800-220-0605

They keep calling me at my work and I am NOT ALLOWED PERSONEL CALLS

Calling me at work constantly and my cell phone at least 25 times a day, no exageration.

This company left a voicemail on my cell, they had the wrong #.  I called back and told them so, she took me off their list. So far have not received a call back from them.

A collection agency based in Philadelphia and its owner have agreed to pay a $2.25 million civil penalty to settle an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission over a laundry list of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) violations and other unfair business practices.

The FTC announced the settlement Friday. The government agency noted that it is the largest civil penalty the FTC has received for a debt collection case.

Academy Collection Service, Inc. and owner Keith Dickstein agreed to the penalty to settle charges that the company and its collectors misled, threatened, and harassed consumers; disclosed their debts to third parties; and deposited postdated checks early, in violation of federal law. Dickstein was cited for not stopping the violations.

The FTC said in a statement that more than 1,000 complaints were filed against Academy with the FTC, various state attorneys general, the Nevada and Pennsylvania Better Business Bureaus, and the company itself, prompting an investigation. During the investigation, the FTC determined that Academy often ignored consumer complaints.

“These defendants are responsible for their debt collectors’ abusive practices,” said Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. “They ignored people's complaints and rewarded the collectors who broke the law. This is not a business model that the FTC tolerates.”

Two other Academy officers, Edward L. Hurt III and Albert S. Bastian, were also named in the complaint, but did not participate in the settlement.

According to the FTC, Bastian and Hurt led Academy’s Las Vegas collection operation. Leonard Gordon, director of the FTC’s Northeast Regional Office – the office that filed the complaint – told insideARM that the FTC “was not able to reach a settlement with Bastian and Hurt.” The suits against the men are ongoing.

“The Las Vegas office was clearly the nexus for a lot of the [violating] activity,” said Gordon. “And these two men ran that office.”

In addition to the monetary penalty, Academy agreed to alter many of its business practices and refrain from certain activities such as misrepresenting debts to consumers, improperly communicating with third parties about a debt; using false, deceptive, or misleading representations in debt collection efforts; communicating with a consumer at any unusual time or place, including the workplace; or harassing, oppressing, or abusing any person in connection with debt collection.

I, too, am receiving constant calls from Academy Collection Service.  Someone named Paul wants me to call him back at 800 220-0605 ext 2677.  It does me no good to call back unless I am in the mood to be mishandled or talked to like an uneducated ignorant jack #@&%.   Yes, I agree that they should all be stopped now before it goes any farther.  

BITE ME, INC

UNBELIEVABLE. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A SCAM. Received a call from 856-668-4527 this morning. I am writing this on this board because they call from this number as well. From a woman claiming a past due account from CitiBank was forwarded to her. I used to have a CitiBank account, so this seemed legitimate. She would not give her name, nor the name of the company she worked with.

I was on my way out the door, and did not have time to talk, so I asked her to call me back in a few hours. She said that as a result of that, she would mark my account as a "refusal to pay." All I asked was that she call me back later today so that I would have time to talk, and she kept saying that she was going to mark it as a "refusal to pay." I then told her that's not fair that she's going to do that simply because that moment wasn't a good time to talk. SHE THEN SAID IT YET AGAIN, AND HUNG UP THE PHONE ON ME!

I have spoken with banks and collection agencies before, and NO LEGITIMATE BANK OR COLLECTION AGENCY WOULD EVER BEHAVE IN SUCH A WAY! Especially over something so small as me asking them to call back later that day. I even asked it politely. UNBELIEVABLE. I AM IN SHOCK.

I then called the number back, and a man answered the phone saying that his name was "____ Jones." I can't remember his first name. I asked what company this is, and he kept repeating, "You called me, you called me." He refused to give out the name of the company!!

I am BLOWN AWAY. If this were a legit company, this would not be happening. I started to tell him what my conversation with the woman was like, and that I'm very upset and need to know what company this is. Still, he wouldn't give me any info. Then, finally out of nowhere he said it was Academy Credit. I continued to speak, and he HUNG UP THE PHONE ON ME TOO! And the funny thing is, I am a nice person, and I never yell... so it was weird to receive this kind of reaction.

I am immediately reporting this to my lawyer, and will have him report to the necessary agencies.

PLEASE DO THE SAME IF THESE PEOPLE CALL YOU. THIS IS NOT FAIR.

Call came in from 800-220-0605, said he was a "claims adjuster" and tried to reach the owner of the business.  Would not divulge any additional information regarding the nature of the call.   Upon call back, the automated message said it was Academy Services and then transfer operator was extremely rude before I even identified myself and I was transferred immediately to voicemail, where I was asked to leave a name and number on a voicemail.  ???  No idea what this is about except that it is very annoying!

trying to reach someone I know, who uses my address, but doesnt live here.
VERY annoying and please take ME off list! I have a private # for a reason!!!!

