Are you receiving repetitive calls from Halsted Financial Services at odd times? Or do you receive texts from them, claiming you owe a debt? Imagine this scenario: Halsted Financial Services calls you and wants a certain amount of money for a debt they claim you owe, or you won’t be able to get any more credit. They hang up after you ask for proof of the debt in writing. But they continue to harass you with frequent, annoying calls. Since you don’t respond, they now label you as “uncooperative.” If this has happened to you, read on. In this article, we’ll provide you with the top guide to delete Halsted Financial Services from your credit report
What Is Halsted Financial Services?
When credit card companies, utility companies, retail stores, automotive agencies, or other lenders have debts they are unable to collect, they hire a debt collection company to work on their behalf. Halsted Financial Services LLC is one of those debt collectors. They go after consumers with unpaid accounts and try to collect the debt.
Is Halsted Financial Services A Scam?
Halsted Financial Services is a legitimate debt collection company based in Skokie, IL. The company was accredited with the Better Business Bureau in 2019. According to their website, one of their main standards is to build relationships, not barriers. This may indicate they are aiming to cast their image as a different kind of debt collection company. Whether or not they have succeeded at this depends on how they treat customers who they contact for unpaid debts.
How To Protect Your Consumer Rights
You need to know your rights regarding Halsted Financial Services LLC and other debt collectors. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a government agency that protects you from harassing and aggressive debt collection services. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, these practices are prohibited:
Phone calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
Multiple phone calls on the same day.
Discussing your debt with your family or colleagues.
Posing as a lawyer
Contacting you after you have sent a cease-and-desist letter.
Trying to collect a debt you don’t owe
Rejecting debt validation requests
All of these actions are illegal. If a debt collector does any of these things, you can file a complaint with the CFPB.
Delete Halsted Financial Services
Step 1: Request Debt Validation
Thanks to laws that protect consumers, you have the right to request a Debt Validation Letter, according to Federal law Section 609. This is a letter that proves you are the owner of the debt. To validate your debt, simply fill out this free Debt Validation request template and send it to Halsted Financial Services.
Send your request via USPS certified mail to:
P.O. Box 828
Skokie, IL 60076
It’s important to send the letter within thirty days after you first hear from them. As a consumer, you have the right to see proof that the debt collector’s claim is valid. If Halsted cannot produce the evidence that you owe them money, and validate the debt, they will have to stop their collection efforts against you and close their file. This means they will no longer appear on your credit report.
Step 2: Dispute The Debt
As a consumer, you have a right to dispute all or part of a debt if you find inaccuracies in the account. Check the validation information for any mistakes, like your name, amount of the debt, amount already paid, and last payment on the account. If you find any mistakes, fill out this free debt dispute letter template and send it by certified USPS mail to Halsted Financial Services at the above address.
Step 3: Pay For Delete Arrangement
You might not realize it, but one of the main reasons that a debt collection agency like Halsted Financial Services tries to get payment from a debtor is so that it can offer a deal in return. Every time a debt collector collects a dollar from a debtor, the agency usually gets four cents on that dollar. For example, Halsted Financial Services might have paid only $100 of the original $2,500 debt. So, a settlement is highly likely, since they would profit $400 if you pay even $500 of the total debt.
Therefore, this means you can ask for a pay for delete agreement. In this agreement, you pay an agreed amount, and Halsted deletes the debt from your credit history. Knowing that you are ready to pay, they might be anxious to make a profit and close the account. Just be sure you have a confirmed, written agreement with clear terms before you choose a pay-for-delete arrangement.
Stronger Credit, Better Financial Future
It may not always be easy to confront a debt collector, but it is the best way to take control of your own credit. With this knowledge in our guide, you have all the action steps you need to have informed conversations with Halsted Financial Services, or any other debt collector. Know your rights as a consumer. Ask for debt validation, then make sure all the information is correct. Dispute the debt if there are errors, or negotiate with them and ask for a pay for delete arrangement.
If you need help with these steps, the Cambio app can guide you, or take on more of the process so you don’t have to. Be steadfast in your pursuit of good credit, and you will have a much better credit profile, with more opportunities available to you. A better financial future can be yours!