Quick Answer: Consumer records show Helvey & Associates violated debt collection laws by failing to respond to dispute letters and not removing an erroneous $180 debt from credit reports as promised. The complaint was closed with non-monetary relief after the consumer threatened legal action for FDCPA and FCRA violations.
Date Received: 2018-05-06
Product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
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Consumer Complaint: On or about XX/XX/XXXX I pulled a copy of my Credit Report to find an erroneous posting by HELVEY & ASSOCIATES located at : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, IN XXXX where they claimed I owed them {$180.00}.
OnXX/XX/XXXX I sent HELVEY & ASSOCIATES a Certified Letter disputing their claim. HELVEY & ASSOCIATES either failed or refused to respond to my letter which is a direct violation of the FDCPA and the FCRA.
On XX/XX/XXXX I sent a follow-up letter via Certified Mail to HELVEY & ASSOCIATES warning them of their violation and my intention to file suit to correct the issue.
On or about XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from HELVEY & ASSOCIATES stating that the account in question had been canceled and that it would be removed from my credit reports ( see enclosed letter ).
To date, the removal of this erroneous account from my Credit Bureaus as stated in their letter has not happened.
I am filing this complaint in order to exhaust my administrative remedies prior to filing a lawsuit against HELVEY & ASSOCIATES.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Very Truly Yours, XXXX XXXX
Company: Helvey & Associates
State/Zip: NC 286XX
Company Response to Complaint: Closed with non-monetary relief
Was Company Response Timely: Yes
Did Consumer Dispute Company Response: N/A
Complaint ID: 2898106
The above data is from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Keep in mind that every company will get a complaint from time-to-time, even the great ones. But there are a few key data points that will give you an idea about how well the company values their customers and handles consumer issues.
Look at the item Company Response to Complaint: and Did Consumer Dispute Company Response: to get a better idea of how this was resolved. And the field Consumer Complaint: can give you some context of the issue.
In particular what you are looking for was that the company response was timely and that the consumer did not dispute it. The posting of complaints has proven to be a valuable resource for both companies and consumers.
Before You Sign Anything: Run any debt relief contract through the free Contract Decoder to spot hidden fees and unfair terms. Check the company’s complaint history with the Scam-O-Meter.
Compare Your Real Options: Most debt relief companies won’t tell you about all your options — especially the ones they can’t profit from. Credit counseling has a 21-27% completion rate. Settlement resolves about 1% of enrolled debts fully. Bankruptcy has a 95% discharge rate — and protects your retirement. Take the Find Your Path quiz for a recommendation based on your actual numbers.
