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Stop the Calls from Covington Credit

George Simons | December 05, 2023

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

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.

If Covington Credit is calling you, here's how to make it stop.

First, we're sorry you're going through. Nobody likes being a victim of debt collection. Especially if they're playing dirty by threatening you, calling late, or saying they'll have you arrested.

Here's a few strategies you can use against them.

  • Send them a debt validation letter.
  • Sue them for an FDCPA violation.
  • File a complaint against them with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Send a Debt Validation Letter to Covington Credit

A debt validation letter is your secret weapon. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act allows you to request the validation of a debt: it says you can make Covington Credit prove you owe the debt.

Here are the basic steps.

  1. Write a letter to Covington Credit.
  2. In it, tell them they need to prove that you actually owe the debt under the FDCPA.
  3. Tell them they can't contact you anymore until they prove you owe it.
  4. Send them the letter. Keep a copy for your records.

You can use one of these sample debt validation letters approved by the CFPB. Each of these letters have a slightly different message to the collector.

Choose one of these free templates, download it, edit it with Word or another word processor, and send it out.

For more details, here is the section of the FDCPA that supports the use of debt validation letters.

§ 809. Validation of debts

(a) Notice of debt; contents

Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing --

(1) the amount of the debt;

(2) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed;

(3) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector;

(4) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and

(5) a statement that, upon the consumer's written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.

(b) Disputed debts

If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) of this section that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector. Collection activities and communications that do not otherwise violate this subchapter may continue during the 30-day period referred to in subsection (a) unless the consumer has notified the debt collector in writing that the debt, or any portion of the debt, is disputed or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor. Any collection activities and communication during the 30-day period may not overshadow or be inconsistent with the disclosure of the consumer's right to dispute the debt or request the name and address of the original creditor.

(c) Admission of liability

The failure of a consumer to dispute the validity of a debt under this section may not be construed by any court as an admission of liability by the consumer.

(d) Legal pleadings

A communication in the form of a formal pleading in a civil action shall not be treated as an initial communication for purposes of subsection (a).

Sue Covington Credit for FDCPA violations.

If Covington Credit violates the FDCPA you can sue them for $1000. Isn't that cool? Instead of you paying them money, now they're paying you money.

Starting an FDCPA lawsuit isn't a super standardized process. That means you need to find an attorney. We can connect you to an attorney that specializes in this. Just email us here or call us at 480.297.1210.

To find a court in your state and to look into their rules on FDCPA lawsuits use this link.

File an FDCPA Complaint against Covington Credit with the CFPB.

If Covington Credit is acting shady, you can file a complaint against them with the CFPB.

The CFPB is a government agency that protects consumers against “unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and take action against companies that break the law.” The CFPB deals with thousands of debt collection complaints a month. They are in your corner, so use them.

File a complaint with the CFPB against Covington Credit here.

They usually hear back from companies in about 15 days, and 97% of consumers hear back in a timely manner.

Common FDCPA Violations Covington Credit May Commit

Wondering if Covington Credit broke some laws under the FDCPA? Here's the breakdown of violations Covington Credit may commit.

Debt collectors must do these things

First, here's the shortlist of things that debt collectors MUST do when they contact you:

  • Tell you they are attempting to collect a debt
  • Tell you that any information you tell them will be used for the purpose of collecting your debt; and
  • Tell you their name, as well as the name of the agency they work for

Now let's look at the don'ts. This list is a little more intensive than the last. There are rules, exceptions, and exceptions to those exceptions, so buckle up.

Collectors must not do these things

A list of things that debt collectors MUST NOT do when they try to collect your debt:

  • Contact you at an unusual or inconvenient time or place, generally before 8:00AM or after 9:00PM without your permission.
  • Call you at work if they know that your boss does not allow debt collection calls at work.
  • Contact third-parties about your debt. In other words, they cannot call someone other than you about your debt.
  • Threaten to use violence, or to harm you or another person's reputation
  • Use obscene, profane, or abusive language
  • Publish your name as someone who doesn't pay bills
  • List your debt for sale to the public
  • Call repeatedly
  • Claim to be a law enforcement agency
  • Lie about the amount you owe
  • Claim to be an attorney
  • Threaten to do things that they don't actually intend to do
  • Use a fake business name
  • Add fees and interest that weren't allowed by the original agreement

In regards to not contacting third parties about your debt, there are some exceptions, and this is where the fun begins. Debt collectors can contact:

  • Your attorney, if you have one. In fact, they must contact your attorney if they know you have one.
  • A credit reporting agency
  • The original creditor
  • And unless you've asked them to stop contacting you, they may contact co-debtors, your parents (if you're a minor), and your spouse

However, if they are trying to find you, they actually can contact third-parties, but they can't

  • Tell someone who their employer is, unless asked
  • Say that you owe a debt; or
  • Contact the third-party more than once, unless they are asked to do so by the person, or they think the person gave them incorrect information when the person had the correct information

Finally, they cannot send postcards or other insecure means of communication. The purpose of this rule is to make it so that someone who simply sees your mail won't know about your debt.

If Covington Credit breaks any of these rules you sue them or file a complaint against them.

About Covington Credit

Unsurprisingly, Covington Credit has 1 star on the BBB. And it's had 94 complaints logged against in the last 3 years. It's a debt collection company headquartered in Georgia with branches in Alabama, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. It started back in 1994 and has hundreds of employees. The CEO is Robert F. Bloom.

In short, it is a debt buyer. It buys debts for pennies on the dollar and then pursues them.

Phone Numbers for Covington Credit

Here are some phone numbers Covington Credit is known to call from.

  • 1-866-413-1836
  • 1-404-297-0282
  • 1-706-660-8869
  • 1-770-787-5320
  • 1-706-884-4540
  • 1-731-599-0180

Most of the time, however, it will probably show up as “Private Number” or “No Caller ID”.

How to respond to a debt collection lawsuit from Covington Credit.

If you're actually being sued for a debt by Covington Credit, we have an article about what to do here.

Most of this article is about what to do if you are simply getting calls from Covington Credit. Actually getting sued by them is much worse. Depending on your state, you only have 20-30 days to respond before you automatically lose your case. Go here to find your deadline.

The Verdict

So, in short, here's the review on how to stop calls from Covington Credit.

  • Send a debt validation letter, requiring them to prove you owe the debt
  • Sue them for violating the FDCPA; you could get $1000!
  • File a complaint against them with the CFPB; it's speedy.

Good Luck!

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