Is Focus Receivables Management Hurting Your Credit?

If Focus Receivables Management has appeared on your credit report, the company now operates under the name Sequium Asset Solutions, LLC. Both names belong to the same Marietta, Georgia telecom debt collection agency. Credit report entries may show either name, or variations including “Focus Receivables Mana,” “Focus Mgmt,” or “Sequium Asset Souluti.”

Two documented cases are worth knowing. A consumer won $3,200 after Focus Receivables threatened to sue on a 9-year-old time-barred debt. Another won $1,000 after Focus Receivables called their employer about the debt. This guide covers who they are, their documented complaint patterns, and how to respond.

Who Is Focus Receivables Management?

Focus Receivables Management, LLC was founded in 2001 in Marietta, Georgia by four co-founders including current CEO Greg Schubert. The company is a subsidiary of Focus Holding Company and operates as both a third-party collector and a debt buyer.

The company has rebranded and now does business as Sequium Asset Solutions, LLC. Both names may appear on credit reports and in collection correspondence.

Focus Receivables and Sequium have been named in 280+ federal lawsuits, with documented cases spanning FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA violations.

The Dual Name Problem

Focus Receivables Management and Sequium Asset Solutions are the same company. If you search for complaint history under one name and find limited results, search the other. BBB complaint records still list accounts under Focus Receivables Management while newer complaints reference Sequium. CFPB complaints appear under both names.

Any rights you have under the FDCPA apply equally whether the company contacts you as Focus Receivables Management or as Sequium Asset Solutions.

Why They Are on Your Credit Report

Focus Receivables and Sequium are primarily telecom debt specialists. Their confirmed client base includes:

• AT&T: Wireless, internet, and landline service balances.
• DirecTV: Satellite service, equipment, and early termination fees.
• Comcast: Cable, internet, and equipment charges.
• Financial institutions: Credit card and consumer loan balances.
• Auto lenders: Vehicle financing deficiencies.
• Student loan servicers: Private student loan balances.
• Healthcare providers: Medical billing accounts.

Telecom billing disputes, early termination fees, and equipment charges that went unresolved before transfer are the most common sources of Focus Receivables and Sequium accounts.

Threatening to Sue on Time-Barred Debt

A documented consumer case describes Focus Receivables threatening to file a lawsuit over a 9-year-old debt. The consumer retained a consumer protection attorney, established that the debt was past the statute of limitations, and was awarded $3,200 in damages plus attorney fees.

Threatening legal action on a time-barred debt is a misrepresentation under the FDCPA. If Focus Receivables or Sequium threatens to sue you, ask for the original date of delinquency and check your state’s statute of limitations before responding. Georgia has a 6-year statute of limitations, and many states where the underlying telecom accounts originated have 3 to 6 year limits.

Reporting to Credit Bureaus to Coerce Payment

A documented federal case alleges Focus Receivables Management illegally reported information to credit bureaus as a coercive tactic rather than as legitimate credit reporting. Reporting a debt to a credit bureau for the purpose of pressuring payment rather than for accuracy is a violation of the FCRA’s permissible purposes requirement.

The DirecTV-related federal case also involves a consumer who sued Focus Receivables for threatening to report a fraudulent $250 DirecTV debt to credit bureaus that the consumer did not owe.

The 2024 Sequium Illinois Class Action

A class action was filed in Cook County Circuit Court in January 2024 alleging that Sequium Asset Solutions violated the FDCPA and Illinois Collection Agency Act (ICAA) by failing to provide Illinois consumers with required written notice of their debt validation rights. The case was voluntarily dismissed after the parties reached an agreement. If you are an Illinois resident who received a Sequium letter without clear validation rights notice, consult a consumer protection attorney.

The Employer Contact Case

A documented consumer complaint describes Focus Receivables calling the consumer’s employer and disclosing the debt, leading to humiliation and fear of job loss. The consumer’s attorney filed an FDCPA lawsuit for illegal third-party disclosures, and the consumer recovered $1,000 in damages plus attorney fees.

Disclosing debt information to employers is a specific FDCPA violation. If Focus Receivables or Sequium has contacted your employer about your debt, document the contact and consult a consumer protection attorney immediately.

The Robocall Wrong-Number Pattern

Multiple documented BBB complaints describe Focus Receivables robocalling phone numbers multiple times per day for months despite being told they have the wrong person. In several cases the company failed to respond to the BBB complaint entirely. If you receive repeated robocalls from Focus Receivables or Sequium and do not recognize the debt, document each call with date, time, and number.

What Focus Receivables Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to Focus Receivables Management and Sequium Asset Solutions. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Threaten to sue on time-barred debts: A consumer won $3,200 in damages for this violation.
• Report to credit bureaus to coerce payment rather than for accuracy: Subject of a documented federal case.
• Disclose debt information to employers: A consumer won $1,000 for this violation.
• Fail to provide required debt validation notices: Subject of the 2024 Illinois class action.
• Continue robocalling wrong numbers without consent: A documented complaint pattern.
• Call outside permitted 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.

Verify the Debt Before Paying Anything

Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Address it using whichever name they used when contacting you. Ask for the original creditor, the account number, the original date of delinquency, the balance at referral, and the complete chain of ownership if they purchased the debt.

Check the original delinquency date against your state’s statute of limitations before engaging on any account Focus Receivables or Sequium is pursuing.

How to Check Your Credit Report for Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Search under Focus Receivables Management, Focus Mgmt, Sequium, and Sequium Asset Solutions. Is the balance correct? Is the original creditor accurately identified? Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

How Long Can They Legally Pursue the Debt?

Georgia has a 6-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state for lawsuit purposes is typically where you currently reside.

Your Options for Resolving a Focus Receivables Account

Once you have verified the debt and statute of limitations status, consider your options:

• Check the statute of limitations first: Given the documented case of threats on a 9-year-old debt, this is the most critical first step.
• Verify with the original telecom provider: Confirm the balance with AT&T, DirecTV, or Comcast before paying.
• Negotiate a settlement: Get any agreement in writing before paying.
• Dispute if inaccurate: If the debt is not yours, was already paid, or is past the statute of limitations, dispute with the credit bureaus.

How to Contact Focus Receivables Management / Sequium

Handle all communication in writing using whichever name they used in correspondence:

• Address: Focus Receivables Management / Sequium Asset Solutions, 1130 Northchase Pkwy SE, Suite 150, Marietta, GA 30067
• Phone: (877) 362-8766

Bottom Line

Focus Receivables Management now operates as Sequium Asset Solutions. Their documented violations include threatening to sue on a 9-year-old time-barred debt, calling consumers’ employers, and robocalling wrong numbers for months without stopping.

Check the statute of limitations before engaging, verify the telecom balance with the original provider, and document any threats about old debts or employer contact for potential FDCPA claims.