The people who are under the mountain of debt or were stuck in debt can completely understand the stressful feeling of being contacted continuously by a debt collector, even when the agency is acting rather civil.

When they tend to follow the aggressive approach, they can make life a nightmarish, if the complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission each year are any indication. If this is what you are going through, don’t suppose that you have to endure such disrespect and abuse. No need at all!

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The FDCPA or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects the customers from being asserted by the imprudent debt collectors. This act makes it legal for the intermediary collection agencies to use different strategies like the ones listed below for the collection of debt.

  • Calling prior to 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. depending on your time zone.
  • Discussing your debt with anyone expect you, your spouse, or your attorney.
  • Intimidating actions they are not authorized to take legally.
  • Calling and disturbing you at work while your company does not favor such calls.
  • Using absurd or impious language.
  • Denying their identity of being the debt collectors who are seeking to collect the debt.

Company Profile: Five Lakes Agency, Inc.

If Five Lakes Agency, Inc. is calling you, then the information of this collection agency is stated below.

The Five lakes Agency, Inc is a Troy, Michigan based debt collection agency. In the year 2011, this agency was established and it has 11 to 50 employees. It is managed by its chairman Tom Mason. PACER or the Public Access to Court Electronic Records have some records that state the consumers who were harassed by the Five Lakes Agency, Inc. filed a lawsuit to stop the contact from this agency.

Alleged Violations against Five Lakes Agency, Inc.

Raul J. Ramos vs. Five Lakes Agency, Inc.

On October 1, 2012, according to PACER, the Five Lakes Agency, Inc. Left a voice message to Raul J. Ramos, a resident of Florida. This message stated:

Hello. This message is for Raul Ramos. My name is Theresa Brown and I’m calling from Five Lakes Agency. We’re agents for JP Morgan Chase Bank. We do need you to return the call and can be reached at 855-824-1000. My extension is 1154. We’re available from 8 am to 10 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturdays from 9 to 3 pm, eastern standard time. Thank you.”

Mr. Raul Ramos later claimed that this company has left similar messages in the past also, and when asked they failed to identify themselves as a debt collector in each of their messages. Feeling harassed by Five Lakes Agency, Inc. he decided to hire a consumer attorney and sued the company for purposely violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by declining to identify themselves as the debt collectors in their all communications.

The matter was resolved later.

The phone numbers for this collection agency are:

  • 1-855-824-1000
  • 1-248-519-1746

If you see any of these above-stated numbers on your caller ID, then this means Five Lakes Agency is calling you and if they decline their identification as a debt collector in the communication, you should immediately hire a consumer attorney. The lack of transparency violates the rule of FDCPA, and if you file a complaint against them and win, you could be awarded $1,000 per FDCPA violation and the attorney’s fees, any damages, court costs. Instead, this will put the collection agency in debt to you.

Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov).

The case file number is 0:13-cv-61080-JIC from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Disclaimer: The given content in this article has a clear objective of providing information and one should refrain from using it as legal advice. If you go for filing a claim against Five Lakes Agency, Inc. or any other collection agency, you might not be entitled to any reimbursement.