Have questions about an entry from Account Control Technology on your credit report?
We have answers.
Account Control Technology is a debt collector, and if they’re contacting you, it means you probably let a payment slip through the cracks.
Confronting a collections agency about your debt can be stressful, especially when you’re receiving countless calls and constant messages from them.
But with the right resources in hand, you can deal with debt collectors with ease, getting them off your credit report and your phone screen.
Read on for a few quick tips to get started.
What Is Account Control Technology?
Account Control Technology, Inc., is a sizable debt collections agency that has been in business since 1993.
The agency is licensed to collect on debts nationwide, but it is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.
ACT’s mailing address is below:
PO Box 471
Kings Mill, Ohio 45034
Account Control Technology collects on a long list of debts, including:
- Commercial debt
- Consumer finance debt
- Government debt
- Healthcare debt
- Student loan debt
- Telecom and cable debt
- Utility debt
How Does Account Control Technology Work?
If you missed a payment on one of your accounts in any of the industries above, ACT can legally call you, send letters, and place a collections entry on your credit report.
Companies opt for assistance from third-party debt collectors like ACT when they are unsuccessful at collecting payments.
These debt collectors either buy the debts from the companies (for pennies on the dollar) or they are hired to help with the collections process.
In either case, the agency reports your collections-stage debt to the credit bureaus, leading to a negative entry on your credit report.
Though a debt collector’s calls can be frustrating, they could be the least of your concerns.
A single collection entry might not kill your credit score, but multiple ones can.
While the level of damage done by this type of entry depends on other factors, the entry will stay on your report for a total of seven years.
Collections entries factor into your payment history, which accounts for 35% of your overall score.
That’s why it’s imperative to get this type of entry removed from your report ASAP.
What debt collectors don’t tell you is that paying off your debt doesn’t equate to having the entry deleted from your report. We’ll show you what does below.
3 Ways to Remove Account Control Technology from Your Credit Report
Account Control Technology has done enough damage to your credit already.
Here’s how to get the collections entry removed from your report.
1. Get Proof that the Debt Is Yours
The FDCPA has you covered here. If you request proof of your debt within 30 days of being contacted by ACT, they legally have to provide you with details that validate their claim.
You can use our sample debt validation letter to get started.
Once your request has been received, the agency has to supply you with some details about your debt, like your account name, the lender or service provider who originally owned the debt, and your balance.
Since ACT is a third-party collections agency and not a creditor or provider itself, it might not have this information on hand.
When collections agencies are unable to validate debt, they are required to withdraw their collection attempts and report to the credit bureaus, resulting in the deletion of the collections entry from your account.
Debt validation should be the first strategy you try whether you think you were contacted on accident or you really owe ACT.
There’s no harm in asking for evidence, and it could get the collections account off your report free of charge.
2. Pay to Have the Entry Deleted
Getting a collections entry off your report isn’t as simple as logging onto ACT’s website and paying off whatever you owe.
Will it stop the agency’s calls and letters? Sure. But will it result in the deletion of the collections entry from your credit report? Unfortunately, no.
In order to get Account Control Technology off your credit report, you have to get them to consent (ideally in writing) to have the entry deleted.
This is known as a pay-for-delete agreement. When you enter this type of arrangement, you should negotiate with the agency to get your debt reduced.
For instance, if you owe $90 on an old phone bill, you might negotiate to only pay $45 to settle your account.
To ensure that your pay-for-delete agreement goes smoothly, you should restrict your negotiations to letters and avoid making an agreement over the phone.
Then the agency will be held accountable to report to the bureaus when they receive your payment. Your credit report should be up-to-date within a month after your payment is made.
3. Get Some Professional Help from a Credit Repair Company
Credit repair can be complicated. If you’re working through numerous credit issues, writing letters to debt collectors may feel like an arduous task.
Fortunately, there are companies that can take on the stress of handling collections agencies for you.
Credit repair companies are experts when it comes to getting collections entries deleted.
They are well-versed in the rights granted by the FDCPA and will work to ensure that your rights aren’t violated.
These agencies can handle everything from getting your debts validated to negotiating payments.
They’ll manage more complex credit issues too, like judgments, liens, and bankruptcies.
Whatever it is that’s bringing down your credit, one of our top credit repair companies can help.
Dealing with Account Control Technology
Account Control Technology gets its fair share of complaints from consumers who’ve had to deal with the agency.
Two key places to look for honest reviews and complaints regarding debt collectors are the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Some of the most commonly cited complaints against collections agencies like ACT are concerned with:
- Inaccurate reporting
- Aggressive collection attempts
- Failure to validate the debt
Since collections agencies are notorious for the issues above, it’s important to educate yourself on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The FDCPA ensures that debt collectors deal with you ethically and respectfully and that they present you with evidence of your debt.
To give you a few specific examples, the act:
- Only allows collections agencies to call between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- Keeps debt collectors from contacting you at your workplace
- Limits agencies from sharing details of your debts with anyone else
- Prohibits acts of violence or threats of illegal actions
Another of the biggest advantages of the FDCPA is that it allows you to put a stop to ACT’s calls and communicate by letter instead.
You should try to get everything in writing when you converse with representatives of a collections agency as it could prove key to getting a collections account off your report.