Debt Collectors Resolve 84% of Consumer Complaints

According to the Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB), debt collection agencies are among the nation’s leading industries in resolving consumer complaints, credit and debt collection industry trade group ACA International noted Wednesday.

“Debt collectors take consumer complaints very seriously and agree with the significant importance of protecting consumers against any business that engages in deceptive, unfair or abusive practices,” said ACA Interim CEO Ted Smith.

In its annual report on consumer complaints, released in March 2011, debt collection agencies resolved 84 percent of the complaints received compared to an average of 75.8 percent for all industries tracked. Collections agencies rank 19th in the number of inquiries and fifth in the total number of complaints.

Overall, the BBB received 535,224 inquiries about collection agencies in 2010. Of these, 14,966 were complaints and 12,568 were resolved based on BBB standards. Since 2002, collection agencies have been above the national average in resolving more than 80 percent of the complaints filed with the BBB.

ACA International members are working with regulators, Congress and state leaders to ensure a balanced debt collection system that allows for legitimate debt collection to function and protects consumers.

According to Smith, “We will continue to provide educational and training resources to help our members, and their employees, prevent, manage and resolve consumer complaints. However, consumers shouldn’t avoid debt collectors or dismiss being contacted as a scam without verifying it first. The vast majority of debt collection activity is legitimate and it’s imperative to address a debt collection inquiry head-on.”

ACA International members have created www.AskDoctorDebt.com, a valuable, free consumer website to help provide answers to debt related questions. AskDoctorDebt.com, available in both English and Spanish, features straightforward answers, links to resources and helpful tools for consumers.

ACA International is the comprehensive, knowledge–based resource for success in the credit and collection industry. Founded in 1939, ACA brings together more than 5,300 members in the United States and abroad, including third–party collection agencies, asset buyers, attorneys, creditors and vendor affiliates.