If you have Midland Credit Management, Inc. (MCM) aka Midland Funding, LLC (both subsidiaries of Encore Capital Group, Inc.) on your credit report, it could be hurting your credit score.
This may affect your ability to get credit in the future, such as an auto loan, credit card, or mortgage. You know this, but what you may not know is that MCM is notorious for using improper practices that violate protections set aside by the FDCPA.
Midland Credit Management is a collection agency based in San Diego, California. They are known for trying to collect unverified debts and communicating with consumers inappropriately; including threats and misrepresentation.
They may appear on your credit report as any of the following entries:
- mcm credit
- mcm midland credit management
- midland collections
- midland credit
- midland credit mgmt inc
- midland fund
- midland funding
- midland management
Find out more of the shady practices they’re doing that they shouldn’t be. Then, read a real-life example of how to get Midland Credit Management off your back and the negative marks legally and permanently removed from your credit reports.
4 Ways to Remove Midland Credit Management from Your Credit Report
When you have a negative entry listed on your credit report from MCM, there are a few different ways you can deal with it. Try these four tips for removal.
Step 1: Communicate Only in Writing
Midland Credit Management is known for its quasi-unethical debt collection practices. That includes breaking promises made over the phone to consumers. They do this because it’s difficult for you to prove what was said during your conversation. To avoid this, tell MCM that you only want to communicate via written communication.
You have the right to do this under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and you’ll want to send your request in writing as quickly as possible. They should start sending everything in the mail, otherwise, you can report them for unfair debt collection practices.
Step 2: Get Your Debt Validated
Next, send a debt validation letter. This is a formal request that can be made within 30 days of first hearing from MCM. It’s their responsibility to prove that the debt is yours and that all of the account details are accurate.
Because MCM buys debt from other companies, it’s quite possible that their records are inaccurate or incomplete. If they do send you some proof of the debt, make sure all the details are accurate. For example, if any dates are wrong or previous payments aren’t listed, then you can ask them to remove the incorrect entry from your credit report.
Step 3: Settle for Removal
If Midland Credit Management does happen to validate your debt, you have the option to settle the amount you owe. This means you can pay less than what you owe in exchange for having the debt settled and removed from your credit report.
It’s very important that you get the deal in writing, though. Otherwise, you risk the collection agency going back on their word. Once you have a written agreement on how you want the settlement handled, you can make your payment.
Step 4: Get Help from the Pros
Negotiating with a debt collector and the credit bureaus can be a tricky, time-consuming process. Avoid the headaches and potentially missing key details in an agreement by outsourcing the work to a professional credit repair firm.
They have the expertise of debt collection law to know exactly what Midland can and can’t do. They also know how to navigate the system to maximize your personal benefits and get those negative items removed. Plus, it can save you a ton of time and often yield better results than if you went at it alone.
How do they try to collect debts?
1) Letters Sent to an Incorrect Address
Midland has been known to have the wrong address or the incorrect apartment number on file (it’s true, and it’s horrible when it happens).
Imagine your neighbor getting his hands on a collection letter intended for you. It’s happened to many people and has ruined lives.
Debtors working with Midland Credit Management have also had numerous problems with their debt validation letter being sent to the wrong address. But not just any address. Midland Credit Management has often sent its responses for validation to the debtor’s parents’ residence.
2) Threatening Written Correspondence
It is common for a debt collector to send letters that threaten action against you unless you make payment, and MCM is no different. It’s what they do, after all.
However, many people have received a collection letter asking for payment on an account that was actually opened by someone else, and when these individuals called, their problems only got worse.
Many people have reported that the collection agent with whom they spoke was uncooperative and refused to help resolve any errors. The agent apparently thought that the people were just doing the ‘you’ve got the wrong guy!’ schtick.
To their credit, they deal with people who falsely claim this all day long, but for the honest Joes and Janes out there, being treated this way is like being kicked when already down.
3) Submitting Court Papers to the Judgment Court
You may have a judgment on your credit report that was put there by MCM for a past due debt, but what do you do if the debt isn’t yours?
Or, likewise, what if they’re trying to collect a debt you already paid? In some cases, the consumer never receives a statement from the original creditor because he or she, in many cases, already paid the debt through a website.
If you didn’t receive written notification from Midland Credit Mgmt Inc. before they filed the judgment papers with the court, you may be able to seek redress under the law.
