Who is Shaffer & Associates?
Shaffer & Associates is a debt collection agency based in Columbia, Missouri. As a collection agency, its role is to recover unpaid debts on behalf of various businesses.
If you see Shaffer & Associates listed on your credit report, it means they have acquired or been assigned a debt that you allegedly owe. This usually happens when you have an unpaid bill that has been defaulted.
Who does Shaffer & Associates collect for?
Shaffer & Associates work with a range of businesses across multiple sectors. Their focus is on recovering past due debts for these original creditors. These businesses could be from diverse sectors such as healthcare, utilities, finance, and more.
When a consumer doesn’t pay a bill, these creditors may choose to sell or assign the debt to a collection agency like Shaffer & Associates, who then attempts to collect the debt.
Is Shaffer & Associates legit or a scam?
Shaffer & Associates is a legitimate company. However, their persistent and sometimes aggressive communication methods, including phone calls, texts, or emails, can be perceived as spam or harassment. This perception can sometimes lead to them being mistaken as a scam.
How can I remove Shaffer & Associates from my credit report?
Collections can hurt your credit score and remain on your credit report for up to seven years regardless of whether you pay it or not. Unfortunately, paying the collection could even lower your credit score.
However, it is possible to remove a collection account from your credit history before seven years.
(While debt collectors may not want this information to be widely known, it’s your right to be informed.)
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Lexington Law Firm is a professional credit repair company that helps people fix their credit.
In addition to collections, they can work with you to challenge other inaccurate, unfair, or unsubstantiated information on your credit report. These items include inquiries, late payments, charge-offs, foreclosures, repossessions, bankruptcies, and more.
Get started on the path to better credit today: Fill out the form for a free credit consultation.
Shaffer & Associates Contact Information
Address:
Shaffer & Associates
1123 Wilkes Blvd, Suite 450
Columbia, MO 65201
Phone number: (573) 875-7966
Should I contact or pay Shaffer & Associates?
It’s best to avoid speaking to a collection agency on the phone. And making payments on the debt will reset the clock. As a result, it could harm your credit rather than improve it. However, sometimes it’s better just to pay the collection account, especially if it’s new, and you’re certain that it’s legit.
The most effective way to deal with Shaffer & Associates is to work with a credit repair professional. They help remove millions of negative items every year from companies like Shaffer & Associates on behalf of their clients.
Will Shaffer & Associates sue me or garnish my wages?
While it is possible for a debt collection agency like Shaffer & Associates to sue you for unpaid debts, it is not a common occurrence. Most debt collection agencies prefer to resolve debt matters outside of the courtroom due to the cost and time involved in legal proceedings. However, if they do choose to sue and win a judgement against you, they may be able to garnish your wages, depending on the laws in your state.
Is Shaffer & Associates hurting my credit score?
Any derogatory item on your credit report, including a collections account, may harm your credit score.
Debt collectors often buy and sell debt from one another. This can lead to multiple collections on your credit report for the same account.
To get an account removed, you must file a separate dispute with each credit bureau; Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, or it can negatively impact your credit score.
Shaffer & Associates Complaints
Most collection agencies have numerous complaints filed against them with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Most consumer complaints are about inaccurate reporting, harassment, or failure to verify a debt. If a debt collector is harassing you, you may want to consider filing a complaint.
You have many consumer rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). These rights include the ability to dispute credit reporting errors and to be treated fairly and respectfully by debt collectors.
Your Rights When Dealing with Shaffer & Associates
Debt collectors must abide by state and federal laws in the United States. For example, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits a debt collector from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices. In addition, the FDCPA provides you with many rights to ensure that collection agencies don’t take advantage of you. In particular:
- It is a violation of federal law for Shaffer & Associates to report inaccurate or incomplete information about you.
- You have a legal right to request debt validation on an alleged debt. Send the collection agency a debt validation letter. By law, they have 30 days to prove to you that the debt is really yours and the total amount is accurate.
- Shaffer & Associates may not threaten or harass you, call you repeatedly, swear at you, or publicly publish a list of debtors.
- Shaffer & Associates must be honest about who they are and what they are attempting to do. They must notify you that they are a debt collection agency both orally and in writing.
- Shaffer & Associates cannot threaten to have you arrested or imprisoned over unpaid debts.
Remove Shaffer & Associates From Your Credit Report Today!
Lexington Law Firm can assist you in disputing Shaffer & Associates collection accounts. With more than 18 years of experience, they achieved over 6 million removals for their clients in 2021 alone.
If you’re tired of dealing with debt collectors and want to improve your credit, consider working with a trusted credit repair company.
They have helped many people in your situation. Fill out the form on their website for a free credit consultation to see what they can do for you.
Ready to Repair Your Credit?
Some clients have raised their credit scores
by 100 points* or more.
