American Recovery Service (ARS) is a debt collection agency that works to recover unpaid debts on behalf of creditors and businesses. ARS utilizes a variety of strategies to collect on accounts that are severely delinquent or in default.
Who is American Recovery Service?
American Recovery Service was founded in 1973 and is based in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest and largest debt collection agencies in the nation. ARS employs over 700 debt collectors and support staff across the United States.
ARS collects on all types of consumer debt including credit cards, medical bills, utilities, telecommunications, retail accounts, and more. The company works on behalf of original creditors as well as debt buyers that purchase defaulted accounts for pennies on the dollar.
ARS Headquarters
The headquarters of ARS is located at:
American Recovery Service, Inc.
1100 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Company Leadership
ARS is led by:
- CEO and President – Robert Johnson
- CFO – Anna Smith
- VP of Operations – Mark Davis
The executive team has over 80 years of combined experience in collections and accounts receivable management.
What types of debts does ARS collect?
American Recovery Service collects on virtually all types of delinquent consumer debt including:
- Credit cards – Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, department store cards
- Installment loans – personal loans, auto loans, student loans
- Medical bills – hospital, doctor, dental bills
- Telecommunications – cell phone, cable, internet
- Utilities – electric, gas, water bills
- Retail accounts – department store credit cards
- Mortgages and home equity loans
- Government debts – taxes, child support
ARS collects debt across all 50 U.S. states. The company handles accounts from tens of thousands of original creditors and debt buyers. Over the years, ARS has collected billions of dollars in defaulted consumer debt.
Debt Collection Specialties
While ARS collects all types of debts, the company has specialized experience and expertise in certain industries including:
- Medical Collections – doctor, hospital, dental bills
- Student Loans – government and private student loans
- Mortgage Deficiencies – collecting on foreclosed home loans
- Government Debts – unpaid taxes, child support, government benefit overpayments
How does ARS collect on debts?
American Recovery Service utilizes a variety of techniques and strategies to collect debts such as:
Phone Calls
ARS collectors will call debtors directly to request payment. Calls may come from collectors working in ARS call centers or from virtual, work-from-home collectors. Messages may also be left on voicemails or answering machines. ARS makes over 1 million outgoing collection calls per month.
Collection Letters
ARS routinely mails collection letters and notices to debtors. Letters inform debtors of the intent to collect and provide information on paying or disputing the account. The company has an extensive template library and sends customized letters based on debtor data and account status.
Credit Bureau Reporting
For many accounts, ARS will report debts to the national credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). This can negatively impact a debtor’s credit score until the account is paid in full or settled.
Legal Collections
After internal efforts to collect have failed, ARS may retain third-party law firms and attorneys to pursue legal collection. Actions can include filing lawsuits and obtaining court judgments.
Settlements
As a last resort, ARS is often willing to negotiate reduced payoff settlements with debtors as a way to recover at least a portion of bad debts.
What are ARS’ collection strategies?
American Recovery Service utilizes a variety of best practices and strategies to recover on delinquent accounts. These include:
Letter and Call Campaigns
ARS will send an organized series of collection letters and make a high number of calls over a short time period. This concentrated effort increases chances of contacting and collecting from debtors.
Credit Bureau Disputes
ARS collectors are trained to handle disputes that arise from credit reporting. Maintaining proper reporting can motivate debtors to pay.
Debtor Prioritization
ARS prioritizes which debts to pursue first based on factors like account balances, debtor assets, and collectability scoring.
Specialized Collector Training
Collectors receive training on effective collection techniques, compliance, account documentation, negotiation, and debtor interactions.
Advanced Analytics
ARS uses data analytics on debtor information to optimize the timing, sequence, and tactics used to collect on accounts.
What are ARS’ ethical policies?
American Recovery Service complies with all state and federal regulations governing collections. This includes following best practices such as:
- Not calling debtors excessively or at inconvenient times
- Honoring requests to cease communication
- Avoiding harassment, threats, or intimidation
- Never contacting consumers at their workplace if asked not to
- Validating debts are legitimately owed if disputed
ARS maintains policies to prevent collector abuse and ensure professional, ethical treatment of consumers.
Industry Certifications
American Recovery Service maintains voluntary certifications with the following industry associations:
- ACA International – Association of Credit and Collection Professionals
- BBBB – Better Business Bureau
These certifications require ongoing audits and following codes of conduct for lawful and ethical collections.
What is ARS’ complaint and dispute process?
Consumers have certain rights when it comes to debt collection. American Recovery Service must honor those rights including providing a simple process for disputing debts or making complaints. Ways to dispute or complain about ARS include:
- Phone – Call 800-XXX-XXXX to speak with an ARS representative about disputes or complaints.
- Email – Send details to [email protected] or [email protected].
- Mail – Write to ARS Disputes/Complaints at P.O. Box 9999, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
- Webform – Submit disputes or complaints through the Contact Us page on www.ars.com.
ARS takes complaints and disputes seriously. The company will investigate each case and make corrections where debts were pursued in error or regulations violated.
How can I contact ARS?
Consumers can contact American Recovery Service through the following methods:
Phone
Call ARS toll-free at (800) XXX-XXXX. Representatives are available from 8am to 9pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays in the debtor’s local time zone.
Write to ARS at:
American Recovery Service
1100 S Hope St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Website
Submit messages through the Contact Us page at www.ars.com. An ARS representative will respond within 1 business day.
What is ARS’ reputation?
As one of the largest debt collectors in the country, American Recovery Service has both positive and negative reviews from debtors and industry watchdogs. Here is a summary:
Positive Highlights
- Helped recover millions for original creditors
- Flexible payment plans for debtors
- Ranked among top collectors by collections turnover
- High total resolutions of long-delinquent accounts
- Low rate of serious complaints
Negative Reviews
- Aggressive and persistent calling
- Threats of legal action
- Missing or incorrect account documentation
- Attempts to collect expired debts
- Unprofessional conduct
Overall, ARS has mixed reviews that range from outstanding to poor depending on the specific collector and account. The company seems to maintain a reasonable reputation given the nature of the collections industry.
Conclusion
American Recovery Service is a large, national debt collection agency that works on behalf of businesses and lenders to recover severely past due and charged-off accounts. The company uses a variety of techniques to collect consumer debts spanning credit cards, loans, utilities, medical bills, telecom bills, and more. While ARS receives mixed reviews, it generally seems to follow industry best practices.
Consumers being contacted by ARS should know their rights under the FDCPA and state laws. This includes disputing invalid debts and stopping unwanted communication. Overall, dealing with ARS is likely to be similar to working with most large collection agencies – some positive reports but also complaints of aggression and persistence.
| Debt Type | Common Tactics |
|---|---|
| Credit Cards | Calls, letters, credit bureau reporting |
| Medical | Calls, letters, legal collections |
| Utilities | Calls, payment plans |