This is an example where having a law firm on your side is a great asset. After all, you still have rights, and when laws are broken against you they can set things right. We’ll have more on that coming up.
4) Telephone Harassment
Midland Credit Management is aggressive when it comes to retrieving debts. They’ve been known to repeatedly call debtors for payment at improper times of the day. However, if they’ve tried to call you late at night or early in the morning, you have recourse under the law. Sometimes they continue to call even if the debt has been paid.
Computers don’t sync up, and it’s not in the collection agent’s best interest to believe you because your name is on his computer. His job is to get money from people whose names appear on his screen.
Oftentimes people are afraid of a lawsuit or damage to their credit score and will just pay again to make the calls stop. Don’t be one of these people. Know your rights. Many of the accounts they try to collect on are passed the statutes of limitations for litigation. That means they can not sue you because the debt is old.
What are my legal rights during debt collection?
There are limits to what debt collectors can and cannot do. Just because you owe money doesn’t mean you cease to have any rights. Your rights, according to the FDCPA, are:
- They may not collect more money than you owe.
- They may not call you repeatedly all day long, early in the morning, or late at night.
- They may not speak intimidatingly or abusively.
- They may not inform other people of your debt if you are over 18 (with the exception of your spouse if you’re married).
- They may not ignore your debt validation request.
Recognize any laws that have been broken?
Midland Credit Management Contact Information
Address:
350 Camino De La Reina #100
San Diego, CA 92108
Phone number: (858)-309-6970, (800) 825-8131, (858)-309-6970 or (858)-560-2600
Website: https://www.midlandcredit.com
Real Life Success Story
To get an idea of how you can get collections permanently removed from your credit history, check out this story from one of our readers. Below is a scanned image of the actual letter he received from TransUnion after working with Lexington Law.
Not only did he get collections account deleted from Midland Credit Management, he also got two more removed: one from CBCS and one from Allied Interstate.
It started off when he hit some rough economic times in his life. He became unemployed after his employer tanked, and you guessed it — he couldn’t keep up with his bills without a steady income.
He started charging basic living expenses on his credit card. When he wasn’t able to make any payments, his credit cards were sent to collections.
Life then became an endless stream of phone calls from debt collectors. Not knowing what else to do, he decided to file for bankruptcy.
This helped with the debt collectors calling non-stop, but his credit score was completely shot. Not only that, but he also had the bankruptcy and all of his collections and late payments stuck on his report for the foreseeable future.
How to Get Midland Credit Management Removed from You Credit Report
For years after his bankruptcy, our reader was denied home loans and auto loans because of poor credit. After receiving multiple rejections, he finally confided in a friend, who told him about Lexington Law. The friend didn’t just mention it in a casual aside, he ranted and raved about how awesome they were.
This was a close friend whose life story was very similar to our readers, so he decided to set his skepticism aside. Thankfully his friend insisted and showed him actual physical documents that proved what he was saying. After reading through them, he knew right then that he had to give them a try. Our reader went home and got online.
Signing Up
He called (800)220-0084 and spoke to a credit professional who was friendly, understanding, and beyond knowledgeable. He signed up, and after approximately three weeks, he began to receive letters from credit bureaus stating that negative accounts had been removed from his credit reports!
Even better is that he stopped receiving aggressive phone calls from collectors. Not only did he have a brighter financial future, but daily life becomes so much more enjoyable and stress-free.
Collections Removed from His Credit Report:
His credit scores have dramatically improved since there are no longer any negative accounts on his report. Here’s a snap shot of his new credit scores:
What Others Are Saying
“I have been a client for some time now and all I want to say is that your firm has been wonderful to me. I have told so many people about the work you have done.
— Paul, Lexington client
Two of my reports have no negative marks now and the other I know is just around the corner. Thank you so much. Life is so much easier now that I don’t have to worry about credit problems. I highly recommend your service to anyone.”
“I went through a bankruptcy and my score went way down into the 500’s. My wife and I planned to buy a house, so with the help of Lexington Law, my score went up in just 8 months to 688! I got an excellent rate, a new house, and praise big time for your services. Thanks a ton!”
— David & Dana, Lexington clients
For over 28 years, Lexington has been the trusted provider of affordable credit repair solutions. They’ve provided professional services and experienced support to hundreds of thousands of people. You owe it to yourself to at least check it out!