How To Deal With Aldous & Associates Debt Collection

Aldous & Associates PLLC is a legitimate law firm and debt collection agency. They focus on consumer debts in health, fitness, telecommunications, and property management. If they contact you, validate the debt first.

Once you confirm the debt is yours, you control what happens next. You have real options. You can dispute the debt if details are wrong. You can negotiate to settle for less. You get to decide what works for your financial situation.

What Is Aldous & Associates PLLC?

Aldous & Associates PLLC is a Utah-based law firm specializing in consumer debt collection. They collect debt for various industries, including telecommunications and property management. They have a unique focus on health and fitness industry debts.

Current fitness industry clients include Crunch Fitness, Blink Fitness, VASA Fitness, and Gold’s Gym.

Contact information:

• Mailing address: PO Box 171374 Holladay, UT 84117-1374
• Phone number: (888) 221-5155 or (801) 272-5281
• Website: https://aldouslegal.com/contact-us/

You might wonder why Aldous & Associates is contacting you instead of your lender. A debt ends up with collectors when original creditors give up trying to collect. They sell the account to a debt collector.

Your original creditor, like your gym, notifies you with written notices and phone calls. If you ignore their efforts, they may sell your debt to collectors like Aldous & Associates.

Why Is Aldous & Associates Contacting Me?

Aldous & Associates is contacting you because a lender sold your debt to them. They collect debt within several industries, from health clubs to telecommunications.

Since Aldous & Associates now owns your debt, you need to work directly with them. Any negotiation or repayment plan goes through the debt collector, not the original creditor.

Is Aldous & Associates Legit?

Yes, Aldous & Associates is a legitimate company. However, the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report hundreds of complaints. The company is not BBB accredited.

As of early 2024, the BBB recorded over 500 complaints filed against Aldous & Associates. Multiple complaints mention poor customer service. Consumers report not getting proper paperwork documenting their alleged debt.

Note: These reviews highlight relevant issues but may not represent all consumers’ experiences.

A debt collector withholding sufficient information violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The FDCPA is federal law protecting you from harassment and unlawful behavior.

If you believe a debt collector violated the law, you can report them to the CFPB. You may also sue for compensation.

How Do I Know if I’m Being Scammed?

Even though Aldous & Associates is legitimate, scammers can use their name. Scammers typically ask for sensitive information like bank account details or your social security number. A legitimate debt collector would already have that information.

Always validate your debt and ask for more information if something seems suspicious. Validating debt is the best way to avoid scams. You can report scammers to the Federal Trade Commission.

Do I Have To Pay Aldous & Associates?

Before making any payment, determine if the alleged debt is valid and legitimate. Debt collectors can get information wrong. They may have the wrong amount or wrong debtor.

The first thing you need to do is validate the debt. Verify that:

• The debt is an actual debt you owe
• The debt collector genuinely owns the debt
• The amount of debt is accurate

If the debt collector got information wrong and the debt isn’t yours, they should stop contacting you. If they prove the debt is yours and they own it, decide what to do next.

Below are steps you can take to verify and validate the debt.

Step 1: Send a Debt Verification Letter

If you haven’t received a debt validation letter from Aldous & Associates, request one from them. You can also write and send your own debt verification letter.

A debt validation letter is a document from the debt collector containing debt details. A debt collection company must send you this letter before or within five days of first contact. They must give you a 30-day period to dispute the debt. During this time, they can’t pursue further collection efforts.

If Aldous & Associates can’t verify your debt within 30 days, you shouldn’t have to pay. Check your credit report and dispute any errors with the major credit bureaus.

If they can verify your debt within the 30-day window, you must decide what to do next. Your next steps depend on whether you agree with the amount they claim.

Step 2: Decide What To Do Next

When dealing with debt collectors, you may feel like you have no options. But you do have a say in how you move forward.

If the debt collector has accurately verified you owe the debt, you have three main options:

• Dispute the debt
• Negotiate or settle the debt
• Ignore the debt (not recommended)

Option 1: Dispute the Debt

You can dispute the debt if you disagree with the amount. You can also dispute other details outlined in the debt validation letter.

