8669984558

Just filed a complaint with the PA AG office concerning this company.  They also have been reported to the BBB with a complaint as well (they have 103 in the last 36 months and have a rating of F)

They harass me more than 2x per day and If they do not stop I will be filing harassment charges on them.

I will keep everyone up-to-date on what happens with my scenario

For anyone else who wants the link to file a complaint with the PA AG office, here it is:
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/complaintforms/bcp_form.aspx

Also the BBB reporting says the following on them:

Name:    Academy Collection Service, Incorporated
Phone:    (215) 281-7500
Address:     10965 DeCatur Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154
     
Business Category:    Collection Agencies
BBB file opened:    October 17, 1994
Business started:    July 1976
Business started locally:    July 1976
Primary Contact:    Mr. Sidney Miller (President)
Complaint Contact:    Ms. Amy Levitan (General Council)
Other Contacts:    Mr. Keith Dickstein  (Manager)
(215) 320-0424
(866) 227-0605
(215) 281-7512 (FAX)

Enjoy!  i will update once I know something back

Good information, Big V.

I just received call from this number.  They confirmed my name and wanted me to give them MY SOCIAL SECURITY!!!!  Once I refused they hung up.  I called back and could not understand a word.  Most likely the call was re-routed out of the country.

I receive 15 calls from this number yesterday and 4 today by 1pm. So I called it back and they would only tell me that they are a recovery company and hung up on me. So I called back and spoke to a manager and he told me that they were calling my landline looking for my husbands exwife's brother of all people who has no ties to our family at all and has never known this number. They are a foreign based call center and very rude. Even when it is their mistake!  Hang up on them!

I get 5 to 10 calls from this number

This number 877-487-5583 calls me bet 5-10x a day.  Don't know what they want.  Not leaving messages either.

Found This Well Written Comment: How To Get Rid of Academy Collection Services:
"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: patrick.rose@usdoj.gov and I emailed John Burke, Trial Attorney Office of Consumer Litigation with the U.S. Dept of Justice in Washington, D.C. josh.burke@usdoj.gov and Deborah Marrone, Attorney for Federal Trade Commission, New York dmarrone@ftc.gov

I got a response from Ms. Marrone immediately. She provided me with the contact information for Academy Collection Service for compliance. compliance@academycollection.com 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"

Getting calls here in Ca. by the same group..Multiple phone nos at different times of the day. A real nusance; I work grave-swing shift and don't need to get woke up....

This is MONARCH RECOVERY MANAGEMENT, INC.  | 10965 DECATUR RD  |  PHILADELPHIA, PA 19154  |  PHONE 215.281.7500  |  FAX 215.281.7512
and their website is http://www.monarchrecoverymanagement.com/index.html
They called and asked for someone with a similar name to mine. As usual these scumbags search out anything close to who they are looking for. Told them they had the wrong number. See what happens next.

I just got a call from this number for someone in my house. Couldn't understand. The only thing I could understand was that this Mike guy was from Philly and it was important for this person in my house to contact them. He wouldn't tell me anything when I asked what it was about. Never told me what the name of the company was or anything?

record your calls - based on state laws (link below under recording calls.)
file complaints with PA Attorney General and YOUR State Attorney General (links below)



1) Never assume they have a VALID DEBT OR LEGAL RIGHT TO COLLECT
 
2) Debt collectors MUST FOLLOW your STATE laws regarding licensing.  Check your Secretary of State for licensing requirements for ANY collection agency that contacts you

Debt Collectors DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!    
The INFORMED CONSUMER IS THE DEBT COLLECTORS WORST ENEMY!

THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE COLLECTION CALLS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS

READ DEALING WITH DEBT COLLECTORS, RECORDING CALLS AND STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BY STATE

You can also post your questions here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum/   NEW URL!    

These links are to attorneys for those being scammed www.naca.net or http://www.consumerjustice.com/consumer/searchattorneys.aspx


Dealing with Debt Collectors
Http://www.budhibbs.com/First.htm    
    
Statute of Limitations by State – always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/statute_of_limitations.htm

Recording calls from Debt Collectors - always double check YOUR OWN STATE Government Website
http://www.budhibbs.com/record.htm


From Federal Trade Commission Website – FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
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.
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
February 2009

File complaints with

Federal Trade Commission  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

Your State Attorney General
State Attorney General is every state they have offices

Link to all State Attorney General Websites www.naag.org

If you or they are located in NY – use this SPECIAL Link  www.NYDebtHelp.com
This special website was created by NY AG Andrew Cuomo specifically for reporting illegal debt collection practices.  HE’S CRACKING DOWN AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
    
Also report your calls and contacts with debt collectors at http://www.budhibbs.com/index.html  If the company is listed under agencies – report there. If not on the list YET, click on Watchlist! and add to the list.   You can also post here http://www.collectorsexposed.com/forum2/index.php?board=2.0




Time-Barred Debts
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt144.shtm

There’s no doubt about it: you are responsible for your debts. If you fall behind in paying your creditors — or if you dispute the legitimacy of a debt — a debt collector may contact you.

