Have you been receiving annoying calls from Credit Collection Services or CCS asking you to pay your debt? You may be tempted to ignore these calls because of how it disrupts your day, but that’s not the right move. CCS is an agency that collects debt; they will not go away just because you didn’t respond to their calls.
If an agency like CCS is contacting you, it entails that a collection account is already in your credit report. They’re probably tracking you down because of an old debt. The debt might be yours, or the debt collectors might have just mistaken you for someone else. Either way, you must not ignore the company since the outcome will be the same.
CCS will continue to pester you with letters and calls until you respond and the debt is paid. Ignoring calls from them can lead to wage garnishment if a judgment has been made; this will happen if you don’t repay your debt. Whether you think Credit Collection Services is legitimate or not, you must respond to prevent the agency from taking legal actions this from here.
To help you, the information below is all you need to know when dealing with them.
All About Credit Collection Services
CCS Collections is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1969 and had over 750 employees in the United States. The agency claims to receive annual placements of $5 billion, making CCS one of the many largest debt collector companies in the country. They operate nationwide due to their long history and credibility.
Credit Collection Services offers their service to government agencies, collects debts for utilities, student loan companies, insurance and banking companies, healthcare providers, etc.
Are they a Scam?
CCS is not scamming you, although scammers out there will try to use the company’s name to get money out of you. They’re a legitimate debt collection agency. To ensure that you aren’t getting scammed, and it is indeed CCS who’s contacting you, demand proof that the debt is yours.
How to Remove A Collection Account in your Credit Report
1. Get to Know Your Rights
Before dealing with Credit Collection Services, please familiarize yourself with the federal laws and how it intertwines with how debt collectors must act. A collection agency is aware of these laws, but most of them assume that you don’t, which you can use to your benefit.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives protection to consumers. A debt collector cannot harass, lie, and practice unfair acts to you as it’s illegal.
2. Grab a Copy of Your Credit Report.
This second step is a must; it will better handle the situation at hand. Getting a hold of your credit report can match the collection claim of CCS, and you can determine if the debt is indeed yours. Request to the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian) since they are the only legitimate source to get your official credit report. Additionally, requesting a copy of your credit report is free under federal law.
3. Verify Your Debt
Requesting Credit Collection Services to verify your supposed debt in a debt verification letter is within your legal right. The verification letter provided by the collection agency will cover all the necessary information needed to prove the debt. It will include the total amount, the original creditor, dates related to the debt, etc.
Under federal law, if the debt collector cannot provide complete information about the debt, the obligation must be waived and taken off from your credit report. It is crucial as we are in a pandemic, and the cases of identity theft are rising.
Obtaining a debt verification letter will determine the debt’s legitimacy and ensure that you see the same information as the collection agency. Arguing about the payment, details, obligation, etc., have no point until you’ve received a letter from CCS. Ensure that the conversation you have with the agency is in writing, as collection companies can be devious at times.
4. Removing Collections Account from your Credit Report
If the agency proved that the debt is yours, you could negotiate a pay-for-delete agreement. You can pay the collection agency to delete the account from your credit report. Experts strongly suggest contacting professionals like Crediful can help make your journey easier to understand and process when things get unbearable. Another option is writing a goodwill letter to delete the collection in your account where you wouldn’t have to pay.
Credit Collection Services’ Contact Information
- Address: 725 Canton Street, Norwood, MA, 0262-2679, United States
- Phone Number: (617) 965-2000 and (877) 870-1000
- Website: https://www.ccsusa.com
- Open Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 7 pm
Takeaway
Assess your situation first before and after reading the information above to clarify how to handle a situation. If any collection agencies contact you, it’s strongly recommended to resolve it quickly.
You will know if you followed the steps above if the debt is yours. If it’s not, force the company to delete it in your credit report, as this will show for up to seven years. If CCS proved the debt to be yours, negotiate with the agency to pay for less. And when things get ugly, consider bringing in a professional.