Why out-of-state debts are hard to collect on your own
Your calls and letters are easy to ignore from a thousand miles away. A small claims court in your state may not have jurisdiction over a debtor who has no presence there, and a judgment from your state usually has to be domesticated in the debtor's state before it can be enforced. Travel, local counsel, and local procedure turn a modest invoice into an expensive project.
How a nationwide agency handles it
The first phase is the same wherever the debtor is: daily phone contact, demand letters, skip tracing, negotiation, and dispute resolution. Debtors cooperate with a third party when they would not cooperate with you, and distance does not change that.
If the account is not resolved, it goes to an attorney from our network typically located in or near the debtor's area. A demand on local law firm letterhead carries weight a letter from another state does not, and if you authorize litigation, the case is filed where the debtor and the debtor's assets are.
Licensing and compliance
Collection licensing requirements vary by state. We are licensed, bonded, and insured, our collectors are trained on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and every call is handled by US-based staff. No offshore call centers touch your accounts or your customers.
Debtors outside the United States
Debtors do not stop at the border and neither do we. Through our international recovery network we collect abroad with people who know the local laws and the local legal system: amicable collection under local law, legal handling of disputed debts, and enforcement of judgments and payment orders, with remittance at any frequency, by any method. Complex international claims may carry an alternative fee arrangement, discussed with you up front.
What to send
The same information as any other claim: the debtor's name and last known contact information, the exact balance, the date it came due, and whatever documents show the debt. Note the debtor's state or country when you place the account.
Common follow-up questions
Do I need a lawyer in the debtor's state?
Not to start. Direct collection does not require one. If the account needs legal pressure, our attorney network provides an attorney in the debtor's jurisdiction without you having to find one.
Does it cost more to collect from another state?
Standard claims are no recovery, no fee wherever the debtor is. If you authorize a lawsuit, suit fees are usually advanced by the client and typically reimbursed once a judgment is collected.
Can you collect from a customer in Canada or overseas?
Yes. Through our international recovery network we collect abroad under local law, handle disputed debts legally, and enforce judgments and payment orders.
Talk to us
Tell us about the accounts and we put together a free assessment, usually within one business day. Request a free consultation, contact us, or call 321-710-3530. Ready now? Place a claim and we go to work today. No recovery, no fee.