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Debt collectors like ConServe cannot harass you over a debt. You have rights under the law, and we will stop the harassment once and for all.

THE BEST PART IS…

If ConServe violated the law, you will get money damages and ConServe will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. Plus, some of our clients also receive debt relief and cleaned-up credit reports. You have nothing to lose! Call us today at 888-572-0176 for a free consultation.

Who is ConServe?

ConServe is an accounts receivable management/debt collection service for colleges and universities and is based in Fairport, New York. Founded in 1985, ConServe may also be known as “Continental Services Group, Inc.” and has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2014, but has received over 100 BBB complaints in the past three years, almost all of which are for billing/collection problems.

ConServe’s Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information

ConServe is located at 200 CrossKeys Office Park, Fairport, NY 14450. The main telephone number 800-724-7500 and the main website is www.conserve-arm.com/.

Phone Numbers Used by ConServe

Like many debt collection agencies, ConServe may use many different phone numbers to contact debtors. For an advanced search, visit www.agrussconsumerlaw.com/ and click “Number Search” in the “Lookup” dropdown menu. Here are some phone numbers ConServe may be calling you from:

  • 585-421-1000
  • 585-598-6187
  • 585-598-6192
  • 585-598-6195
  • 585-598-6196

ConServe Lawsuits

If you want to know just how unhappy consumers are with ConServe, take a look at the lawsuits filed against the agency on the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (“PACER”). PACER is the U.S.’s federal docket which lists federal complaints filed against a wide range of companies. A search for the agency will display over 200 lawsuits filed across the U.S., most of which involve violations of consumer rights and/or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

ConServe Complaints

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that applies to everyone in the United States. In other words, everyone is protected under the FDCPA, and this Act is a laundry list of what debt collectors can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things they must do while collecting debt. If ConServe is harassing you over a debt, you have rights under the FDCPA.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protects you from robocalls, which are those annoying, automated, recorded calls that computers make all day long. You can tell it’s a robocall because either no one responds on the other end of the line, or there is a delay when you pick up the phone before a live person responds. You can receive $500 per call if ConServe violates the TCPA. Have you received a message from this agency that sounds pre-recorded or cut-off at the beginning or end? These are tell-tale signs that the message is pre-recorded, and if you have these messages on your cell phone, you may have a TCPA case against the agency.

The Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) protects electronic payments that are deducted from bank accounts. If ConServe took unauthorized deductions from your bank account, you may have an EFTA claim against the agency. ConServe, like most collection agencies, wants to set up recurring payments from consumers; imagine how much money it can earn if hundreds, even thousands, of consumers electronically pay them $50 – $100 or more per month. If you agreed to this type of reoccurring payment, the agency must follow certain steps to comply with the EFTA. Did ConServe continue to take electronic payments after you told them to stop? Did they take more money from your checking account than you agreed to?  If so, we can discuss your rights and a potential case under the EFTA.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) works to ensure that no information reported to your credit report is false. In essence, it gives you the right to dispute those inaccuracies that you find on your credit report. We’ve handled many cases in which a debt collection agency reported debt on a consumer’s credit report to obtain leverage over the consumer. If ConServe is on your credit report, they may tell you that they’ll remove the debt from your credit report if you pay it; this is commonly known as “pay for delete.” If the original creditor is on your report rather than the debt collector, and you pay off the debt, both entities should accurately report this on your credit report.

Several states also have laws to provide their citizens with an additional layer of protection. For example, if you live in California, Florida, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Wisconsin, you may be able to add a state-law claim to your federal law claim above.  North Carolina, for example, has one of the most consumer-friendly statutes in the country: if you live in NC and are harassed over a debt, you may receive $500 – $4,000 in damages per violation. We work with a local counsel in NC and our NC clients have received some great results in debt collection harassment cases. If you live in North Carolina and are being harassed by a debt collector, you have the leverage to obtain a great settlement.

How do we Use the Law to Help You?

We will use state and federal laws to immediately stop ConServe’s debt collection. We will send a cease-and-desist letter to stop the harassment today, and if ConServe violates the FDCPA, EFTA, FCRA, or any state law, you may be entitled to money damages. For example, under the FDCPA, you may receive up to $1,000 in damages plus actual damages. The FDCPA also has a fee-shift provision, which means the debt collector will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. If you have a TCPA case against the agency, we will handle it based on a contingency fee and you won’t pay us a dime unless you win.

