Dealing with debt collection companies can be stressful. In trying to collect, these third-party collection agencies and debt buyers may violate your rights as consumers. We, at America’s Consumer Lawyer, will help you deal with collectors like Mutual Recovery. We’ll handle communication between you and collectors, help you get debt relief, and restore your credit to good standing.

Consumer Affair Complaints filed Against Mutual Recovery and Debt Collection Harassment

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gave Mutual Recovery an F rating. The collection agency is also not accredited by the BBB. As of 2022, Mutual Recovery has 32 complaints on its BBB page that pointed out the company’s unethical and abusive collection tactics. According to the complaints, Mutual Recovery collection agency has been harassing consumers, their families, and workplaces; making false claims about debts; refusing to give details about the company and supposed money consumers owe; and threatening legal actions among others. In 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered EZ Corp Online, Inc to pay consumers $10 million. The CFPB ordered the small lending company to stop collecting from the remaining installment loans of about 130,000 consumers, refund $7.5 million to around 93,000 individuals, and settle $3 million in penalties. This order was in response to the company’s illegal debt collection practices. 

Who is Mutual Recovery? 

Mutual Recovery is also known as EZ Corp Online, Inc according to its BBB page. The collection company is located at 1415 Highway 85 N, Fayetteville, GA 30214. The BBB also reported that Mutual Recovery phone number is (833) 783-2378. While there’s scarce data on Mutual Recovery, EZ Corp Online, Inc. advertises as a company offering “short-term cash solutions” by buying and selling merchandise and loaning money in exchange of valuable goods like jewelry and electronics. EZ Corp Online, Inc is doing business in about 20 states in the US as well as in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. EX Corp Online, Inc’s BBB page shows 68 complaints from consumers for faulty electronics, failed return and refund attempts, and poor customer service among others. 

What should I do if Mutual Recovery is Harassing Me?

If Mutual Recovery is trying to contact you about a debt, verify the details first. Ask the name of the creditor, the amount you supposedly owe, and ways to dispute the debt. Collections agencies are obligated to disclose that information.You may also contact a consumer rights attorney to deal with debt collection. This will protect you from consumer harassment and keep you informed about consumer rights. 

What is the Consumer Bill of Rights?

In 1962, John F. Kennedy first talked about the Consumer Bill of Rights. The law advanced the right to safety; the right to be informed; the right to choose; and the right to be heard. In the past years, more laws were enacted to enhance consumer protection. 

• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)

The FDCPA is the primary federal law protecting consumers from abusive debt collection practices. It was legislated on September 20, 1977 and took effect in 1978. The FDCPA defines and prevents threatening and harassing collections acts like:

• Calling you excessively
• Calling you between 9 P.M. and 8 A.M. your local time
• Calling you at your work or on your cell phone if you’ve told them not to
• Contacting you after you have told them to stop
• Misrepresenting their identity to make you believe they are a member of a law enforcement agency or other government entity
• Misrepresenting your debt or their intended actions to collect the debt
• Threatening you, your property, or your reputation
• Failing to inform you of your rights
• Sharing details of your debt with others
• Bullying or scaring you into paying your debt 
• Using profanities or abusive language

A judge may award you up to $1,000 against Mutual Recovery or other collection agencies to cover damages. A judge may also award compensation even if you’re unable to prove actual damages. Consumers may also file a class action lawsuit against collection agencies and get as much as $500,000 in damages or 1 percent of the agency’s net worth, whichever is lower. 

• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)

TCPA limits telemarketers from sending automated messages (robocalls) to consumers’ phones and landlines via calls or SMS. Enacted in 1992, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set the implementing rules and regulations of the TCPA. You can stop receiving robocalls from debt collectors by: 

• Opting out of receiving calls. Callers are required to give you the choice to opt-out of getting future calls. This option must be announced during the call and must be available to consumers during the said call. If you’re thinking about trying the 11-word phrase to stop debt collectors, we’re here to tell you it doesn’t work. If you’re in Illinois, a Chicago consumer rights lawyer can stop consumer harassment on your behalf.
• Adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry. You may add your number to the National Do Not Call List through their site or by calling 888-382-1222. After successfully doing so, all callers must stop calling you within 31 days. If you continue to receive calls, you may file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
• Retracting consent. According to the FCC, consumers must provide written consent to receive robocalls to their phones. You may send the callers another letter revoking your consent if you gave permission prior.

• Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA)

No matter your gadget, your rights are protected under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA). These may include ATMs, debit cards, direct deposits, the internet, electronic check conversion, or phone payments. Enacted in 1978, the EFTA aimed to protect consumers who are paying electronically. The same Act helps consumers rectify or challenge billing issues within 45 days. For unauthorized transactions made due to a lost or stolen card or identity theft, consumers may report the transaction within 60 days. Banks and other financial institutions will no longer be responsible for investigating after that timeframe. If Mutual Recovery made unauthorized charges to your account, you may be awarded damages and refunds.

• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) As consumers, your private information is protected by the law. This information includes those collected by medical companies, credit bureaus, and even screening services. The FCRA also aims to safeguard your credit report from being affected by wrong or inaccurate information and protect your loaning capacity as well as employment opportunities.  Through the FCRA, companies giving information to credit reporting agencies must verify details they deliver and must investigate related disputes. If the Mutual Recovery has negatively affected your credit report with inaccurate information, you’ll have the chance to have this rectified and may also be entitled to damages.

• State LawsAside from federal laws, your state may also have specific legislations in place to protect you from abusive and deceptive collection practices. This offers an added layer of protection on top of the federal consumer laws. To better protect yourself from Mutual Recovery, check regulations with a lawyer in your state. 

How Our Consumer Rights Attorney Can Help

If Mutual Recovery or other debt collection agencies are harassing you and violating your rights, the consumer protection lawyers at America’s Consumer Lawyer want to help. 

We will end the harassment immediately with a cease-and-desist notification. If, in reviewing your case, we see violations of any federal or state protection, we will work on your behalf to get you the damages you are owed.

The best part is we can do this completely free. The FDCPA includes a fee-shift provision, which means if creditors and third-party collectors are found guilty of violating your rights, they must pay your attorney and court fees. 

Contact us today for your free, no-obligation case evaluation to get relief from debt collection harassment.