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If you have received multiple phone calls from AvanteUSA or encountered the name while reviewing your credit report, you’re probably wondering how to put an end to the harassing phone calls or remove the collections account. Before you speak with AvanteUSA, review the information below. You may be able to fix the collections issue and transform your credit score without making a payment.

What is AvanteUSA?

AvanteUSA, Ltd. is a debt collection agency located in the U.S. While its frequent calls might make it seem suspect, it’s a legitimate organization. AvanteUSA has been in business for nearly 20 years, beginning its debt collection services in 2003. Today, the mid-sized debt collector’s headquarters are in Houston.

AvanteUSA has four primary collections divisions:

  • Auto, commercial, credit card, education and retail collections
  • Health care billing and collections
  • Debt buyers servicing
  • Insurance follow-up and denial

3 ways to remove AvanteUSA from your credit report

When AvanteUSA and other debt collectors contact you, you need a plan to get the collection removed from your credit report. Below are the steps you can take to manage your AvanteUSA debt collection:

  • Send AvanteUSA a debt validation letter
  • Negotiate a pay-for-delete agreement
  • Hire a credit repair company

1. Send AvanteUSA a debt validation letter

This could solve the issue of whether you owe the agency money, or it has invalid or incorrect information. Once AvanteUSA has communicated with you, you have 30 days to dispute the debt. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) requires debt collectors to prove that you owe them money. Since AvanteUSA isn’t the original creditor or service providers, it doesn’t always have the correct information.

In many cases, the agency doesn’t have the documentation it needs to further pursue payment. If it can’t validate your debt, it must remove the collections account from your credit report. This strategy is the least expensive option.

You can send your debt validation letter to the following address:

AvanteUSA Ltd.
3600 S Gessner Rd
Suite 225
Houston, TX 77063-5184

Phone: 832-476-1740

Website: www.avanteusa.com

2. Negotiate a pay-for-delete agreement

If AvanteUSA validated your debt or you missed the deadline to dispute it, you can try to negotiate the terms of your debt. Often, debt collectors will agree to a payment that is less than the actual amount owed. Before you agree to pay, you should ask the collections agency to agree to have the negative entry removed from your credit report.

Be sure to only communicate in writing. It’s important to get any agreement between you and a collections agency documented to avoid confusion. Once you have the agreement, you can make the payment, which should quickly reflect on your credit report. If the collections entry is still present after a month, you should follow up with AvanteUSA.

3. Hire a credit repair company

If you’re overwhelmed by the time and effort it takes to remove a negative entry from your credit report, consider hiring a credit repair company. A credit repair company can play an important role if you’re facing legal action from creditors and collectors. But it can also help you clear up smaller issues, like getting collections entries deleted.

Credit repair companies have experience in confronting debt collectors and making sure they do not violate FDCPA regulations. Whichever route you choose, don’t wait to start repairing your credit. With the strategies above, you can get AvanteUSA removed from your credit report.

How does AvanteUSA work?

Creditors and service providers can only dedicate so much time to pursuing late payments on accounts. Once an unpaid debt reaches a certain point, companies often turn to debt collection agencies, like AvanteUSA, to help them collect payments. These agencies either purchase debts from providers, or the creditor hires the collections agency to collect its debts.

The collections agency has the right to contact you in pursuit of repayment and earns a profit when it collects your debt. These agencies use multiple lines of communication, such as writing, calling and leaving voicemails. Once your debt reaches collections, it can appear on your credit report as a collections account. This entry can severely affect your credit score for seven years, even if you settle the account.

Communications with AvanteUSA

According to its Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ratings, many people have filed formal complaints against AvanteUSA. The most common issues are aggressive phone calls and inaccurate reporting. People also cite the agency’s failure to validate debts.

The FDCPA stops creditors from threatening or harassing you. For example, debt collectors can’t bother you at work or tell other people, such as your co-workers or friends, about your debt to intimidate you into making a payment. The FDCPA also requires them to respect your desired method of communication.

By requesting that AvanteUSA communicates with you through letters sent via U.S. Certified Mail, you have everything in writing. Written documentation can be helpful when you try to get AvanteUSA removed from your credit report.

Update: This article has been updated to reflect AvanteUSA’s current contact information.

Disclaimer: This story was originally published on September 2, 2020, on BetterCreditBlog.org. To find the most relevant information concerning collections or credit card inquiries, please visit: https://money.com/how-to-remove-collections-from-credit-report/ or https://money.com/get-items-removed-from-credit-report/