Chase Receivables on Your Credit Report: What to Know

If Chase Receivables has appeared on your credit report, the first thing to confirm is that this company has no connection to JPMorgan Chase Bank. Chase Receivables is a separate debt collection agency founded in 1953 in Sonoma, California, originally under the name Credit Bureau of Napa County, Inc.

Chase Receivables does file lawsuits on valid in-statute debts, unlike many smaller agencies. A 2017 proposed class action alleged they sent a Verizon collection letter demanding an unauthorized $103.09 fee that was not yet legally owed.

This guide covers who they are, their documented complaint patterns, and how to respond.

Who Is Chase Receivables?

Chase Receivables is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 1953 as Credit Bureau of Napa County, Inc. and renamed in 1986. The company is headquartered in Sonoma, California and maintains offices in Hawthorne New York, Harahan Louisiana, Fairfield New Jersey, and Petaluma California.

Chase Receivables has been named in over 120 federal lawsuits, has accumulated over 100 BBB complaints, and received 39 CFPB complaints in a single year. They collect for healthcare, automotive, credit union, financial services, telecommunications, and utility clients.

The Name Confusion With Chase Bank

Multiple consumer attorney sources note that Chase Receivables shares a name with JPMorgan Chase Bank, and that consumers frequently answer calls from Chase Receivables believing they are hearing from their bank. The two companies have no relationship whatsoever.

If you receive a call from a number associated with Chase Receivables and the caller asks you to verify personal information before explaining why they are calling, do not provide it. A documented Ripoff Report describes a Chase Receivables voicemail that asked the consumer to acknowledge their identity before the message identified the company as a debt collector. Under the FDCPA, every collection communication must disclose the caller is a debt collector.

The 2017 Verizon Collection Fee Class Action

In 2017, a proposed class action was filed against Credit Bureau of Napa County, Inc., doing business as Chase Receivables, in New York federal court. The plaintiff alleged Chase Receivables sent her a collection letter on Verizon’s behalf that listed the principal balance plus a “Verizon Collection Fee” of $103.09.

The lawsuit alleged Chase Receivables had not yet charged Verizon any collection fee at the time the letter was sent and was not contractually permitted to charge a fee until it had collected a portion of the debt. The complaint argued the fee demand was illegal because the consumer did not yet legally owe it.

If you received a Chase Receivables letter that includes a collection fee or service charge on top of the principal balance, request the contractual and legal basis for that fee in writing before paying it.

The 2012 TCPA Robocall Case

In 2012, a Massachusetts consumer received automated calls from Chase Receivables about a Home Shopping Network debt. The consumer informed the representative on multiple occasions that he would not make a payment over the phone and specifically requested a written letter describing the debt.

Chase Receivables did not comply. They continued calling with automated systems for nearly a year before the matter settled. Continuing automated calls after a consumer requests written communication and refuses phone payment is both an FDCPA and TCPA violation.

If Chase Receivables is calling your cell phone with automated or prerecorded messages, document every call with date, time, and whether it was automated. A pattern of robocalls after a cease request is worth $500 to $1,500 per call under the TCPA.

Calling Family Members and Third Parties

A documented complaint pattern describes Chase Receivables contacting family members, friends, and coworkers about consumer debts. Disclosing debt information to third parties is a specific FDCPA violation regardless of who the third party is.

If Chase Receivables has called a family member or coworker and disclosed that you owe a debt, document the call and file a CFPB complaint immediately.

Chase Receivables Does File Lawsuits

Chase Receivables does pursue legal action. If you receive a summons from Chase Receivables, respond before your state’s deadline. Failing to respond results in a default judgment allowing wage garnishment and bank levies.

California, where Chase Receivables is headquartered, has a 4-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state for any lawsuit is where you currently reside.

What Chase Receivables Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to Chase Receivables. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Demand collection fees not yet legally owed: The basis of the 2017 Verizon class action.
• Continue robocalling after a consumer requests written communication: The basis of the 2012 TCPA case.
• Request personal information before identifying as a debt collector: A documented Ripoff Report complaint.
• Disclose debt information to family members or coworkers: A documented complaint pattern.
• Call outside permitted hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.
• Call more than 7 times within 7 days on the same debt: Regulation F limit.

File complaints at consumerfinance.gov. California residents can also file with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

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 account number, the balance at referral, and an itemized breakdown of any fees included in the claimed balance.

For Verizon accounts specifically, compare the claimed balance against your final Verizon statement. Any collection fee added on top of the principal balance requires a documented contractual basis before you are obligated to pay it.

How to Check Your Credit Report for Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the original creditor identified? Is the balance consistent with what the original creditor shows? Does the balance include any unauthorized fees?

Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

How Long Can Chase Receivables Legally Pursue the Debt?

California has a 4-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state is typically where you currently reside. Check your state’s specific limit before engaging on any older account.

Your Options for Resolving a Chase Receivables Account

Once you have verified the debt:

• Challenge any collection fees: Request the contractual basis for any fee beyond the principal balance before paying.
• Respond to any lawsuit immediately: Chase Receivables does litigate. Your state’s response window may be as short as 14 to 20 days.
• Document all automated calls: TCPA violations on cell phones are $500 to $1,500 per unauthorized call.
• Dispute if inaccurate: If the balance includes unauthorized fees or the original creditor is wrong, dispute with the credit bureaus.

How to Contact Chase Receivables

Handle all communication in writing:

• Headquarters: Chase Receivables, 1247 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476
• Mailing address: PO Box 659, West Caldwell, NJ 07004
• Phone: (866) 855-3970

Bottom Line

Chase Receivables is not affiliated with JPMorgan Chase Bank despite the shared name. They do file lawsuits and have a documented 2017 class action for demanding unauthorized collection fees in Verizon letters.

Challenge any collection fee beyond the principal balance before paying. Document all automated calls for TCPA claims. Respond to any summons before your state’s deadline.