THAT’S NOT ALL…

We have helped hundreds of consumers stop phone calls from ConServe and we know how to stop the harassment and get you money damages. Once again: you will not pay us a dime for our services. We will help you based on a fee-shift provision and/or contingency fee, and the debt collector will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs.

What if ConServe is on my Credit Report?

Based on our experience, some debt collectors may credit-report, which means one may mark your credit report with the debt they are trying to collect. In addition to or instead of the debt collector, the original creditor may also be on your credit report in a separate entry, and it’s important to properly identify these entities because you will want both to update your credit report if or when you pay off the debt.

THE GOOD NEWS IS…

If ConServe is on your credit report, we can help you dispute it. Mistakes on your credit report can be very costly: along with causing you to pay higher interest rates, you may be denied credit, insurance, a rental home, a loan, or even a job because of these mistakes. Some mistakes may include someone else’s information on your credit report, inaccurate public records, stale collection accounts, or even being a victim of identity theft. If you have a mistake on your credit report, there is a process to dispute it, and my office will help you obtain your credit report and dispute any inaccurate information.

REMEMBER…

If a credit reporting agency violates its obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you may be entitled to statutory damages up to $1,000, and the credit reporting agency will be required to fix the error. The FCRA also has a fee-shift provision, which means the credit reporting agency will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. We have helped hundreds of consumers fix inaccurate information on their credit reports, and we’re ready to help you, too.

Complaints against ConServe

If you’re on this page, chances are you are just like the hundreds of consumers out there being harassed by ConServe. Here are some of the BBB reviews and complaints against ConServe:

  1. “Constant phone calls during the day and evening but they do not leave a message. I have picked up the phone only to hear nothing on the other end. I have no outstanding bills or loans and a good credit rating so I can’t understand why they would be calling me. I have tried blocking the number but they change the caller ID and continue to call with no response when I pick up the phone and do not leave any messages. My next stop will be the FTC and FCC sites to file a complaint.”

  2. “I have received 4 telephone calls from this organization looking for a person who does not have the telephone number they are calling. Furthermore, the person they are looking for has not had this phone number at any time during the past 29 years that I have had this phone number. Each time I inform the organization’s representative of this, each time the representative says that I am not the person they are looking for, and each time the representative says he will make the appropriate notification about the phone number. And still I am receiving calls from this organization at my telephone number for a person I do not know and who quite likely never had my telephone number. It appears to me that this organization is either grossly negligent and/or intentionally harassing me. Whichever the case, it appears that I must now begin the lengthy process of filing appropriate complaints with state and federal regulatory agencies to stop this harassment.”

  3. “I keep getting calls from ConServe. When I asked what the company does, they say they serve different types of companies. I only found out that was a debt collection agency until I googled the name. They refuse to say who they are calling for and try to tell me what I can and cannot do on the call. I asked them if they pay my phone bill and of course they will not answer. But I tell them when they pay my bill then I will follow their rules, but until then I will do and say what I like on my phone. I have been refused information altogether. They do ask for my social security number and get mad when I refuse.”

Based on 47 reviews on Google, ConServe receives a 2.4-out-of-5 rating. Here are some of the reviews on Google:

  1. They won’t tell you who they are or why they are calling. They kept asking for my personal information without providing theirs…this just yells SCAM, they are trying to screw people over. Disgusting. Notice how most of their four or five star reviews have either no comment or they have never done any other review.”

  2. I was a former client….the worst collection agency on the planet!!! They violate FDCPA law constantly and will get you, the client, sued. DO NOT USE THEM!! All of their employees should be ashamed of themselves, but they have no conscience – none of them!! Worst results and service of any collection agency I have ever used!!”

