If you’re dealing with calls and letters from AMCOL Systems, you probably have a lot of questions.
Debt collectors can be a nuisance, and their effects on your credit score are even worse than their constant calls.
It might seem like paying off your debt is the best method for getting a collections agency like AMCOL off your report, but that could do more harm than good.
Instead, you should use the pointers here to stop AMCOL’s damaging effects on your credit.
What Is AMCOL Systems?
Wondering whether AMCOL Systems is legitimate or a scam?
AMCOL Systems, Inc., is not a scam. Instead, it’s a verified debt collection agency headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina.
The agency has been around since 1976 and collects exclusively on debts in the healthcare industry.
Here’s AMCOL’s mailing address, which you’ll need when you communicate with them about getting the collection entry off your report:
PO Box 2165
Columbia, SC 29221
3 Ways to Remove AMCOL Systems from Your Credit Report
Now that you know the basics about AMCO and your rights under the FDCPA, it’s time to get the collections agency deleted from your credit report. Here’s how to do it:
- Ask for proof
- Negotiate with AMCOL
- Work with a credit repair company
1. Ask for Proof with a Debt Validation Letter
The first and best way to get AMCOL deleted from your report is to ask for proof of your debt.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act states that debt collectors have to provide you with documentation showing that the debt is yours, as long as you request the info in a timely manner.
You have 30 days to submit a debt validation letter, which you can craft with a free online template.
There’s a chance you’ll be able to get it off without paying a cent to AMCOL, even if you do owe them money.
Third-party debt collectors may not have enough information on hand to follow through with their collection attempts.
If they can’t validate the debt, it will be dropped from your credit report, and AMCOL’s calls should stop.
This strategy is a great starting point whether you’ve been contacted due to a reporting error or identity theft, or you do owe money to the agency.
There’s no harm in submitting a validation letter if AMCOL has contacted you in the last month.
2. Negotiate with AMCOL Systems
Debt validation doesn’t always work. Sometimes, debt collectors do have the proof they need to validate your debt.
But if that happens or you miss your shot, you still have options.
Second, to disputing the debt, you should try to negotiate a partial payment to satisfy the agency’s requirements and have the entry deleted from your credit report.
You might be able to get AMCOL to agree to accept half of what you owe on your medical bill.
This type of arrangement is called a pay-for-delete agreement.
For this approach to have the best results, you should negotiate with AMCOL in writing.
Once they’ve agreed, on paper, to have the collections entry removed from your report, you should make a payment.
After your payment has been received, the entry should be dropped from your report promptly. You need to give AMCOL a month to update the bureaus before following up.
Get a Free Copy of Your Credit Report
3. Work with a Credit Repair Company
If you’re dealing with a single collections entry, getting it removed from your credit report might be simpler than you thought.
But if your credit issues are more challenging to face, a credit repair service could be well worth considering.
These companies work on your behalf, confronting debt collectors about FDCPA violations, disputing claims, and negotiating settlements.
They can also help you with recovering from identity fraud, bankruptcy, judgments, and other more complex credit problems.
If you’re looking to give your score a jolt, a company like Sky Blue can be just what you need.
They’ll handle every step of dealing with AMCOL, so you don’t have to.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to debt collectors and see your credit score improve, get started with the strategies above today.
How Does AMCOL Systems Work?
It’s important to understand how the debt collection process works in order to get an entry off your report.
When you fall behind on medical bills, they could be turned over to AMCOL Systems.
Third-party debt collectors like AMCOL are hired by medical providers to pursue outstanding payments from consumers.
Once debt reaches collections, it is reported to the three major credit bureaus, resulting in a negative entry on your report.
A collections entry hurts your payment history, the biggest factor influencing your credit score.
Collections entries remain on your credit report for 7 years, longer than hard credit inquiries and some other negative items.
Even if you pay the debt collector the total amount you owe, it will still hurt your score, unless you use one of the tips below.
Dealing with AMCOL Systems
AMCOL Systems has been the target of hundreds of complaints from consumers.
You can always look to the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to get an idea of consumers’ experiences with a debt collector.
Between the two bureaus, AMCOL Systems has received complaints about:
- Reporting issues
- Failing to respond to debt validation requests
- Harrassing collection attempts
You are protected from the grievances above, thanks to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The FDCPA is made to safeguard you from unethical collections efforts and reporting errors.
Among other things, it limits the hours during which debt collectors can call you and prohibits them from divulging your information to other people.
Another important advantage of the FDCPA to be aware of is that it allows you to choose how to communicate with AMCOL.
We recommend that you always correspond with debt collectors by mail instead of over the phone. That way, you’ll have clear documentation of all of your conversations.
