You’ve likely heard your fair share of debt collection scam stories or shady debt repayment schemes. With these schemes being quite common, getting a written notice from a collection agency like CCSPayment can seem like a scam. However, if you want to ensure that your credit report is good, you must carefully assess whether these written notices are part of fair debt collection practices. Here’s what you need to know about CCSPayment. What is CCSPayment? CCSPayment is a debt collection agency based in Norwood, Massachusetts. Since 1966, it has helped with debt collection or claimed debts on behalf of the original creditor. It also helps mediate disputes between debt collectors or credit bureaus and consumers. Is CCSPayment legit? CCSPayment is often mistaken as a fraudulent debt collection agency because most consumers are unaware that the company has changed its name. The company is now called Credit Collection Services (CCS), but it is still referred to as CCSPayment on some websites. CCS is a legitimate debt collection agency. However, some consumers have filed complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against CCS for its debt collection and credit reporting practices. Consequently, these complaints may have contributed to the impression that CCSPayment is a scam website and that any messages from the agency are part of a debt collection scam. {SHORTCODES.blogRelatedArticles} Warning signs of debt collection scams Fortunately, you can watch out for some warning signs to spot debt collection scams: The debt collection company doesn’t have clear or legitimate business details. A legitimate debt collector or their agency will always give you contact information you can verify. You can do so by visiting their websites, calling their offices, or even having them cross-checked with local law enforcement or an organization like the Better Business Bureau. They threaten to have you arrested if you don’t comply. Many scammers will threaten consumers with a criminal charge if they don’t proceed with their payment, using the fear of local law enforcement to force them into compliance. Legitimate debt collectors and agencies will never coerce compliance or payment by threatening to press criminal charges. They request personal or financial information. Some scammers will try to fish for your personal and financial information before discussing the details of your debt. Scammers pretending to be credit bureaus can harvest addresses, your credit report, and other information. How to know if CCS companies are trustworthy The signs above are the three most obvious giveaways that the company you’re interacting with is fake. Some other factors to check if the CCS company is trustworthy include: If they have an accessible, publicly vetted, and reputable website. They don’t insist on unconventional payment channels or methods. Publicly vetted reviews about them are available on third-party review websites. They provide all the essential details about your debt with their initial message. Their contact form/page can be verified through your local business registry. They offer to get you in touch with your original creditor. Overall, doing your own research and always checking in with local law enforcement can be an excellent way to check if the CCS company you’re interacting with, such as CCSPayment, is genuine. If you received a letter from CCSPayment, you likely have an outstanding debt that you haven’t settled yet. However, it’s always a good idea to check whether your mail actually came from CCSPayment or CCS. ), }, { question: ‘How do I know if a debt collector’s letter is real?’, answer: ( A lack of information combined with urgency is the most obvious sign of a suspicious debt collection letter. Scammers want you to think fast and send them your payments without looking too closely at their identity. If you’re being pressured to pay without room to ask questions or verify them, it’s most likely a fraud attempt. ), }, { question: ‘Can a debt collector contact you by text message?’, answer: ( Under the update to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), debt collectors can legally send you text messages. However, some scammers can conduct SMS CCSPayment scams and other schemes by sending text messages themselves.
The best way to check if these messages are genuine is to see if they arrive at reasonable hours (between 8 AM and 5 PM) and if they contain instructions on how to opt out of receiving similar text messages in the future. These requirements are mandated under the FDCPA. Aside from that, it’s also a good idea to check if the message contains accurate details about your debt and verifiable information about your debt collector.
