Your IC System Questions Answered

Have an issue with IC System? Need help?

Are you being harassed by a debt collector? Is someone from IC System contacting you by phone, mail, email, or Facebook? Are they threatening to sue? We explain all about IC System and whether they are legitimate, what to do if they contact you, and what your repayment options are. 

These are some of the common questions we hear about IC System:

What is IC System?

IC System is a debt collection company. They were founded in 1938. 

Should I pay IC System?

If you owe legitimate debt, IC System is a legitimate company that will try and collect. However, even legitimate companies have been known to sometimes act unfairly and violate things like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). If you are being harassed or treated unfairly by the company, you might consider filing a complaint against them or working with an attorney.

Is IC System a legitimate company?

Yes, IC System is a legitimate company.

Is IC System a junk debt buyer?

IC System purchases many types of debt, but they are not a junk debt buyer. They only provide collection services to original creditors, not third parties. 

Can I ignore IC System?

Don’t assume you can ignore IC System. If the company believes they’re collecting a legitimate debt they can continue to contact you, file a judgment against you or sue you in court to get the money that is owed. If they violate the most recent FDCPA regulations about when and how they contact you, you have a few options: you can share your complaints with outside attorneys or file complaints with the government. If that is insufficient, you can get legal help to sue the collection agency. 

Who does IC System collect for?

IC System collects for many small and medium-sized businesses, telecommunications companies, pest control companies, utility companies, health care companies, dental companies, government organizations, and education industries.

Why is IC System calling me when I have no debt?

Sometimes, debt collectors might contact you on a debt you don’t owe. There can be multiple explanations for this, such as a debt you’ve already paid, an expired debt, an inaccurate one, or a debt that simply isn’t yours.If things like phone numbers or other personally identifiable information get mixed up, you might be on the receiving end of spam-like phone calls and text messages for someone else.This usually happens when you get a new phone with a new phone number that previously belonged to someone who may or may not has had debt. If IC System has that old number, they might contact it regularly, trying to collect on a debt that isn’t yours.If you believe there is a mistake, you need to validate your debt with IC System immediately and ask them to prove the legitimacy of the debt—to explain where it comes from and why you owe it. You have 30 days from the first point of contact to validate that debt. If IC System does not validate your debt in accordance with the law, you can send them a notice of insufficient validation. If they are unable to validate the debt, they cannot continue to pursue repayment. 

What should I do if IC System is calling about debt I’ve already paid?

Debt collectors might make mistakes. As mentioned, they might be trying to call about a debt that you have already paid off. Debt collectors are not legally allowed to misrepresent how much you owe, whether or not the debt has expired, or that they are debt collectors.If you have already paid off the debt in question, the company has to prove its legitimacy with a validation letter. You have to request this validation letter, and if the information in it is incorrect, then IC System has no legal basis for continuing to contact you. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will validate the letter following the law. You can choose to send them on notice of insufficient validation if they fail to do so. 

What laws apply to I.C. System?

As a debt collector, some of the laws that I.C. System must follow include the FCRA, the FDCPA, and the TCPA.

That alphabet soup stands for the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which gives you rights to help ensure your credit report remains accurate; the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which protects you from being abused and deceived by debt collectors; and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which limits robocalls and other telephone spam.

If you think any of these consumer protection laws may apply to your situation, tell us about it.

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What should I do if I.C. System is calling about debt beyond the statute of limitations (SOL)?

If IC System contacts you about expired debt, you can send them a cease communications notice. This is something an attorney can help you with.However, before you head out and send your letter, verify the legitimacy of the debt they are calling about first. Look at your personal records and compare them to your credit report. Check to ensure that the data on your credit report is accurate. If it isn’t, contact the credit reporting agencies and have them fix it. If it is correct, verify the statute of limitations for the type of debt and the state. Certain debt like student loans never expires, whereas debt for credit cards might expire anywhere between 3 years and 14 years after they have gone delinquent. This depends entirely on where you live.

How do I settle for less with IC System?

Debt collection agencies like IC System tend to purchase debt from the original creditor for anywhere between 1 and 10 cents on the dollar. The younger the account, the more the agency pays for the debt because they have more time to try and get money from you. IC System only buys collection accounts from original creditors, not from third parties, so they are young accounts. They will try to get a settlement for anywhere between 40-60% of the original debt, even if they only paid 1 cent on the dollar. You can use this information to try and settle for a fraction of your total debt. This can be a very difficult process, especially if you are trying to prove financial hardship so consider hiring an attorney to negotiate on your behalf. 

How do I get rid of IC System?

If IC System asks you to pay debt you don’t think you owe, ask them for the validation letter. The validation letter can prove a debt is already paid, expired, or not even yours. This is something an attorney can help you with.If, however, the debt they are trying to collect is legitimate, the best way to get rid of them is to settle. Your settlement should include something called a tradeline deletion to help you improve your credit score when all is said and done. This is something an attorney can help you negotiate.

Can IC System sue me?

Yes, they can sue you for non-expired, valid debt. However, there are legal steps required before they reach this process. Moreover, debt collectors like IC System are prohibited from suing or threatening to sue consumers for payment on debt that is past the statute of limitations, although they can still ask for payment past that expiry date. 

Who owns IC System?

IC System, Inc owns IC System. 

Who is the CEO of IC System?

The current CEO is John Erickson, Jr. 

Where is IC System’s headquarters?

IC System is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Who does IC System collect for?

IC System buys debt from healthcare companies, governments, telecommunications companies, and many more. They buy directly from lenders, not from third parties.  

How is IC System paid?

