How to Handle Calls From a Collection Agency

Nov. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- American Profit Recovery a collection agency based in Michigan, Massachusetts and North Carolina had a great opportunity to discuss tips on how to resolve a debt issue with a collection agency recently on the Fox 25 Morning News in Boston.

Jeff DiMatteo, one of four owners of American Profit Recovery was the focus of the “Manage Your Money” segment in which the topic was collection agencies. The discussion was how to work with a collection agency to quickly resolve a debt issue and what to do to ensure the debt is actually owed. The full segment can be viewed here:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/morning/manage-your-money-collection-agencies-20111114

Mr. DiMatteo’s tips included;

Validate the Debt: Make sure you actually owe the debt. If you know it’s your bill then that is validation in itself. If you are unsure, ask the person contacting you to provide backup documentation.

Open Lines of Communication: in short, don’t ignore any communication from a collection agency. If you owe the debt, it’s an opportunity to work out a resolution. If you do not owe the debt, it makes sense to let that collection agency know that to stop further collection attemps

Work Out a Plan: Most businesses and collection agencies will work out a payment plan if asked. DiMatteo’s advice is to be honest and pay what you can afford and stick to that agreement. If you run into a problem with the arrangement go back to tip # 2 and communicate.  

Get Financial Help: When the time comes, it is a very wise move to get help with finances. A great tool is the consumer advice website Ask Doctor Debt. www.askdoctodebt.com. The website has a whole host of online resources including many answers to commonly asked questions about dealing with debt.

About American Profit Recovery:
American Profit Recovery (APR) is a collection agency with offices in Massachusetts, Michigan and North Carolina. Founded in 2004, APR specializes in the collection of third-party debt in industries such as medical/dental, banking, trades, lawn care and other professional services. With early intervention and a strong focus on ethics and diplomacy with consumers, APR works hard to preserve the relationship between client and consumer with an ultimate goal of keeping the business relationship intact. The firm serves approximately 3,500 clients nationwide. American Profit Recovery and their team have earned many awards including Best Places to Work in Collections, The ACA International Foundation Fellow Award and Banker and Tradesman’s Gold Readership Award. 800-711-0023 http://www.americanprofit.net/

“The advice in this press release is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice”

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American Profit Recovery is a collection agency with offices in Massachusetts, Michigan and North Carolina. With early intervention and a strong focus on diplomacy with consumers, APR works hard to preserve the relationship between client and consumer.