If MARS Collection Agency has appeared on your credit report, the company’s full legal name is Metropolitan Accounts Receivable Specialists, Inc. MARS is the acronym. Their own website declares: “we consider landlord/tenant lease defaults to be our specialty.”
Multiple consumer attorney sources confirm MARS is not known for filing lawsuits against consumers. This guide covers who MARS is, their documented patterns, and how to respond.
Who Is MARS Collection Agency?
Metropolitan Accounts Receivable Specialists, Inc. (MARS) is a third-party debt collection agency established in 1976 and headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They started as a medical billing company and expanded into apartment collections, commercial debt, government accounts, telecommunications, retail, and insurance subrogation.
MARS describes themselves specifically as a Tulsa-regional agency that assigns more labor per account than larger national firms. Their client base is concentrated in the Tulsa metro area and surrounding Oklahoma markets.
They have accumulated very low complaint volume: 2 CFPB complaints and 15 BBB complaints historically.
Not sure where to start with your credit?
Answer a few simple questions and get a free step-by-step plan to rebuild your credit.
MARS Declared Apartment Specialty
MARS’s own website states clearly: “Presently, Mars Collection Agency does a significant amount of apartment collections, and we consider landlord/tenant lease defaults to be our specialty.”
This is the most common source of a MARS account. If you previously rented an apartment in the Tulsa area and left a balance, MARS is the most likely collector your landlord would use.
If MARS appears on your credit report and you have no rental history in Oklahoma or the surrounding region, investigate immediately for identity errors or skip tracing mistakes.
Withholding Payment Receipts Until Full Payment
A documented Wallethub consumer complaint describes a consumer who attempted to make partial payments toward a balance with MARS. MARS told the consumer they would not provide payment receipts until the entire balance was paid in full. The consumer quoted MARS’s stated reason: too many consumers had made small payments, received proof of payment, and then stopped paying.
Withholding receipts for payments received is not a legally recognized collection practice. If you make any payment to MARS, whether partial or full, you are entitled to written confirmation of that payment. Request a payment confirmation letter by certified mail after every payment.
If MARS refuses to provide receipts, document that refusal and file a CFPB complaint. A receipt establishes your payment record in any subsequent dispute.
Reporting Paid Debt as Unpaid
A documented Wallethub review describes a consumer who paid their apartment balance directly to the apartment complex and provided proof of payment. MARS continued reporting the debt as unpaid and continued calling the consumer’s workplace daily.
If MARS is pursuing a debt you have already paid to the original landlord or property manager, send proof of payment to MARS by certified mail with return receipt. If MARS continues reporting after receiving payment proof, file a CFPB complaint and dispute the credit report entry with each bureau simultaneously.
Calling the Workplace After Paid Proof Provided
The same documented Wallethub review describes MARS calling the consumer’s workplace every day after proof of direct payment to the apartment complex had been provided.
Under the FDCPA, a collector must stop all collection activity once they receive documentation proving the debt was paid. Continuing workplace calls after receiving payment proof is a specific FDCPA violation. Document every call with date and time.
Income Share Agreement Debt
A documented consumer case describes a Holberton School coding bootcamp student who dropped out after the school failed to provide promised career opportunities. The school’s Income Share Agreement (ISA) debt of approximately $37,500 was sold to MARS for collection.
ISA debt is a relatively new category with specific legal questions around enforceability. If MARS is pursuing an ISA debt from an educational program, consult a consumer protection attorney familiar with ISA agreements before paying. The enforceability of the specific ISA terms, particularly if the school made promises that were not fulfilled, may be relevant to your obligation.
What MARS Cannot Do Under Federal Law
The FDCPA applies to MARS Collection Agency. Under federal law, they cannot:
- Withhold payment receipts for payments received: A documented Wallethub complaint.
- Continue reporting and collecting on debts already paid to the original creditor: A documented Wallethub review.
- Call at workplaces after being told the employer prohibits it: A documented Wallethub review.
- Threaten legal action they do not intend to take: America’s Consumer Lawyer confirms MARS does not sue consumers.
- 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. Oklahoma residents can also file with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit.
Verify Before Paying Anything
Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Ask for the original creditor or property manager, the property address, an itemized breakdown of all charges, and the original date of delinquency.
Compare the itemized charges against your lease agreement. Any charge not authorized by the lease requires a specific contractual basis before you are obligated to pay.
How to Check Your Credit Report for MARS Errors
Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the original landlord or creditor identified? Is the service address one you actually occupied? Is the balance consistent with your lease or account terms?
Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.
How Long Can MARS Legally Pursue the Debt?
Oklahoma has a 5-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state is typically where you currently reside.
Your Options for Resolving a MARS Account
Once you have verified the debt:
- Go to the original landlord first: If you paid the apartment complex directly, send that proof to MARS immediately.
- Request receipts for every payment: Document every payment with written confirmation regardless of MARS’s stated policy.
- Consult an attorney for ISA debt: Income share agreement enforceability is a specific legal question worth professional review before paying.
- Dispute if inaccurate: If the debt was already paid or charges exceed lease terms, dispute with the credit bureaus.
Ready to take action on your credit?
Get your personalized plan in 30 seconds. Free, no credit check.
How to Contact MARS Collection Agency
Handle all communication in writing:
- Address: Metropolitan Accounts Receivable Specialists, Inc., 10830 E 45th St, Suite 400, Tulsa, OK 74146
- Phone: (918) 748-8444
Bottom Line
MARS Collection Agency’s full name is Metropolitan Accounts Receivable Specialists. They specialize in Tulsa-area apartment collections and are not known for filing lawsuits against consumers.
Their most documented patterns are refusing payment receipts until balance paid in full and continuing to collect on debts already paid to the original landlord. Get written confirmation of every payment and send proof of direct payment to the original creditor immediately.
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.