The debt collection associates who try to contact you and collect are paid a minimum wage and a commission. So, employees are likely to try and help you settle. If you get someone who takes their job seriously and abides by the law, they might even try to help you find ways that you can reach a settlement and pay that off once and for all. However, sometimes they don’t behave as well, and they don’t follow the law, in which case you might consider working with an attorney or filing a complaint against the company.

What is IC System on my credit report?

If you see IC System on your credit report, that means you have an account that has been sent to collections. Customers have regularly complained about companies like AT&T or T-Mobile sending an overdue bill for just $102 to collection agencies like IC Systems within 180 days of being marked ‘past due,’ which is why you might be surprised to find it on your credit report.

Do I need a lawyer to deal with IC System?

Having a lawyer to deal with IC System is not legally required, but having one might be in your best interest. Debt collection companies may not always follow the rules when it comes to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and having an attorney can reroute communication so that you don’t have to deal with phone calls, text messages, or emails. Working with an attorney can make sure that the company provides things like validation letters within the right time frame. Attorneys can follow up on cease and desist letters or help you sue the company for damages if they continue to harass you.

How do I validate debt from IC System?

“Validating” a debt can mean two things, one for you and one for IC SystemYou “validate” a debt by sending a letter to IC System officially asking them for information that would confirm the validity of the debt. If they are collecting on more than one type of debt, send more than one letter for each type. You have 30 days to do this from the first point of contact, and you should do it via certified mail. Always keep copies of what you send.Once the company receives that letter IC System then “validates” the debt on their end by providing you with this information.The FDCPA uses the word “verify,” but some other organizations use the word “validate.” It means the same thing. It should take no more than 30 days for IC System to validate your debt once you request validation. If they cannot validate, they have to stop collection attempts immediately. 

How long does it take to settle with IC System?

How long it takes for you to settle with IC System is based on many factors. Having an attorney to help you might expedite the process because they have a whole team who can send the right communications and letters by certified mail, but it’s really based on how willing IC System employees are to settle with you as soon as possible. 

How much should I offer IC System to settle a debt?

What you offer is based on your financial situation. If you are under financial hardships, you can try to negotiate for a lower percentage. Normally settlements represent between 40% and 60% of the original debt. However, if you have a lower debt that is brand new, they might try to push for a settlement closer to 80% or 100%.

Can a creditor sue you? Can they take all the money in your bank account?

Yes, a creditor can sue you, but no, they cannot take all the money in your bank account. You won’t just wake up one day and have no money. Instead, you might wake up one day, have a court-ordered default judgment against you, and then have no money in your bank account. 

Can I ignore a collection agency like IC System?

According to changes to Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in 2021, collection agencies like IC System can contact you over debt via email, text message, and social media messages without prior consent. They can’t do it where others can see and must disclose who they are. Whether you get social media contact, phone calls, or texts, you can choose to ignore them even if you think the debt is incorrect, but eventually, it can result in a default judgment against you. So, it is better not to ignore them and consider getting legal help to resolve the issue. 

How did IC System get my number?

When debt collection agencies like IC System purchase debt from the original lender, it comes with access to your personal information, including personal contact information. They have your phone number and likely also have an email address, making it possible for them to find you on social media. 

Can I use a credit card to pay for IC System?

Yes, you can pay your debt to IC System with a credit card. They accept most major credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard. There may be a fee for using a credit card. 

Will paying off collections improve credit?

Yes, paying off collections fixes your credit long-term. But it doesn’t happen overnight. When an account is sent to collections and negatively impacts your credit score for up to seven years. Until that listing gets removed from your credit report, it can bring down your score. However, a paid or settled the account with a zero balance will hurt your score less than an outstanding account. And, the longer you postpone paying off your collections, the longer it takes for that 7-year length of time to conclude.

Does debt go away after seven years?

All debt has a statute of limitations except for things like student loans. A statute of limitations or SOL determines at what point the debt has expired. Every type of debt like secured or unsecured, credit cards, or tax debt has a different statute of limitations based on the state. Once qualifying debt reaches a statute of limitations, it expires and can be removed from your credit report. 

If I file for bankruptcy, does my debt go away?

Your debt does not automatically go away. This is a common misconception. Individuals typically file either Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 is where you liquidate your assets immediately and use the money from that liquidation to offer any and all creditors a settlement. This settlement is usually a small percentage because it’s based on whatever assets you have. There are very strict requirements for using chapter 7. Once you have paid all of your creditors, your remaining debt goes away.Chapter 13 is a restructuring agreement where they stop charging you interest and debt collectors stop calling you, but you pay a set amount every month for the next three to five years. Assuming you pay everything on time, once half a decade has gone by, then the remainder of your debt goes away. This is something that’s negotiated with all of your creditors, and if you miss even one payment or you are late just once, it all goes away, and you are responsible for the full amount of your debt. However, filing for bankruptcy remains on your credit score for years after.

How do I get debt removed from my credit score?

Your credit score represents a single number based on multiple factors taken from your credit report. The three credit reporting agencies have slightly different algorithms for determining this score, but they all use the same credit report to generate it.When debt has been paid, you can contact credit reporting agencies to have it removed from your credit report.If you find inaccurate information on your credit report, you can do the same and have it removed or edited.Once an account has been sent to collections, things get tricky. Most people believe that paying off debt that has been sent to collections automatically removes it from the credit report. This is not true.Things like judgments, tax liens, lawsuits, or delinquent accounts stay on your credit score for up to seven years. They might be reported as a zero balance and ‘paid’ by IC System once you have reached a settlement and paid it, but it still sits there, affecting your credit score. The only way to avoid this is to negotiate for a tradeline deletion. With this, IC System has to instruct the credit bureaus to “delete the tradeline,” which is different from reporting the debt as paid. Again, this can be something you negotiate during a settlement. 


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