Tek Collect on Your Credit Report? Fight Back and Win

What Is TekCollect?

TekCollect is a third-party debt collection agency based in Columbus, Ohio. You may see them reporting a collection on your credit report, which can happen as a result of you not paying a bill.

TekCollect specializes in medical debt collection, inheriting, handling, or buying delinquent debts from hospitals and healthcare providers.

Are you on the receiving end of harassment from TekCollect? It is possible they could be violating the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), and if so, you can get them removed from your credit report.

Why Does TekCollect Keep On Calling Me?

If you received a phone call or are being harassed by TekCollect, the reason is that they are calling you in order to get you to pay a debt.

We recommend that you ignore these calls and instead look into getting the collection account removed.

Will Having TekCollect on My Credit Report Hurt My Credit Score?

Unfortunately, not only can having a collection account on your credit report harm your credit score, it is also one of the most serious negative items your report can contain because it means the original creditor (who TekCollect has inherited or purchased the debt from) has written off the debt.

In short, it’s in your best interest to get the collection account removed from your credit report as soon as possible.

Is TekCollect a Scam?

As confirmed by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TekCollect is not a scam. They are a legitimate debt collection agency which was founded in 2001.

While TekCollect is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, it also has divisional offices in other cities and states.

Who Does TekCollect Collect For?

TekCollect focuses on collecting medical debt, and serves over 30,000 businesses across the US.

Among their premier clients, TekCollect boasts partnerships with large organizations such as the New York State Veterinary Medical Society, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the New York State Agribusiness Association.

Will TekCollect Attempt to Sue Me or Garnish My Wages?

It is extremely unlikely (but not impossible) that TekCollect will sue you. Note that it is also illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you (thanks to the FDCPA).

It is, however, common for TekCollect - and other collection agencies alike - to summon debtors to court and garnish wages following a default judgment (which is a ruling made by a judge or court in favor of a plaintiff in the event that the defendant fails to respond to a complaint in time).

TekCollect Reviews

Most collection agencies have a slew of negative reviews and complaints against them online with both the BBB and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). TekCollect is no exception.

Data from the BBB shows that 92 customer complaints have been filed for TekCollect in the last 3 years (and 24 in the last 12 months).

Some of these complaints allude to TekCollect’s representatives being rude and unprofessional, in addition to being extremely difficult to get in touch with.

If you are being harassed by TekCollect and are considering trying to get in touch with them, it may be a wise move to file a complaint directly with the BBB or CFPB instead where they will respond directly to your complaint instead.

Can I Send TekCollect a Goodwill Letter to Remove My Collection Account or Charge-off?

TekCollect allegedly does not accept goodwill letters to remove collection accounts or chargeoffs.

This is typical of most collection agencies, which have contracts in place with bureaus that prohibit the removal of collection accounts.

Another reason a goodwill letter is unlikely to be accepted is that it could put them in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires lenders to report accurate credit information to credit bureaus.

Is it a Good Idea to Pay for a Delete With TekCollect?

It is possible to pay TekCollect to get credit bureaus to delete the collection account from your credit report.

The problem is, this doesn’t truly delete the account—it merely changes its status to “paid”.

This means that the collection account will still remain on your report for 7 years from the date your debt first became delinquent.

Should I Negotiate a Debt Settlement With TekCollect?

There are a few circumstantial factors that should be considered when deciding to negotiate a debt settlement.

If you have a large debt or are struggling financially, then negotiating a settlement for a lower amount may be advantageous as it can reduce the amount of money that you need to pay back.

The downside of settling a debt for less than what you owe is that it can have a negative impact on your credit score.

Can I Sue TekCollect for Harassment?

As mentioned, if TekCollect is harassing you, they may be in violation of the FDCPA.

This law became effective in 1978, and was designed to put an end to abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices.

It does this by providing people like you with the ability to enforce your rights and recover any damages up to $1,000 (in addition to attorney fees and court costs).

Keep in mind that the FDCPA doesn’t cover business debts or collection by the original creditor that you first became indebted to.

How to Remove TekCollect From Your Credit Report

If you see TekCollect on your credit report, or they are contacting you and you’re not sure what to do, don’t worry—there’s a simple solution.

Our legal team at Fair Credit can help assess your situation and help you dispute TekCollect collection accounts to get them removed from your credit report as soon as possible. Call us today for a free Case Review and start the process of getting your financial life back on track.