If Carter-Young has appeared on your credit report or is calling you, the debt most likely traces to an apartment lease, student housing balance, military housing account, or healthcare bill. Carter-Young is a Conyers, Georgia agency founded in 2001 that has built a specific specialty in multi-family, student, and military housing collections alongside healthcare and utility debt.
Multiple consumer attorney sources confirm Carter-Young is not known for filing lawsuits against consumers. This guide covers who they are, what their complaint record shows, and how to respond.
Who Is Carter-Young?
Carter-Young, Inc., formerly known as Collectron of Atlanta, Inc., is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 2001 in Conyers, Georgia. The company is BBB-accredited since 2015 and has accumulated over 100 BBB complaints in the past three years and approximately 250 CFPB complaints. Carter-Young collects on behalf of original creditors and does not purchase debt outright.
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Who Is Carter-Young?
Carter-Young, Inc., formerly known as Collectron of Atlanta, Inc., is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 2001 in Conyers, Georgia. The company is BBB-accredited since 2015 and has accumulated over 100 BBB complaints in the past three years and approximately 250 CFPB complaints. Carter-Young collects on behalf of original creditors and does not purchase debt outright.
Why Carter-Young Is on Your Credit Report
Carter-Young serves clients across a specific and identifiable set of industries:
- Multi-family housing: Apartment complexes with unpaid rent, early lease termination fees, and damage charges.
- Student housing: On-campus and off-campus student housing providers.
- Military housing: Base housing managers and privatized military housing operators.
- Healthcare providers: Hospitals and clinic balances.
- Financial services: Banking and lending accounts.
- Utilities: Regional utility providers, including Hargray telecom.
- Telecommunications: Phone and cable service balances.
The housing focus is Carter-Young’s most distinctive characteristic. If you have ever broken a lease, vacated military housing with an outstanding balance, or left student housing owing fees, Carter-Young is a likely collector on that account.
The Military Housing Connection
Active duty servicemembers who move between installations frequently encounter housing-related collection accounts. Privatized military housing on installations across the country generates lease-end balances that can end up with specialized collectors like Carter-Young.
If you are an active duty servicemember or a recently separated veteran and Carter-Young is pursuing a military housing balance, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) may provide protections. The SCRA allows active duty members to terminate certain housing leases early without penalty under specific conditions. If the balance traces to an SCRA-protected early termination, contact a JAG attorney at your installation immediately.
The Documentation Problem
A documented 2025 BBB complaint describes a consumer who sent multiple certified debt validation and dispute letters to Carter-Young requesting a full chain of assignment, the original signed agreement, and itemized billing statements. Carter-Young’s responses were described as “generic form letters that do not meet FDCPA 809(b) requirements.” Despite failing to produce adequate documentation, Carter-Young continued reporting the account to Experian.
Debt collectors must provide meaningful validation when requested, not generic acknowledgments. If Carter-Young sends you a form letter that doesn’t include the original creditor’s name, account number, and verification of the balance, that response may be legally inadequate. Document every request and response by certified mail.
Collecting on Already-Paid Debt
A documented complaint describes a consumer who paid a medical bill directly to the doctor’s office in March 2019. Carter-Young continued reporting the account as an open collection. Carter-Young eventually agreed to report the item as deleted as a “gesture of goodwill.”
If you have proof of payment to the original creditor and Carter-Young is still reporting the account, send your payment documentation to Carter-Young by certified mail and dispute the entry with each credit bureau simultaneously.
What Carter-Young Cannot Do Under Federal Law
The FDCPA applies to Carter-Young. Under federal law, they cannot:
- Continue reporting after documented proof of payment: A complaint pattern with Carter-Young.
- Send inadequate validation responses: Generic letters that don’t meet FDCPA 809(b) are not valid.
- Call family members about your debt: Documented consumer complaint.
- Call at your workplace after you say stop: Written cease-contact requests must be honored.
- Threaten arrest or jail: Consumer debt is not a criminal matter.
- Call at odd hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.
File complaints at consumerfinance.gov. Georgia residents can also file with the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division. The Georgia Attorney General’s office has received and acted on Carter-Young complaints.
Verify the Debt Before Paying Anything
Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Ask for the original creditor, the amount at referral, the original signed agreement or lease, and an itemized breakdown of all charges. For housing-related debts, specifically ask for the move-out inspection report and a ledger of any charges applied after your departure.
How to Check Your Credit Report for Carter-Young Errors
Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the balance correct? Is it listed under the right original creditor? If the debt was paid directly to the original creditor, is it still showing as open? Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.
How Long Can Carter-Young Legally Pursue the Debt?
Georgia has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts and open accounts. If you no longer live in Georgia, the relevant state is typically where you currently reside. Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing can reset the clock.
The Lawsuit Risk With Carter-Young
Multiple consumer attorney sources confirm Carter-Young is not known for filing lawsuits against consumers. Their threats of legal action, if made, may themselves be FDCPA violations. If Carter-Young has specifically threatened to sue you or garnish wages, document the threat and file a complaint immediately.
Your Options for Resolving a Carter-Young Account
Once you have verified the debt, consider your options:
- Go to the original creditor: For housing-related debts, contacting the property manager or housing authority directly sometimes produces faster resolution.
- Request a goodwill deletion: Carter-Young has agreed to goodwill deletions on paid accounts in documented cases. Ask in writing.
- Negotiate a settlement: Carter-Young may accept reduced amounts. Get any agreement in writing before paying.
- Dispute if inaccurate: If the debt was already paid or the documentation is inadequate, dispute with the credit bureaus and the Georgia AG.
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How to Contact Carter-Young
Handle all communication in writing whenever possible:
- Address: Carter-Young, Inc., 882 N Main St NW, Suite 120, Conyers, GA 30012
- Mailing address: PO Box 1046, Monroe, GA 30655
- Phone: (888) 995-4242
Bottom Line
Carter-Young is a housing-specialty collector with documented patterns of inadequate validation responses and continuing to report paid debts. Their goodwill deletion precedent and confirmed non-litigation posture give consumers real options.
Servicemembers with military housing balances should verify SCRA protections apply before paying. All consumers should demand adequate written validation before engaging further.
Brooke Banks is a personal finance writer specializing in credit, debt, and smart money management. She helps readers understand their rights, build better credit, and make confident financial decisions with clear, practical advice.