  3. These people are a bunch of rude, lying thugs who will harass you to get your money. They refuse to work with you and lie and deny it. One of my relatives unfortunately had a college debt sent over to these people. They added an additional almost 30% worth of a collection fee to the original debt and they continue to lie saying that they don’t add anything to the account and it must be late fees from the school. When we spoke to the college, they informed us that the fee was indeed a collection fee added by the agency. They continue to deny it and say things like “it doesn’t matter where it came from, you have to pay regardless.” They don’t care about lying to you to get their way and will try and discourage you from attempting to get the truth or file a dispute. The representatives are very rude and the supervisors are worse. They will talk down to you and then put on their records that you are argumentative and rude to them even if you are trying to remain as professional as possible. On top of all this they also seem to make a habit of screwing up accounts and putting extremely inaccurate information, which of course they also refuse to accept responsibility for.”

Cases We’ve Handled Against ConServe

I think you’ll agree when we say that threats and harassment from collection agencies can be pretty intimidating. However, we can stop the harassment and get you money damages under the law, and the collection agency will pay your attorneys’ fees and costs. Here are some cases we’ve handled against ConServe:

  1. Dwaine B. v. ConServe – In September 2017, Dwaine of San Francisco, California, filed a claim against ConServe for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FCDPA). Complaints included harassing phone calls, including after the plaintiff requested that the calls stop, and other “harassing, oppressive, and abusive” conduct when attempting to collect debt.

  2. Laura K. v. ConServe – In February 2016, Laura of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, filed a claim against ConServe for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Complaints consisted of harassing phone calls, including robocalls to the plaintiff’s cell phone and continuing after the plaintiff’s repeated requests that the calls stop.

  3. Anne H. v. ConServe – In December 2015, Anne of Richland County, Ohio, filed a claim against ConServe for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA). Complaints included harassing phone calls, “oppressive and abusive” conduct when attempting to collect debt, and making automated withdrawals from the plaintiff’s personal checking account without her knowledge or written authorization.

What Our Clients Say About Us

Mike Agruss Law has over 900 outstanding client reviews through Yotpo, an A+ BBB rating, and over 125 five-star reviews on Google. Here’s what some of our clients have to say about us:

“Michael Agruss handled two settlements for me with great results and he handled them quickly. He also settled my sister’s case quickly and now her debt is clear. I highly recommend Michael.”

“Mike Agruss Law was very helpful, they helped me solve my case regarding the unwanted calls. I would highly recommend them. Thank you very much Mike Agruss!

“Mike Agruss Law was very helpful to me and my veteran father! We were harassed daily and even called names for a loan that was worthless! Agruss stepped in and not only did they stop harassing, they stopped calling all together!! Even settled it so I was paid back for the problems they caused!”

Can ConServe Sue Me?

Although anyone can sue anyone for any reason, we have not seen ConServe sue consumers, and it’s likely that the agency does not sue because they don’t always own the debt they are attempting to collect, and would also need to hire a lawyer, or use in-house counsel, to file a lawsuit. It’s also likely that the agency collects debt throughout the country, and it would be quite difficult to have lawyers, or a law firm, licensed in every state. However, there are collection agencies that do sue consumers; for example, Midland Credit Management is one of the largest junk-debt buyers, and it also collects and sues on debt. Still, it is less likely for a debt collector to sue you than for an original creditor to hire a lawyer or collection firm to sue you. If ConServe has threatened to sue you, contact Mike Agruss Law as soon as possible.

Can ConServe Garnish my Wages?

No, unless they have a judgment. If ConServe has not sued you, then the agency cannot get a judgment. Barring limited situations (usually involving debts owed to the government for student loans, taxes, etc.), a company must have a judgment in order to garnish someone’s wages. In short, we have not seen this agency file a lawsuit against a consumer, so the agency cannot garnish your wages, minus the exceptions listed above. If ConServe has threatened to garnish your wages, contact our office right away.

ConServe Settlement

If you want to settle a debt with ConServe, ask yourself these questions first:

  1. Do I really owe this debt?
  2. Is this debt within the statute of limitations?
  3. Is this debt on my credit report?
  4. If I pay this debt, will ConServe remove it from my credit report?
  5. If I pay this debt, will the original creditor remove it from my credit report?
  6. If I pay this debt, will I receive confirmation in writing from ConServe for the payment and settlement terms?

These are not the only things to consider when dealing with debt collectors. We are here to help you answer the questions above, and much more. Whether it’s harassment, settlement, pay-for-delete, or any other legal issue with ConServe, we at Mike Agruss Law are here to help you.

