Falling into a bad stretch with your finances can happen to anyone, especially in the face of a slow economy. Unfortunately, debt collectors often apply unbearable pressure on debtors to shame consumers into making payments.
Any debt collector overreach can result in legal action by the affected consumer. Contacting the consumer protection attorneys at Mike Agruss Law can halt harassing behavior by debt collectors like Broadway Account Services and help you hold bad actors accountable for their illegal practices.
What is Broadway Account Services, Inc.?
Broadway Account Services is a debt collection service provider founded in 2012. The company’s headquarters are at 3842 Harlem Rd Ste 400-142, Buffalo, NY, and the phone number at which consumers can reach the debt collection agency is (855) 485-9509.
Broadway Account Services collects debts on behalf of clients in the banking, auto lending, telecommunications, and retail sectors. The agency also purchases debt portfolios from manufacturers, merchants, attorneys, and credit unions.
What Are Consumers Saying About Broadway Account Services, Inc.?
Broadway Account Services has a non-accredited profile on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)’s website. The debt collection agency’s profile has an “F” rating, and there are currently five consumer complaints against the company.
The consumers posting the complaints claim to have had funds removed from their bank accounts without authorization. One consumer recalls a Broadway Account Services representative contacting them about a $2,500 debt and agreeing to make a $1,500 payment in good faith. This payment was never received by the creditor, causing the consumer to demand the return of his funds.
Broadway Account Services has not responded to any of the complaints on the BBB website, leaving consumers in the dark about their cases.
What Constitutes Harassment By Broadway Account Services, Inc.?
Debt collectors are not allowed to harass you. Overreach includes any behavior that annoys, disturbs, or alarms you. For example, Broadway Account Services may not:
- Repeatedly call you or make excessive phone calls in an attempt to collect a debt
- Use profane or obscene language when communicating with you
- Threaten you with violence or harm
- Threaten you with arrest
- Include your name or details in a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts (except to credit reporting agencies)
- Make false statements about the debt they are trying to collect from you. For example, they may not falsely claim that you have committed a crime by not paying your debt.
Broadway Account Services is also prohibited from contacting your employer, family members, or any of your acquaintances concerning your debt. The law only allows collection agencies to contact people around you to obtain your contact information. The debt collector cannot inform third parties in your environment that the issue concerns a debt.
What Protection Does the Law Provide From Collections Harassment?
The Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that provides protections for consumers from abusive debt collection practices. The FDCPA prohibits debt collectors from using harassing, oppressive, or deceptive practices when collecting a debt.
The FDCPA requires debt collectors to provide certain information to the consumer, such as the creditor’s name and the amount owed. If a debt collector violates the FDCPA, the consumer may file a lawsuit against the collections agency.
Besides the FDCPA, other protections are available to prevent debt collection agencies from badgering consumers and allow legal action against bad actors. State legislatures have enacted provisions that complement the FDCPA and reinforce the federal statute’s protections.
Additionally, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) makes using automatic telephone dialing systems illegal without the consumer’s consent. Therefore, when calling a debtor, Broadway Account Services must immediately identify themselves and state the reason for calling.
The TCPA bars debt collectors from:
- Auto-dialing using robocall systems
- Contact you without your permission via cell phone
- Send you text messages before they have obtained your consent to do so
You can pursue civil action against Broadway Account Services if they break the law as described in the FDCPA, TCPA, or state statutes.
Stop Harassment from Broadway Account Services, Inc.
Whether you owe a debt or a debt collector like Broadway Account Services mistakenly harasses you about an account, hiring a lawyer can lift some of the burden off your shoulders.
Mike Agruss Law helps consumers who are being misinformed, threatened, and harassed by debt collection agencies. Our lawyers can intermediate with debt collectors on your behalf to end the harassment and help you get your life back in order.
We use our legal system knowledge and extensive experience protecting consumers like you to hold collection agencies accountable when they violate your rights. Contact our law firm today for a free, no-risk consultation on the details of your case.
