Sunrise Credit Services on Your Credit Report: What to Know

Sunrise Credit Services, Inc. is a family-owned Long Island collection agency that has operated since 1974 and generated over 1,000 CFPB complaints in a recent three-year window. Four federal lawsuits filed in 2017 and 2018 document systemic compliance failures in collection letter language and oral dispute handling.

The most striking documented issue: a Sunrise representative told a consumer it would be “futile” to dispute a debt by phone. That claim directly misrepresents federal law.

This guide covers who Sunrise collects for, the four federal cases, documented complaint patterns, your rights, and how to handle the account.

Who Is Sunrise Credit Services, Inc.?

Sunrise Credit Services, Inc. is a third-party collection agency founded in 1974 in Farmingdale, New York. The company is family-owned and part of the Sunrise Family of Companies, which also includes NetTel USA, Inc. and Sunrise Capital Management, Inc.

The agency employs over 450 people with estimated annual revenue around $34.5 million. Sunrise is BBB-accredited with a B rating and a 1 out of 5 customer satisfaction score. The CFPB has received over 1,000 complaints against the agency in a recent three-year period.

Who Does Sunrise Collect For?

Sunrise collects on behalf of original creditors in most cases, meaning the original company still owns the debt. Confirmed clients include:

• AT&T: Consumer attorneys confirm AT&T as a frequent Sunrise client for wireless and broadband account collections.
• Spectrum: Cable and internet balances appear consistently in Sunrise complaint records.
• Bank of America: Credit card and loan accounts referred from Bank of America.
• Publisher’s Clearing House: Sunrise is the confirmed third-party collection agent for Publisher’s Clearing House on outstanding merchandise accounts.
• Credit card issuers, auto lenders, healthcare providers, retailers, and educational institutions: Sunrise’s published service areas span all of these categories.

Four Federal Lawsuits Against Sunrise

Four separate cases filed in 2017 and 2018 target specific systemic failures in Sunrise’s collection practices.

• Alenkin v. Sunrise Credit Services (2018): A consumer called to dispute a collection account and was told by a Sunrise representative that disputing would be “futile” and that he could not dispute because he owed the debt. The FDCPA explicitly requires collectors to accept oral disputes. Telling a consumer otherwise is a misrepresentation under Section 1692e.
• Rosenthal v. Sunrise Credit Services (2017): A proposed class action alleging Sunrise collection letters used language that overshadowed the consumer’s 30-day right to dispute under Section 1692g.
• Gancio v. Sunrise Credit Services (2017): Alleged Sunrise used deceptive language about IRS reporting requirements for canceled or settled debt, failing to disclose exceptions to 1099-C reporting rules.
• Aguilar v. Sunrise Credit Services (2017): A California consumer alleged Sunrise’s collection letter listed unauthorized Other Charges not authorized by the original credit agreement, violating the FDCPA and California’s Rosenthal Act.

Common Sunrise Complaint Patterns

CFPB and BBB records surface consistent recurring issues.

• Telling consumers oral disputes are not valid: The Alenkin case confirmed this as a documented practice. You can dispute a debt verbally, and any collector who says otherwise is misrepresenting your rights.
• Unauthorized fees in collection letters: The Aguilar case specifically targeted Other Charges appearing in Sunrise letters without contractual authorization.
• Deceptive IRS debt settlement language: The Gancio case established that Sunrise provided inaccurate information about tax exposure from debt settlements.
• Failure to verify debts: The top CFPB complaint category involves debts consumers do not recognize and Sunrise’s failure to produce documentation when challenged.

What Sunrise Cannot Do Under Federal Law

• Tell you that oral disputes are futile: The FDCPA gives you the right to dispute verbally, and no collector can override that right.
• Overshadow the 30-day dispute window: Letters that pressure immediate payment while contradicting dispute rights violate Section 1692g.
• Charge unauthorized fees: Adding Other Charges beyond what the original contract permits violates Section 1692f.
• Misrepresent IRS consequences: Providing inaccurate information about 1099-C tax reporting may violate Section 1692e.
• Continue collection after a written validation request: All activity must pause until Sunrise produces documentation.

Verify Before Paying Sunrise

Because Sunrise usually collects as a third-party agent rather than a debt buyer, the original creditor still owns the debt in most cases. Contact the original creditor directly to verify account details independently of Sunrise.

Send a certified validation letter demanding the original creditor’s name and contact information, the original account number and date of default, an itemized balance statement with no unauthorized charges, and confirmation that any settlement will not generate an inaccurate 1099-C.

How to Check Your Credit Report

Pull all three reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and look for Sunrise Credit Services as the furnisher. Confirm the original creditor, balance, and date of first delinquency against your own records.

If the balance Sunrise reports differs from what the original creditor shows on your statements, that discrepancy is grounds for a dispute citing FCRA accuracy requirements.

How Long Can Sunrise Legally Pursue the Debt?

New York allows six years on most written contracts and open accounts. The state governing your original credit agreement controls the statute, not where Sunrise is based. Any payment or written acknowledgment can restart the civil statute in New York and many other states.

Your Options for Resolving the Account

• Assert your oral dispute rights: If a Sunrise representative calls an oral dispute futile, cite the Alenkin case and report the conversation to the CFPB immediately.
• Demand itemized balance confirmation: If your letter includes Other Charges, demand the specific contract clause authorizing those fees before any payment.
• Contact the original creditor directly: Because Sunrise usually collects on behalf of the original creditor, AT&T, Spectrum, or Bank of America can verify account details independently.
• Dispute through all three bureaus: File simultaneous disputes with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion if any balance detail or fee is unauthorized or unverifiable.

How to Contact Sunrise Credit Services

Handle all communication in writing. Send disputes by certified mail with return receipt requested:

• Address: Sunrise Credit Services, Inc., 260 Airport Plaza Blvd, Farmingdale, NY 11735
• Mailing address: Sunrise Credit Services, Inc., PO Box 9100, Farmingdale, NY 11735
• Phone: (800) 208-8565

Bottom Line

Sunrise Credit Services is a large, established Long Island agency with four federal lawsuits filed in a single year targeting collection letter language, oral dispute handling, and unauthorized fees. The Alenkin case is the most actionable because the misrepresentation of oral dispute rights is something any consumer who called Sunrise can potentially document.

Never let a Sunrise representative convince you that disputing a debt verbally is impossible. That claim is wrong under federal law and may itself be an FDCPA violation worth reporting.

If a Sunrise account is on your credit file, the right move depends on the original creditor, whether unauthorized fees appear in the collection letter, and whether your dispute rights were accurately described during any phone contact.