Swift Funds Financial Calling? Here's How to Handle This Gym Debt Collector

Swift Funds Financial specializes in collecting unpaid gym and fitness memberships. If they're calling about a debt you thought you'd settled, or for a gym you barely remember joining, you're not imagining things. This collector has racked up complaints and an F rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Before you pay a cent or ignore their calls, here's what you need to know about this collector and how to respond without getting bulldozed.

Who Swift Funds Financial Collects For

Swift Funds Financial (also called Swift Financial Services) works exclusively with fitness companies. They buy or collect debts from:

• Gold's Gym
• EoS Fitness
• UFC Gym
• Club Pilates
• CycleBar
• 9Round
• Best Fitness
• Edge Fitness

That January gym membership you forgot to cancel? The one where you're certain you submitted cancellation paperwork but the gym claims they never got it? Swift Funds buys those accounts in bulk, often for pennies on the dollar, then tries to collect the full amount from you.

Why Their Reviews Are Abysmal

Swift Funds Financial isn't BBB-accredited and holds an F rating. Their customer reviews average 1 out of 5 stars. The pattern in complaints is consistent: people get contacted about debts they've already paid, or for memberships they canceled months ago.

One consumer wrote: "I cleared my debt with EoS Fitness. Months later, Swift is calling about the same balance." Another reported being harassed for a membership they'd canceled in writing.

This happens because of sloppy record-keeping between gyms and debt buyers. Your payment might hit the gym's books after they've already sold your account. Or the gym's cancellation department doesn't talk to their billing department. Either way, you're stuck proving you don't owe money.

What to Do First: Validate the Debt

Federal law gives you 30 days from their first contact to dispute the debt in writing. Send Swift Funds a debt validation letter asking them to prove:

• The exact amount owed
• The original creditor's name
• Documentation showing you signed up for the service
• Proof they're licensed to collect in your state

Mail this certified, return receipt requested. Once they receive it, they must stop all collection activity until they send you verification. Many collectors drag their feet here because they don't actually have the paperwork.

If Swift can't validate the debt within a reasonable time (typically 30-45 days), you can demand they stop contacting you and remove the account from your credit report.

Check Your Credit Report

Pull your reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. If Swift Funds has reported the debt, note the date it first appeared and the amount listed. Compare this to what they're claiming you owe.

Gym debts often show up months after the alleged non-payment. If the debt is approaching the statute of limitations in your state (usually 3-6 years for written contracts), paying it or even acknowledging it could reset that clock.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act bans collectors from:

• Calling before 8 a.m. Or after 9 p.m. Your time
• Contacting you at work after you've told them not to
• Discussing your debt with family, neighbors, or employers
• Threatening legal action they don't intend to take
• Using abusive language or repeated calls meant to harass

If Swift violates any of these, document it. Note the date, time, caller's name, and what they said. You can sue for FDCPA violations and potentially recover up to $1,000 plus attorney fees. More importantly, violations give you leverage to negotiate a deletion of the debt from your credit report in exchange for dropping a potential lawsuit.

How to Contact Swift Funds Financial

If you decide to communicate directly:

Phone: 347-943-6668
Email: info@swiftfinancial.fit
Address: PO Box 2397, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274-8397

Never discuss debt details over the phone unless you're recording the call (check your state's recording laws first). Anything you say can be used against you. Stick to written communication so you have a paper trail.

Negotiating a Settlement

If the debt is legitimate and you want to resolve it, don't agree to their first demand. Debt buyers like Swift Funds purchased your account for 20-40% of the balance. They'll accept less than the full amount because anything above what they paid is profit.

Start by offering 30-40% of the claimed balance. If they counter at 70%, meet in the middle around 50%. Get any agreement in writing before you send money. The settlement letter must state:

• The exact settlement amount
• That this payment resolves the debt in full
• That they'll report the account as "paid" or "settled" to credit bureaus
• That they won't resell any remaining balance

Pay with a money order or cashier's check, never your bank account or debit card. Once you pay, collectors have been known to pull additional funds citing "fees" you never agreed to.

When Swift Funds Sues

Gym debts rarely exceed $500, which means most don't end up in court. The filing fees alone make small-balance lawsuits unprofitable. But if Swift does sue, you must respond within the deadline on your summons (typically 20-30 days).

Filing an answer forces them to prove their case. They must show:

• You signed a membership agreement
• The services weren't provided or you breached the contract
• The amount they're suing for is accurate
• They have legal standing to collect (meaning they own the debt or are authorized to collect it)

Many debt buyers can't produce this documentation. If they can't prove their case, you win. If you're facing a lawsuit and need help responding, check if bankruptcy might stop the lawsuit and clear the debt entirely.

Should You Just Ignore Them?

Ignoring Swift Funds won't make them disappear, but it might work in your favor if the debt is bogus or time-barred. Collectors often give up on small balances when consumers don't engage.

The risk: they report the debt to credit bureaus, where it stays for seven years from the date of first delinquency. That dings your credit score and makes loans, apartments, even jobs harder to get.

The smarter move: send the validation letter. If they can't verify, demand deletion from your credit report in writing. If they can verify but you don't owe it, file a dispute with the credit bureaus directly.

Removing Swift Funds From Your Credit Report

If they've reported an incorrect debt, file disputes with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Attach any proof you have: cancellation confirmations, payment receipts, emails with the gym.

The bureaus have 30 days to investigate. If Swift doesn't respond with verification, the bureaus must remove the entry. Roughly 30% of credit report disputes result in deletion or correction.

If the debt is legitimate but you've settled, the account should update to "paid" within 30-45 days. If it doesn't, file another dispute citing your settlement agreement.

What Happens If You're Drowning in Multiple Debts

If Swift Funds is just one of several collectors calling, and your total unsecured debt exceeds $10,000, bankruptcy might wipe out the gym debt along with credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges most unsecured debts in 4-6 months. It costs around $300-$400 to file if you do it yourself (plus a credit counseling course). If Swift has already sued you, bankruptcy triggers an automatic stay that stops the lawsuit immediately.

Learn how to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy without an attorney if you're dealing with multiple debts and limited income.

The Bottom Line

Swift Funds Financial banks on consumers paying without question. Don't. Validate the debt, know your rights, and negotiate hard. If they can't prove you owe the money, you don't pay. If they violate federal law, you gain leverage. Gym debts are some of the easiest to dispute because fitness companies rarely maintain clean records. Use that to your advantage.