Northwest Collectors

The complainant here has the same name and lives in the same town as the consumer that is listed on the writ of execution The process server that served the documents is recalling the writ from the employer This was a simple case of mistaken identity A collection agency is disallowed by law from confirming a social security number with a third party such as an employer While this helps protect consumers private information, it does increase the chance for wrong party contact

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business' responseIf you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com,
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID *** and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

The complainant here has the same name and lives in the same town as the consumer that is listed on the writ of execution.  The process server that served the documents is recalling the writ from the employer.  This was a simple case of mistaken identity.  A collection agency is...

disallowed by law from confirming a social security number with a third party such as an employer.  While this helps protect consumers private information, it does increase the chance for wrong party contact.

Review: I have been trying for some time now to resolve an account with an unlicensed collector, Northwest Collectors (NW) of Missoula Montana, who attempted to illegally pursue a claim with me. According to the Illinois Collection Agency Act, any collector wishing to practice debt collection in Illinois must be licensed by the state of Illinois or another state enjoying reciprocity. Further, this is backed up by the FDCPA. NC was, and due to their actions will likely remain, in non-compliance.

Section four of the Illinois Collection Agency Act (ICAA) makes it illegal to act as a collection agency in the state of Illinois without a license:

No collection agency shall operate in this State, directly or indirectly engage in the business of collecting, solicit claims for others, have a sales office, a client, or solicit a client in this State, exercise the right to collect, or receive payment for another of any account, bill or other indebtedness, without registering under this Act except that no collection agency shall be required to be licensed or maintain an established business address in this State if the agency's activities in this State are limited to collecting debts from debtors located in this State by means of interstate communication, including telephone, mail, or facsimile transmission from the agency's location in another state provided they are licensed in that state and these same privileges are permitted in that licensed state to agencies licensed in Illinois.

Section three of the ICAA defines what constitutes debt collection in the state of Illinois:

A person, association, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity acts as a collection agency when he or it:

(a) Engages in the business of collection for others of any account, bill or other indebtedness;

(b) Receives, by assignment or otherwise, accounts bills, or other indebtedness from any person owning or controlling 20% or more of the business receiving the assignment, with the purpose of collecting monies due on such account, bill or other indebtedness.

(the text continues)

The FDCPA reinforces state laws if “the protection such law affords any consumer is greater than the protection provided by this title.” (Section [redacted])

NC did not have a license to practice debt collection in the state of Illinois or any state enjoying reciprocity. Paperwork provided by them reinforces that they knew that I lived in Illinois at the time that they received the account. Therefore, it was illegal for Northwest Collectors to undertake the account both on the state and federal level. Any activity by NC to pursue the debt, including acquiring the account, was illegal and invalid. As there was no legal way for NC to receive the account, there was no legal way for to transfer the debt. NC has been notified of the the law and the nature of their activitiesDesired Settlement: Northwest Collectors continues to pass this fictitious account to other collection agencies. Once these other agencies have been made aware of the wrongdoing they reject the account back to NC. NC then passes it to another agency. This amounts to harassment and it must stop. NC has never legally acquired the account. The only way that I see to move forward is admit the mistake to [redacted], who engaged NC. I am unaware of any other way of complying with the ICAA and the FDCPA and none has been brought to my attention

Business

Response:

This consumer has continually complained in every forum available. Our response is that we will not respond to these continued complaints over the alleged activity referred to in the complaint.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received, your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Revdex.com,

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

RE: Resolution Moderator Christian Kin, Complaint ID [redacted] Northwest Collectors did not provide a usable response. They could have simply written “nah, nah, nah, we can’t hear you.” Further, I have obviously not brought this up in every venue, but I will escalate it until I can get Northwest Collectors to use honest business practices and obey the law.I have provided documents to support my claims, please let me know if I have left any open questions and I will clear them up with further documentation as needed. Attached is a scan of Northwest Collector’s initial postmarked envelope showing that they knew I lived in Illinois when they attempted to acquire the account.Also attached is my letter informing them of the law in the matter, that attempting to collect this debt without a license was against Illinois law and the FDCPA, and that according to these laws they were not even able to legally purchase the account.Northwest Collectors continues to attempt to pass the account on to potentially legitimate collectors. They refuse the account back to Northwest Collectors after they have been informed of the illegal nature of account. The most recent company, Mid-America Account Control Bureau, Inc., was not honest enough to contact me by mail however I have attached a plain text extraction of the password protected pdf which they sent me via email.The relevant Illinois law on the matter, Illinois Collection Agency Act, can be found at [redacted].

Sections three and four pertain directly to this matter and are quoted

in the complaint which has been attached for your convenience.The relevant federal law, Fair Debt and Collection Practices Act, can be found at [redacted]. The relevant section is [redacted] and is also quoted in the complaint.Northwest Collectors activities are violation of the FDCPA. They never legally acquired the account. Further their repeated attempts to pass their fraud on to other collectors amounts to harassment and must stop.Thank you for your time and your help with this matter.

Regards,

Business

Response:

The complaint referenced here has been addressed with the Illinois Attorney General's office and with the CFPB. The complaint was addressed and closed by both agencies.

Consumer

Response:

RE: Christian King, complaint ID [redacted]

Revdex.com,

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

This is piddling miss-direction, an attempt to deflect the issue. Northwest again makes no attempt to respond to the actual, well documented case. They continue to violate the law and show their contempt by not even attempting to show that they have satisfied it. They have crossed the line into harassment and this must stop. Even their attempts at deflection are misleading. I had assumed, until now, that the CFPD complaint had remained opened, much like it would if Revdex.com found the matter unresolved. I filed a similar complaint with CFPD well over a year ago. I have contacted CFPB for information on the complaint and it seems that it was closed due to miscommunication. They have recommend that I refile with further documentation that I have. CFPD also states that their closure is not intended to end the matter and will make recommendations about legal advice as needed to move forward. The Illinois Attorney General's did contact Northwest Collectors about their illegal activities, however I was no longer a resident of Illinois at the time and so there was not much room for them to operate in. It was explicitly stated by that office that their cessation of pursuit did not close the matter. My guess is that Northwest Collectors were told by the Illinois Attorney General's office that action would be taken if they tried it with another, current resident of Illinois. Northwest did stop pursuing the claim for awhile after they were contacted, so I had assumed that the matter was closed.Northwest Collectors has started again and it has crossed the line into harassment. I repeat myself here. This must stop. They have never legally acquired this debt and their response continues to show a complete contempt for the law. They have made no attempt to show that they have satisfied it by any form.

Regards,

Review: My employer, Capital City Health Club received a letter of garnishment of my wages due to this collection agency. This agency failed to investigate who the real person is and just decided to send it to a place that has someone with the name of the person they are after. I am not the person, nor does my social security number match the person they are after for collection. It is humiliating to be pulled into your manager's office and confronted with this issue. I have a lot of pride in my credit and paying my bills in a timely manner.Desired Settlement: I feel I am owed an apology for this action!!! and by filing this complaint I hope that this will not happen to anyone else!!

Business

Response:

The complainant here has the same name and lives in the same town as the consumer that is listed on the writ of execution. The process server that served the documents is recalling the writ from the employer. This was a simple case of mistaken identity. A collection agency is disallowed by law from confirming a social security number with a third party such as an employer. While this helps protect consumers private information, it does increase the chance for wrong party contact.