“Time-barred” debts are debts so old they are beyond the point at which a creditor or debt collector may sue you to collect. State law varies as to when a creditor or debt collector may no longer sue to collect: in most states, the statute of limitations period on debts is between 3 and 10 years; in some states, the period is longer. Check with your State Attorney General’s Office to determine when a debt is considered time-barred in your state. You can find contact information for your State Attorney General at www.naag.org.

Federal law imposes limitations on how debt collectors can collect debts, including time-barred debts. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a “debt collector” generally is any person or organization that regularly collects debts owed to others. The term includes lawyers who collect debts for others on a regular basis, but it does not include creditors collecting their own debts.

The FDCPA prohibits debt collectors from engaging in any unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices while collecting debts. It does not erase any legitimate debt that you owe. To learn more about your rights under the FDCPA, click on www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm.
Collecting Time-Barred Debts

Most courts that have addressed the issue have ruled that the FDCPA does not prohibit debt collectors from trying to collect time-barred debts, as long as they do not sue or threaten to sue you for the debt. If a debt collector sues you to collect a time-barred debt, you can have the suit dismissed by letting the court or judge know the debt is, indeed, time-barred.

Whether a time-barred debt — or any debt for that matter — can appear on your credit report depends on how long the debt has been delinquent: debts that have been delinquent more than seven years cannot appear on your credit report, with certain exceptions. In addition, a debt collector may not try to collect a debt that has been discharged in bankruptcy, no matter when it was incurred. To learn more about credit reporting, click on www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcra.htm.
Contact with Collectors

Can a debt collector continue to contact you about a time-barred debt you don’t think you owe? According to the law, if you send the debt collector a letter stating that you do not owe some or all of the money within 30 days after you receive written notice of a debt, the collector must stop trying to collect until you’ve been given written verification of the debt, like a copy of the bill for the amount you supposedly owe. The collector can renew collection activities once you’ve gotten proof of the debt.

You can stop debt collectors from contacting you about any debt, regardless of whether you owe it, by writing a letter telling them to stop contacting you. Once the collector gets your letter, it may not contact you again — except to say there will be no further contact or to let you know that the collector or creditor intends to take some specific action. Sending a letter doesn’t absolve you of the debt if you actually owe it; the debt collector or creditor still could sue you for the debt.
Future Collection Efforts

The best way to protect yourself from future collection on any disputed or partially settled debt is to get a form or letter from the creditor or collector that releases you from further obligation. To make sure the release is valid, you may want to consult an attorney. If you believe that a debt collector violated the law, you have the right to sue in a state or federal court within a year from the date the law was violated. If you win, you may recover money for the damages you suffered, plus an additional amount up to $1,000. You also may recover court costs and attorney’s fees. You also may want to report any problems you have with a debt collector to your State Attorney General and to the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC works 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 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. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. 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.
October 2004

I don't know this number or these people

they just called me, completely sluaghtered my name then asked me to verify my social which I refused because he wouldnt tell me the name of his company. I told him I would verify my addy which he read off and then continued with my social security number at which point I told him to not call again and hung up. I hate these debt collectors, I settled my Target debt with a collection company FIVE years ago and these idiots are trying to collect the remainder.

Received several calls from this company. Finally called them back, and they answered by saying "Money Recovery." They would not admit to being a collection agency. Were looking for someone with a name similar to mine. Told them they had the wrong number. Strange thing is that several years ago, another company called me and insisted that I was the same incorrect person.

answered call from this number, person didn't say anything at first but then timidly asked for me by name. told him i wasn't interested and to take me off the phone list. (thought it was a sales call). he told me i would be interested in what he had to say so i asked him what it was about. he then asked if i could give him the last 4 digits of my SSN to which i said "NO! WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?!" he kept blabbing on so i just hung up on him.

Received a call from them today looking for my deadbeat uncle that I haven't clapped eyes on in 15 years.

This is a collection agency. They are the lowest of the low. Don't accept their calls. If you do get on the line with them, deny any knowledge of any debt, otherwise, they will come at you aggressively without any evidence or proof.

The calls are computer generated and a person will only pick up once the computer realizes an actual person has answered the call.

Send these to your voicemail... or better yet... spam

I Keep getting calls from them,do not call list is no help

someone has been calling me saying they are someone named patrick for the past week everyday what do i do?

I got phone calls from this company 2 to 3 calls a day was getting fed up with it. I asked who they were and they would not say. So I grab the air horn and let them have it. Did not hear from them about two weeks and guess what they called again. So you guessed it they got the air horn again and two weeks went by and no phone calls.  I guess when they call back it is a new employee and they will lose their hearing too.

Too funny

continue to receive phone calls from this number.  Abusive behavior.