Tri-State Adjustments on Your Credit Report: What to Know

Tri-State Adjustments, Inc. is a La Crosse, Wisconsin collection agency with a 2019 federal case over charging unexplained interest on unpaid medical debts before obtaining a court judgment. The Wisconsin Consumer Act added state-level claims on top of the FDCPA allegations, giving Wisconsin consumers an additional enforcement channel.

The agency serves agricultural, healthcare, industrial, and commercial clients across the upper Midwest and does not accept goodwill letters for removing collection accounts in most documented cases.

This guide covers who TSA collects for, the 2019 federal case, specific complaint patterns, your rights under federal and Wisconsin law, and how to handle the account.

Who Is Tri-State Adjustments, Inc.?

Tri-State Adjustments, Inc. (TSA) is a third-party collection agency founded and incorporated in 1990 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The company employs approximately 35 people. TSA operates both as a third-party collector on behalf of original creditors and as a debt buyer on some accounts.

TSA serves clients across agriculture, government, healthcare, industrial, commercial, professional services, and retail sectors throughout the upper Midwest.

Who Does Tri-State Adjustments Collect For?

Confirmed clients from BBB complaint documentation include:

• Homecare Medical: A documented BBB complaint involves TSA collecting a medical equipment account for Homecare Medical, with allegations of improper email communication and unsolicited calls from unverified numbers.
• Healthcare providers: Multiple BBB complaints involve medical debt referred to TSA, including a 2018 complaint about a $21.38 charge for medical equipment the consumer says they never received.
• Agricultural businesses: TSA’s own website confirms agricultural accounts as a primary client category, serving the heavily agricultural La Crosse region.
• Government agencies, municipalities, and commercial accounts: These appear as confirmed service categories in TSA’s published descriptions.

Trease v. Tri-State Adjustments: The 2019 Federal Case

Trease v. Tri-State Adjustments, Inc. (W.D. Wisconsin 2019) is the primary documented federal case against TSA. The plaintiff alleged TSA violated both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Wisconsin Consumer Act by charging interest on medical debts that had not been reduced to judgment.

Three collection letters showed balance amounts reflecting unexplained interest additions the plaintiff could not account for. The court ruled Wisconsin common law permits preverdict interest on liquidated debts, partially dismissing certain FDCPA claims, but allowed the plaintiff to amend with additional facts. Claims related to the unexplained balance increases survived the motion to dismiss.

Any balance increase between TSA’s initial notice and subsequent letters deserves a specific written explanation before any payment.

Common TSA Complaint Patterns

• Website chat that reads messages without responding: A documented BBB complaint describes a consumer whose messages showed as read but received no reply. The same consumer was placed on hold for up to 30 minutes when calling with no one picking up.
• Collecting on debts consumers never incurred: Multiple complaints describe TSA pursuing medical balances for services or equipment the consumer says they never received.
• Collecting on already-paid accounts: A documented BBB complaint describes TSA attempting to collect a balance the consumer had already paid.
• Improper email communication: A formal BBB complaint specifically cites improper email contact and calls from unverified numbers on a Homecare Medical account.
• Unexplained balance increases between letters: The Trease case documented this pattern formally. Scrutinize any balance increase between successive TSA notices.

What TSA Cannot Do Under Federal and Wisconsin Law

• Charge unexplained interest before obtaining a judgment: The Trease case addressed this directly. Interest rate and method must be disclosed. Unexplained increases between letters may violate the FDCPA and Wisconsin Consumer Act.
• Use improper communication channels: Sending collection emails without consumer consent and contacting from unverified numbers without identifying the company may violate FDCPA disclosure requirements.
• Ignore written validation requests: TSA must pause all collection activity after receiving a certified validation letter.
• Continue calling after a cease-and-desist: Once a consumer sends a written cease letter, TSA may only contact to confirm cessation or notify of legal action.
• Contact outside legal hours: Calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time are prohibited.

Wisconsin Consumer Act Protections

Wisconsin residents dealing with TSA have additional state-level protections under the Wisconsin Consumer Act beyond standard FDCPA rights. The WCA was directly implicated in the Trease case alongside the FDCPA.

File complaints with both the CFPB and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions if TSA violates either set of requirements. Wisconsin consumers may pursue state-level claims in addition to FDCPA claims, potentially increasing available damages beyond the federal $1,000 statutory cap.

Verify Before Paying TSA

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 including any interest calculations and the statutory basis for that interest, and the chain of ownership if TSA purchased the debt.

If any letter you received from TSA shows a higher balance than the previous one, specifically request written documentation of the interest rate applied and the legal authority for charging it before the debt is reduced to judgment.

How to Check Your Credit Report

Pull all three reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and look for Tri-State Adjustments or TSA as the furnisher. Compare the credit bureau balance against the original amount in TSA’s first letter. Any discrepancy is grounds for a dispute citing FCRA accuracy requirements.

How Long Can TSA Legally Pursue the Debt?

Wisconsin allows six years on most written contracts and open accounts. Medical service agreements and commercial contracts typically fall under the written contract window. The credit reporting window is a separate seven-year clock from the original date of first delinquency.

Your Options for Resolving the Account

• Contact the original creditor directly: For medical and equipment accounts, providers can recall accounts from collections if billing errors are found. Going to the source is faster than disputing through TSA.
• Challenge unexplained balance increases in writing: Demand a written explanation citing the specific Wisconsin statute or contractual clause authorizing any interest before paying.
• File with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions: Wisconsin state-level complaints carry additional enforcement weight alongside CFPB complaints.
• Dispute through all three bureaus: File simultaneous disputes with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion if any balance detail is inaccurate or TSA cannot produce the original signed agreement.

How to Contact Tri-State Adjustments

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

• Address: Tri-State Adjustments, Inc., 3439 East Ave S, La Crosse, WI 54601
• Mailing address: Tri-State Adjustments, Inc., PO Box 3219, La Crosse, WI 54602
• Phone: (800) 562-3906 or (608) 788-8683

Bottom Line

Tri-State Adjustments is a small La Crosse agency with a documented federal case over unexplained interest additions on medical collection letters and multiple complaints about unresponsive communication channels. The Trease case and the Wisconsin Consumer Act give Wisconsin residents two parallel legal frameworks for challenging TSA conduct.

Any balance increase between TSA letters requires a written explanation and legal basis before you pay. Unexplained interest additions were the core allegation in the 2019 federal case and remain a specific documented risk.

If a TSA account is on your credit file, the right move depends on the original creditor, whether the balance has increased between letters, and whether the underlying debt was correctly referred to collections.