How to Resolve a Debt with the Stark Collection Agency

Legal Expert
Sarah Edwards, BS

Sarah Harris is a professional researcher and writer specializing in legal content. An Emerson College alumna, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the prestigious Boston institution.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: The Stark Agency is known for pursuing consumer debts around the U.S. If you’ve been contacted by Stark Collection Agency about a debt, SoloSuit can help you request a debt validation, respond to a debt lawsuit, and settle your debt before going to court.

If you’ve recently received a debt collection notice from The Stark Agency, you’re likely wondering whether you should pay it or ignore it. Unfortunately, most debts don’t disappear into thin air, so you’ll likely need to address the matter. Otherwise, The Stark Agency will probably escalate its collection efforts.

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What to know about The Stark Collection Agency

Is The Stark Agency legit?

Also called The Stark Collection Agency, The Stark Agency is a legitimate debt collection company. According to its website, it has worked to collect debts since 1948, making it one of the oldest debt collection companies in the U.S.

The company is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a member of several industry groups, including the American Collectors Association International and the Great Lakes Credit and Collection Association.

The address for The Stark Agency is 402 Gammon Place, Suite 240, Madison, WI 53719-1074. Its phone number is 608-274-7764, or you can call toll-free at 877-274-7764.

The Stark Agency has an active BBB profile with a B+ rating. Despite its decent rating, many consumers have filed complaints against The Stark Collection Agency on its BBB profile and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Most complaints allege that the collection agency doesn’t have the right to pursue a debt or that the consumer doesn’t owe the obligation. Some consumers say the amount the company is seeking doesn’t align with their records.

As a consumer, you have a right to debt validation. So, before you decide to pay off a debt with The Stake Agency, make them validate your debt.

Make The Stark Agency validate your debt

You'll likely feel a little angry once you receive a debt collection notice from The Stark Agency. After all, no one likes unexpected bills.

You might also wonder whether the agency is reporting the obligation to consumer credit bureaus. If that happens, your credit score will likely take a nosedive, which can harm your ability to obtain future loans.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can request The Stark Agency to validate a debt. The FDCPA provides consumers with a 30-day grace period after the initial receipt of a debt collection notice.

Collection agencies can’t report adverse information to consumer credit agencies during this time. It’s best to take advantage of the grace period and request your validation.

You can request a few things in your Debt Validation Letter:

The age of the debt.
An itemized statement of what you owe.
The name of the original creditor.
Proof that you owe the debt.
The Stark Agency’s debt collection license number in your state.
Indication of whether the statute of limitations has expired.

You can also ask The Stark Agency to stop contacting you unless it can provide the requested information or it intends to sue you.

Once The Stark Agency receives your Debt Validation Letter, it must cease collection efforts unless it can provide all the information you requested. If it can’t, you’re unlikely to hear from The Stark Agency again.

Need help validating a debt with The Stark Agency? Use SoloSuit’s Debt Validation Letter template.

The Stark Agency is suing me

Sometimes, collection agencies sue consumers, especially if the statute of limitations for the debt is growing close and the person hasn’t attempted to resolve the obligation.

You don’t want to lose a debt lawsuit since the result will be a judgment. A judgment allows The Stark Agency to seek wage garnishment, which could mean you lose part of your paycheck until you satisfy the debt. If you’ve received notice of a lawsuit initiated by The Stark Agency, the first and best step to take is to respond to the lawsuit with a written Answer.

In your Answer, you should:

Respond to each claim against you. You can admit, deny, or deny due to lack of knowledge.
Assert your affirmative defenses. These are any legal reasons you should not be held liable for the debt.

After you’ve drafted your Answer, be sure to file it in the court where you are being sued, and send a copy to the opposing attorney.

Use SoloSuit to draft and file your Answer in minutes. Our software makes it easy for you to create a customized Answer to your debt lawsuit, which includes space for you to address each claim against you and list your own affirmative defenses.

Consumers who suspect that The Stark Agency has every right to collect the debt should repay or settle the debt before court. That way, they’ll avoid a judgment and move on from what is likely a stressful period.

Repaying the debt ensures you won’t encounter further issues with The Stark Agency. The Stark Agency will also report your debt as paid to credit reporting companies. But if you don’t have the funds to repay, debt settlement might be your best option.

Settle your debt with The Stark Collection Agency

Debt settlement is a great option if you can’t come up with the entire amount due before your court date. In a debt settlement, you pay a portion of the amount owed in exchange for a release from the remaining balance. Essentially, The Stark Agency accepts your partial payment and drops the case against you.

If debt settlement sounds like the right option, determine how much you can afford to pay and start communicating with The Stark Agency. The more you offer in a settlement, the more likely the company will accept it.

Generally, offering at least 60% of the debt’s total value is a good starting point. However, if you have extenuating circumstances, the company may entertain a lower amount. Keep in mind that you may go back and forth with The Stark Agency before you reach a deal.

Note: Even if you plan to settle your debt, it’s important to file an Answer in your case. This will block a default judgment and buy you time to negotiate debt settlement. Plus, many creditors and debt collectors are more likely to accept a settlement if they know you are willing and prepared to fight the case in court.

Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement? Watch the following video to learn more about how to settle a debt with The Stark Collection Agency:

SoloSettle, powered by SoloSuit, is a tech-based approach to debt settlement. Our software helps you send and receive settlement offers until you reach an agreement with the collector. Once an agreement is reached, we’ll help you manage the settlement documentation and transfer your payment to the creditor or debt collector, helping you keep your financial information private and secure.

Now, let’s take a look at an example of debt settlement with The Stark Agency.

Example: The Stark Agency sent several debt collection notices to Peter for an old credit card account with an outstanding balance of $1,500. Peter knows he owes the money but ignores the notices because he can’t pay the bill. Peter receives a Summons for the debt, which informs him that The Stark Agency is suing him for the amount due. He doesn’t have enough money to repay the debt in full, but he can pay 70% of the obligation before the court date. Before anything, Peter uses SoloSuit to respond to the case with a written Answer. Next, he contacts The Stark Agency through SoloSettle to negotiate a debt settlement. The Stark Agency accepts Peter’s offer, and after receiving Peter’s money, drops the lawsuit against him and reports the debt settled to the credit reporting agencies.

Don’t ignore a collections notice from The Stark Agency

While a debt collection notice from The Stark Agency isn’t something you look forward to receiving in the mail, ignoring it is not a good idea. Instead, request the company to validate your debt. If it can’t, you shouldn’t receive any more communications.

But if The Stark Agency decides to sue you, you’ll need to act quickly to avoid a judgment. Repaying or settling the debt before your court date will end the matter so that you can move on.

Need help settling a debt? Try SoloSettle, SoloSuit’s debt settlement service.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.

SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

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