Top Debt Collection Violations

Debt collection laws provide a laundry list of what collectors can and cannot do while collecting a debt. Based on our years of experience handling thousands of debt collection harassment cases, here’s what collection agencies most often do to violate the law:

  1. Called you about a debt you do not owe.
  2. Called you at work after you told them you cannot receive calls at work.
  3. Left you a message without identifying the company’s name.
  4. Left you a message without disclosing that the call is from a debt collector.
  5. Called third-parties (family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors) even though the collection agency knows your contact information.
  6. Disclosed to a third-party (family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors) that you owe a debt.
  7. Contacted you after you said to stop calling.
  8. Threatened you with legal action (such as a lawsuit or wage garnishment).
  9. Called you before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM.
  10. Continued to call you after you have told the collector you cannot pay the debt.
  11. Communicated (phone or letter) with you after you filed for bankruptcy.
  12. Failed to mark the debt on your credit report as disputed after you disputed the debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Do I have to pay your fees and costs for helping me with my consumer rights case? No. We handle consumer rights cases based on a fee-shift provision and/or a contingency fee. That means either the other side pays your fees and costs, or we take a percentage of your recovery. Whether it’s a fee-shift case or a contingency-fee case, we don’t get paid unless you get paid, and you’ll never owe us a penny for our time.

  2. What are the damages I can get under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? If a collection agency violates any section of the FDCPA, you are entitled to damages up to $1,000.00. You may also be entitled to actual damages if the violation caused you out-of-pocket expenses. For example, if a collection agency threatens you with legal action to induce you to pay the debt, you may be able to get your payment back as actual damages.

  3. What are the damages under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act? You can get $500 per robocall, or $1,500 per robocall if the robocalls were willful. In any type of settlement, Defendants often pay much less than $500 per call. However, if there are 50 calls at issue, even at $250 per call, your case could settle for $12,500.00.

  4. What type of debt is covered under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? Only consumer debt, such as personal, family, and household debts. For example, the money you owe on a personal credit card, an auto loan, a medical bill, or a utility bill. The FDCPA does not cover debts you incurred to run a business, or debts regarding unpaid taxes, or traffic tickets.

  5. Does the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act apply to banks or credit card companies? No. Only third-party debt collectors are bound by the FDCPA. Original creditors, such as banks and credit card companies, are not bound by the FDCPA.

  6. Are there state laws that protect me from original creditors? Yes! Several states also have laws that provide their citizens an additional layer of protection. If you live in California, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Wisconsin, you have additional state-law rights.

  7. Are mistakes on credit reports common? Yes! Are you one of the 40 million Americans who have a mistake on their credit report? Mistakes on your credit report can be very costly.  Along with causing you to pay higher interest rates, you may be denied credit, insurance, a rental home, a loan, or even a job because of these mistakes. Some mistakes may include someone else’s information on your credit report, inaccurate public records, stale collection accounts, or maybe you were a victim of identity theft.

  8. What do I do if I have a mistake on my credit report? If you have a mistake on your credit report, there is a process to dispute them. My office will help you pull your credit report and dispute any inaccurate information. If a credit reporting agency violates its obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you may be entitled to statutory damages up to $1,000.00, plus the credit reporting agency will be required to fix the error.  The FCRA also has a fee-shift provision, which means the credit reporting agency pays your attorney’s fees and costs. Therefore, you will not pay me a penny for my time. To speed up the process, please get a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also learn more about the FCRA and your rights at http://www.agrussconsumerlaw.com/practices/common-credit-report-errors/.

Share your Complaints against ConServe Below

We encourage you to post your complaints about ConServe. Sharing your complaints against this agency can help other consumers understand what to do when this company starts calling. Sharing your experience may help someone else!

HERE’S THE DEAL!

If you are being harassed by ConServe over a debt, you may be entitled to money damages – up to $1,000 for harassment, and $500 – $1,500 for illegal robocalls. Under state and federal laws, we will help you based on a fee-shift provision and/or contingency fee, which means the debt collector pays your attorneys’ fees and costs. You won’t owe us a dime for our services. We have settled thousands of debt collection harassment cases, and we’re prepared to help you, too. Contact Mike Agruss Law at 888-572-0176 to stop the harassment once and for all.

Phone Numbers Used By ConServe

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