Frequently Asked Questions For Consumers

While payment in full would prevent any further collection activity and possibly save additional fees and or interest (if applicable), our office understands that payment in full may not be an option at this time. Our Account Representatives will work with you on a realistic payment arrangement to resolve the balance as efficiently as possible.  Payments can be mailed or dropped off in person or set up on an automatic debt of either a credit/debit card or ACH (checking account). We can even set up a re-occurring payment plan to process your payments weekly, biweekly or monthly.  A voluntary wage assignment may also be set up through your employer to withhold payments from your paycheck and send them directly to our office.

Once an account has been referred to collections, it would be best to work with the collection agency directly.  Some creditors choose not to accept payments from consumers who have been referred to collections. If the original creditor does accept payment, but doesn’t notify the collection agency right away, it’s possible collection activities would continue.

Unfortunately, there are scams out there using debt collections as a way to coerce money out of people.  The most common method we have seen is in the form of emails threatening criminal charges or jail if payment is not made.  A legitimate collection agency should provide you with validation of the debt if you ask for it.  If they refuse to provide validation or provide a mailing address, they may be a scam.  Contact the Better Business Bureau for information on the company or your State’s Attorney General to see if they are aware of any issues with company in question.

If you receive notification of a debt from Express Collections, Inc. that you don’t agree with, or don’t think the amount is correct, please contact our office by phone or send a letter in writing explaining your position and what part of the debt you don’t agree with and why.  Correspondence can be sent to our mailing address at: PO BOX 9307, Rapid City, SD 57709 or through our website at: www.paymyaccount.net and click on “dispute your account”.  You may contact our office by phone at 605-343-1311. Our office will contact the original creditor or attempt to obtain documentation to help resolve your dispute.

Payments can be made in person at our office located at 818 Saint Joseph St, Ste 200, Rapid City, SD 57701.  You can mail a check, cashier’s check, or money order to: PO BOX 9307, Rapid City, SD 57709.  You can contact our office by phone at 605-343-1311 and set up a payment over the phone with an Account Representative with your credit card or checking account.  You can also go online at www.paymyaccount.net and set up a single or reoccurring payment online with your credit card or checking account.

The FDCPA stands for the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  The purpose of this law is to prevent debt collectors from being abusive, threatening or misleading and ensure consumer’s information is kept private.  The FDCPA covers who a debt collector can communicate a debt with. It puts restrictions on how a debt collector can communicate or provide information to you such as time frames in which phone calls can be made.  It protects consumers against unfair practices such as depositing a post-dated check prior to the date on the check, threatening criminal prosecution, or collecting fees or other money not allowed by contract or state law.

Express Collections, Inc. does have the ability to report accounts to the credit bureaus.  Not all creditors request their accounts to be reported. You would need to check your own credit report to see if the past due account is affecting you.  You can visit www.annualcreditreport.com to obtain your credit report to see if the account has been reported.  Collection accounts affect everyone differently based on their credit history and circumstances specific to each person individually; making it difficult for our office to say how an account placed for collections would affect any one person’s credit.  Please contact either the credit bureau directly or your financial advisor for more help.

If you feel you have been a victim of identity theft, contact your local law enforcement.  If the account has been placed for collections, provide a copy of your identity theft report to our office.  We will contact the original creditor to research the account and to see if there are any other steps that need to be taken.  If the account has not been referred to collections, contact the creditor right away and inquire what process they have for reporting identity theft.  Provide them with a copy of the identity theft report made with law enforcement.