The other crimes being committed on a daily basis were just as mind boggling to me: drug dealing and drug use definitely being at the top of the list -- all being done very openly and with the knowledge of all who work there.” “Academy management regularly demanded it's collectors to change dates of deposit on posted-dated check-by-phone payments in order to look better and appear more productive to their clients. How were they able to do that in this day and age?...I supposed that to a degree I am a disgruntled employee (or ex-employee) but the daily routine at Academy Collection Service is extremely bad and very illegal and something needs to be done about it as well as about some of the collectors employed there who are honest and law-abiding people of quality who work in fear and are being manipulated into unethical and illegal collection practices in order to prevent severe financial penalties being imposed on them by Academy management or the loss of their job.” J*
Lawlessness and drug use are two common complaints we receive on most collection agencies. Academy owners Keith Dickstein and Janet Miller have never shown us any efforts being used to clean up their dirty house.
CAUTION: I recommend you NEVER disclose your bank account or credit card information to a debt collector, as you risk them emptying your account, or maxing out your credit card. If you feel they are reporting on your credit bureau files in error or need assistance in dealing with them, email the details w/your location. Assistance and referral to a consumer legal specialist may be available
Dealing with debt collectors
http://www.budhibbs.com/start.html
Statute of limitations by state – always double check directly with your own State Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm
Recording calls from debt collectors – always double check with your own State Government website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm
From FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WEBSITE
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you’re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor’s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.
Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.
What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn’t cover debts you incurred to run a business.
Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.
How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter – even if you don’t think you owe the debt, can’t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector – in writing – to stop contacting you. Here’s how to do that:
Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.
Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don’t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people – but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.
What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money.
Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.
What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:
use threats of violence or harm;
publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
use obscene or profane language; or
repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.
False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
misrepresent the amount you owe;
indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t; or
indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.
Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
you will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt;
they’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.
Debt collectors may not:
give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn’t; or
use a false company name.
Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt – or your state law – allows the charge;
deposit a post-dated check early;
take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
contact you by postcard.
Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don’t think you owe.
Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don’t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.
Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don’t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.
Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:
Social Security Benefits
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
Veterans’ Benefits
Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
Service Members’ Pay
Military Annuities and Survivors’ Benefits
Student Assistance
Railroad Retirement Benefits
Merchant Seamen Wages
Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Death and Disability Benefits
Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.
Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1,000, even if you can’t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney’s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector’s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.
What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.
Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General’s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General’s office can help you determine your rights under your state’s law.
For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government’s portal to financial education.