Debt collectors buy debts in bulk. There is often incorrect information on your debt validation letter. The same information appears on your credit report. Always check your credit report and dispute any errors you discover.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have rights. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each major bureau once every 12 months. The three major credit bureaus are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

You can get your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Under the FCRA, you have the right to request that credit bureaus remove negative entries. You can use the 609 credit dispute letter for this purpose.

Option 2: Negotiate the Debt and Make a Settlement Offer

If paying the debt in full isn’t an option, negotiating a debt settlement could be right for you. Most people can’t afford to pay in full.

Typically, creditors settle for 40-60% of the initial amount you owe. You can start by offering a lower percentage, even as low as 25%. Be prepared to find common ground at around 50%. Your willingness to negotiate might help you get a better deal.

You do have leverage in this situation. Debt collectors are willing to hear you out. They typically buy your debt for pennies on the dollar. They make a profit even if you pay less than you originally owed.

Consider working with our partner Cambridge Credit Counseling to create a debt management plan. They can help you negotiate lower interest rates and consolidate payments.

Can You Negotiate Every Past-Due Debt?

You can’t negotiate every past-due debt. Most past-due consumer debts are negotiable once with a debt collector. Credit card debt, medical bills, and personal loans are often negotiable. The IRS even has its own system for negotiating past-due tax debt.

Debt from mortgages or car loans typically cannot be negotiated. The original creditor can foreclose on property or repossess your car. The same is true of federal student loans. If you struggle with student loan payments, look into student loan forgiveness.

Option 3: Ignore the Debt (Not Recommended)

While this is technically an option, ignoring the debt is not recommended. Dealing with debt is overwhelming. With persistent debt collectors contacting you, you may feel the urge to ignore everything.

Simply ignoring the debt or debt collector won’t make the debt go away. Often, it increases your stress and causes greater money anxiety. It also causes debt collectors to ramp up collection efforts. More trouble follows.

What Happens if I Ignore Aldous & Associates?

The worst thing you can do is ignore a debt collector. Hoping that will resolve the issue doesn’t work. The consequences of ignoring a debt collector include:

• Hurting your credit score
• Costing you more money in the long run (interest charges, fees, potential court costs)
• Creating an opening for you to get sued by the debt collector

Being sued creates more problems if you also ignore the lawsuit. The debt collector can win by default. They can receive a default judgment and wage garnishment order against you.

Most of all, ignoring the debt doesn’t make the debt collector go away. The debt itself remains too. Negative information disappears from your credit report after seven years. But agencies can continue collection efforts as long as the statute of limitations hasn’t run out.

Bottom line: The best thing you can do is take action. You can take on Aldous & Associates and come out the other side.

Can Aldous & Associates Sue Me?

Unfortunately, Aldous & Associates can sue you. If a debt collector repeatedly contacts you and their efforts are ignored, they can take legal action. They can file a debt collection lawsuit.

Whether or not a debt collector sues you depends on several factors:

• Your state’s wage garnishment laws
• The amount of time your debt has been in collections
• The amount of debt you owe

If a debt collector sues you, you’ll receive a summons and complaint. These are official court documents notifying you of the lawsuit. They outline the case details. Your paperwork will be delivered in person, handed directly to you or left with an adult at your home.

You should answer the summons. If you don’t, you risk losing the case by default.

If you are sued by Aldous & Associates, you can still come out on top. If you’re worried about responding on your own but can’t afford a lawyer, our partner Solo can help you draft an answer letter for free or a small fee. They’ve helped over 234,000 people respond to debt lawsuits.

Your Rights When Dealing With Debt Collectors

You have rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Debt collectors must follow specific rules. They cannot harass you. They cannot call you at unreasonable times. They cannot contact you at work if you tell them not to.

You have the right to request that debt collectors stop contacting you. Send a written request. They must comply, though they can still sue you. You have the right to dispute debts and request validation.

If a debt collector violates your rights, document everything. Keep records of all communications. You can file a complaint with the CFPB. You may also be able to sue the debt collector for damages.

Key Points To Remember

Aldous & Associates is a legitimate law office and debt collector. If they contact you, validate that the debt is true and accurate. If it is, take action and respond to Aldous & Associates as soon as possible.

Taking on a debt collection agency can be intimidating. But it is necessary to protect your personal finances. You have options and rights. Use them to your advantage.