Listen I work at academy and we are not legally allowed to say more then a vague buisness matter because then this site would be flooded with complaints of us telling your personal matters to third parties I E girlfriends children and that creepy aunt who gossips about you and your kin. futhermore every call center is riddled with unethical workers much like the telemarketing craze of the 80's. Here is a big hint- We live in a credit driven econonmy full of large companies that are just waiting for you to miss a payment so then can inflate the surcharges penaltys and fees. there are ethical considerate american workers just dloing thier jobs at academy and i happen to be one. PAY YOUR BILLS!!!!!!! The amount of time spent online whining about it could be spent trying to come to a solution. My job always has a [***] trying to cut corners just like yours does. millinons of calls are made a week there and a few of these [***] have slipped throught the cracks. Have you noticed every major collection company is on this site, you know why? People trying to assuage thier guilt and lack of responsability in thier own finaces. If you are reading this and getting mad you are one of these people who think credit is free money. Most people i talk to are in a jam and need help and i offer that help. DEAD BEATS never pay they just balme the world and others for their own problems. If you grew fat and lazy off the credit craze of the 90's here is a reality check ITS OVER WE ARE IN A  WORLD WIDE RECESSION!!!!!!! beause noone wants to pay back teir own bills. but i treat every contact i make with dignity and respect. These are tuff times for everyone.

Well, maybe if your so-called company had correct info and actually listened to the people who call you back, maybe things would be different. Take the time to get your info in order before you start harrassing innocent people.  That's how successful businesses work and not get reported and have to pay out $2.5m fines!

this people keep calling me everyday, even on the weekend. i think these people are ........

These a$$holes keep calling me looking for someone who does not even live at my #. I have repeatedly told them to stop as the person they are looking for does not live at my number. Today I got a lawyer as I have had enough of these idiots calling me looking for someone else. If any of you are suffering from the same trouble regarding these morons then contact www.fairdebtlawyers.com.

They will take the fight to their front door!

ACTUALLY JUST THE OPPOSITE...Record all of these threatening conversations and document them as well as you can, get as much info from these idiots as possible, and they'll owe you! YOU can sue them. Most of these people making these calls are lower life forms than just us defaulted debtors (we at least usually have good reason). We're talking real losers, ignore them, humor them or sue them. It's up to you, don't deal with anyone but your origianl debtors if it can be helped. These "people" are breaking rules left and right, and they know it, let them get cocky, the cockier they get, the dumber they get. Their just hoping they find someone foolish enough to believe them, don't be that person. If you don't believe me watch the segment on Dateline about these "SCAMMERS"..http://www.cnbc.com/video/m/22046273/inside-collector-scams.htm.

Also, you must file your complaint against these people withing 30 days to get your rights protected under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and ask for written proof of the debt.

I received a call from this company today!!!  From a Lisa Lions who was beyond rude!!!  She called my old company from 2 years ago, my families numbers and then my cell phone.  I called her back 30 minutes after she called my cell phone and she wouldn't even tell me who "her client" was then she told me I owe them $1,000 I told her to send it to me in the mail because I don't take care of money issues over the phone and she said NO!!!  I let her know that I was sorry but I was not going to just hand over money to her without knowing the facts, she then replied saying so you are refusing to fix your bill then?!  I said no I'd like more information and you to send me something in the mail she replied with look if you're not going to fix your bill today we're moving forward with legal actions.  

Who are these people!?!  First of all "her client" AMEX I have NEVER had an AMEX card in my life!!!!!  She is beyond rude and helpful and I hope they do take me to court because I will slap them back with a harrasment suit.  I've already filed complaints at the BBB and the Atorney General

They will call three to four times a day while I work..told them numerous times to never call during work hours..do not know how they got my cell phone number but continue to call and threaten with further legal action..told them I cannot pay because I lost hours at work as well as a 20% pay cut which threatens m other bills..there has to be some way for this to stop..they are like fleas on a dog there number shows up as unidentified, sometimes as 8566684130 and tell me I have to call them back by 3 or else..(or else what..they are gonna sue me and get blood from a stone) someone should tell these people wait in  line..Americans cannot just print money to pay of debts..maybe they should wake up and see how the economy effects everyone..the morons

Received a call from this number, extension 2518.  Left message stating this was an urgent matter regarding someone who does not live here and someone I've never heard of before.

I've been getting calls for a couple that I've never heard of for about 7 months, from several different credit card companies and collections agencies. Most of them  are understanding when i tell them that I've never heard of these people, and they take my phone number off the account.

Today I got a long, rambling message on my machine from a Lynn Stein asking for a callback for an "urgent matter that had been forwarded to her office". She was looking for the female half of the mystery couple, but she knew MY name and MY HOME ADDRESS and said she was "led to believe" that she could contact the mystery couple at my number and address.

When I called back to explain that I've never heard of the mystery couple, I said, "I assume you are some sort of a credit card company or a collections agency?" She said, "No."

She was extremely rude and told me to stop trying to "throw my weight around" and that she had taken my number off the file, and then she hung up on me.

After reading all of the stuff on this board about ACS, I'm nervous about the fact that they not only have my phone number, but my name and address, somehow associated with a person I've never heard of, who obviously owes money on a bunch of credit cards.

Call leaving a message to urgently call back but no explanation of the nature of the call, extension G. Adams - 2519 and Dugan - 2679.

They were harrasing me, calling me at my job, and were rude to the recepcionist someone called Ronald Gates, yelled at here, asking to talk to her manager. Completly rude.