How to deal with Convergent Outsourcing

 Convergent Outsourcing is a well-established debt collection agency in the United States. They have been in business since 1950, and according to their website: "As Convergent Outsourcing, Inc., we operate as a third-party debt collector for our clients. Our clients – the companies you originally incurred the debt with – contract with us to follow up on and secure the outstanding debts you may owe them.".

Just like dealing with any debt collector, be prepared. Verify that you owe the debt, that the company does not harass you, and that you have the right tools to settle your debt.

What is Convergent Outsourcing? Are they real or a scam?

Convergent Outsourcing is not a scam. It is a real debt collection agency. They represent creditors from many industries, including telecommunications, utilities, banks, cable companies, and financial service providers.

Convergent Outsourcing Inc is a debt collection agency owned by Convergence Resource. It was founded in 1950 and currently has about 2,300 employees across 12 offices.

Do you owe Convergent Outsourcing money?

Convergent Outsourcing does not buy or own your debt. They operate as a third-party solution for many major creditors and are contracted by them to help collect your debt. The original creditor as well as Convergent Outsourcing or Convergent Outsourcing inc, or convergent outsourcing may appear on your credit report.

Just like dealing with any debt collector, be prepared. Verify that you owe the debt, that the company does not harass you, and that you have the right tools to settle your debt. For example, the debt may not belong to you, the statute of limitations expired, or you already paid off the debt. 

Step 1 - Validate your debt

Validate a debt when Convergent Outsourcing contacts you to collect a debt. It is important to act quickly. After the initial contact, you have 30 days to validate the debt. It is advisable to send a registered letter. Validate a debt regardless of your personal belief of you being responsible for the debt.

For example, the debt may not belong to you, the statute of limitations expired, or you already paid off the debt. 

Step 2 - Check to see if the Statute of Limitations (SOL) is valid.

While the SOL can affect the chance of a creditor winning a lawsuit, it does not prevent the debt collection agency from trying to get you to pay. Determining the actual SOL for your debt can be tricky. State laws set a time limit for debt collections; however, it is still possible for some creditors to sue you even if the time has expired. 

Since Convergent Outsourcing generally acts as an agent for the original creditor, the original creditor may pursue a lawsuit. If that is the case, and the statute of limitations expired, you need to appear in court and plead an affirmative defense. However, even if you believe that the SOL expired, the creditor may claim that circumstances that extended the date of the law permitted a longer time than you calculate.  In any case, Convergent Outsourcing still has the right to contact you and get you to negotiate a settlement.

>> Learn more: Learn more about states' laws regarding statute of limitations.

Stop Convergent Outsourcing Inc from debt collection harassment

Debt collectors often are very aggressive in their collection tactics. Like other debt collection agencies, Convergent Outsourcing is strictly regulated by The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. 

Here are some of the actions that they are forbidden to do:

• Use the Telephone to Annoy or Harass
• Call at an unreasonable time such as before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM
• Threaten Arrest
• Use Abusive or Threatening Language
• Contact a relative, friend, or colleague who doesn’t own the debt
• Seek Unjustifiable Amounts
• Contact a Consumer at Work

If you believe Convergent Outsourcing violated your rights under the FDCPA, consult with a consumer rights attorney in your area. Discuss possibly filing a lawsuit against the collection agency; not only could a lawsuit result in the cancellation of your debt, but you could be awarded damages.

Learn how to negotiate your debt with Convergent Outsourcing

Collection agencies like Convergent Outsourcing Inc are paid to collect on debts. They will contact you, hoping to negotiate a settlement. As a last resort, they will pursue a lawsuit. According to their website,

"The point of a debt negotiation is for you and the debt collector to make an agreement that fits in your budget;

After analyzing your budget, income, assets, and debt, they may offer you a lump-sum settlement or a monthly payment schedule.

Your first option is to take a do-it-yourself approach. Debt negotiation is a skill and requires a significant amount of time and effort. The collection agency wants to maximize profits. If you can convince them that you are in hardship, they will negotiate a settlement. Here are three tips:  Be calm, clear, and convincing. Be persistent, and  Send a debt negotiation letter.

Suppose you do not feel comfortable negotiating, then partner with a debt negotiation company. Debt settlement companies rely on databases of past settlements, so their negotiators know what range original creditors and collection agencies have accepted for payments in the past. They can reach a negotiated settlement with your debt collection agency quickly.

Complaints and lawsuits about Convergent Outsourcing

Convergent Outsourcing has many complaints registered in the BBB and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) like most collection agencies. For example, the CFPB has complaints about collecting a debt that the consumer didn’t owe, harassment, impersonating an attorney, law enforcement, or government official.

Here is a couple of example of  complaints:

False statements or representation "I have been disputing this account since I first received notice from Convergent Outsourcing. No matter what I request ( validation of the debt, proof of amount, proof they are authorized to collect debt and proof they can collect debts in Rhode Island ) they simply respond with a form letter with a pen mark checking off this debt is valid. They are refusing to offer any supporting documents.    I am not sure they are authorized to collect this debt. I would also like to see the contract I signed to see whether they are abiding by the terms of said contract"   Attempts to collect debt not owed Convergent outsourcing is reporting account on my credit that isnt mines. I have asked them to Vaildated account with my signture but failed to provide me with anything. This not my account. 

Deal with a Convergent Outsourcing lawsuit

Convergent Outsourcings cannot threaten you on a collection call. This is because they act as agents and do not directly sue the customer. However, the original creditor has the right to bring a lawsuit against you. In addition, they can pursue legal remedies such as a wage garnishment or bank levy.

If Convergent Outsourcing files a lawsuit against you, consult with a lawyer in your state with consumer law experience. You must file an answer to their summons and complaint or risk losing the lawsuit by default. Ignoring a summons will not make it go away, so take action to respond to the lawsuit.

Can you remove Convergent Outsourcing from your credit report?

The short answer is that most negative tradelines stay on your credit report for seven years from the delinquency date. Bankruptcies remain for ten years, and judgments can remain for even longer if the creditor renews them.

Suppose you see an inaccurate item from Convergent Outsourcing or a company associated with it. In that case, it is possible to file a dispute with the Credit Reporting Agencies and have the negative items removed from your credit report.

>> Learn more: Learn how to dispute a credit report.