Information and Alerts

Licensing

BBB confirmed that ACS Inc. (Phony Debt Collector) had not obtained a necessary license from Florida Office of Financial Regulation.
BBB encourages you to contact the following agency or agencies to confirm this information: - https://flofr.gov/ - 8504879687

Alert

BBB has received information from consumer complaints and reviews alleging that this business is a scam company contacting consumers under multiple business names looking for payments regarding an extended auto warranty and payday loans via phone call and email and the main payment method requested is a Vanilla prepaid Visa card.

Consumers have stated in their complaints that ACS is contacting them from multiple phone numbers and emails. Complaints and Reviews also allege that ACS is threatening to take legal actions in Court against consumers, involve law enforcement, and garnish wages if they do not settle the account with ACS.

Government Action: BBB reports on known government actions involving business’ marketplace conduct:

Desist and Refrain Order and Order Assessing Penalties

The following describes a pending government action that has been formally brought by a government agency but has not yet been resolved. We are providing a summary of the government's allegations, which have not yet been proven.

On August 31, 2022, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation of the State of California filed a Desist and Refrain Order and Order Assessing Penalties in the State of California against Andrew Law Firm a.k.a. ACS Incorporated. Charges filed allege the business is in violation of California Code, Civil Code - CIV § 1788.13, 1788.10, and 1788.17 which incorporates 15 U.S.C. section 1692e(11) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.) prohibiting false collections activities. The matter is pending. For more details go to https://dfpi.ca.gov/enf-a/andrew-law-firm/

Allegations: At all relevant times, an entity holding itself out as “Andrew Law Firm” and/or “ACS Incorporated” (Andrew Law Firm) contacted California residents claiming to be a law firm acting to collect a debt on behalf of creditors. Andrew Law Firm contacted the California residents using email addresses including, but not limited to, [email protected] and [email protected], and misrepresented holding physical office addresses, which in truth belonged to other unrelated businesses. Beginning in or around November 2021, Andrew Law Firm contacted at least one California consumer by sending emails containing unlawful and/or deceptive statements in an attempt to collect a consumer debt. A representative claiming to be “Patrick Spencer” of Andrew Law Firm’s “settlement team” told the California consumer that failure to repay a debt of $6,300.00 would result in an arrest, legal proceedings, and attorney’s fees. In fact, this was a false representation that a legal proceeding has been, is about to be, or will be instituted unless payment of a consumer debt is made, in violation of Civil Code 1788.13, subdivision (j) of the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Rosenthal Act) (Civ. Code, § 1788 et seq.). In addition, the aforementioned misrepresentation that failure to pay would result in arrest of the consumer, as such action was not in fact contemplated by the debt collector or permitted by the law, violated Civil Code section 1788.10, subdivision (e) of the Rosenthal Act. Furthermore, Andrew Law Firm failed to state that it was attempting to collect a debt and that any information obtained will be used for that purpose, in violation of Civil Code section 1788.17, which incorporates 15 U.S.C. section 1692e(11) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.). Andrew Law Firm and its representative, Patrick Spencer, made a false representation of the true nature of the business or services being rendered by the debt collector by asserting they were a law firm with a “settlement team” attempting to settle a purported debt on behalf of creditors, in violation of Civil Code section 1788.13, subdivision (i). The aforementioned misrepresentations, including but not limited to representing itself as a “law firm,” were material and likely to mislead a consumer acting reasonably under the circumstances, constituting deceptive acts or practices, in violation of Financial Code section 90003, subdivision (a)(1).

Desist and Refrain Order:  Based on the foregoing findings, the Commissioner is of the opinion that Andrew Law Firm is a covered person or service provider that engaged in unlawful acts or practices, in violation of Financial Code section 90003, subdivision (a)(1), and offered or provided to a consumer any financial product or service not in conformity with any consumer financial law or otherwise committed any act or omission in violation of a consumer financial law, in violation of Financial Code section 90003, subdivision (a)(2), including but not limited to the following: a. Civil Code section 1788.10, subdivision (e) of the Rosenthal Act; b. Civil Code section 1788.13, subdivisions (i) and (j) of the Rosenthal Act; c. Civil Code section 1788.17 of the Rosenthal Act; d. 15 U.S.C. section 1692g(a) of the FDCPA; e. 15 U.S.C. section 1692e(11) of the FDCPA. Pursuant to Financial Code section 90015, subdivision (d)(1), Andrew Law Firm a.k.a. ACS Incorporated and its managers, officers, directors, agents, or employees, are hereby ordered to desist and refrain from engaging in, or proposing to engage in, unlawful acts or practices in collecting or attempting to collect any consumer debt in violation of Financial Code section90003, subdivision (a)(1), or offer or provide to a consumer any financial product or service not in conformity with any consumer financial laws, including but not limited to the following: a. Civil Code section 1788.10, subdivision (e) of the Rosenthal Act; b. Civil Code section 1788.13, subdivisions (i) and (j) of the Rosenthal Act; c. Civil Code section 1788.17 of the Rosenthal Act; d. 15 U.S.C. section 1692g(a) of the FDCPA; e. 15 U.S.C. section 1692e(11) of the FDCPA. This Desist and Refrain Order is necessary, in the public interest and consistent with the purposes, policies, and provisions of the CCFPL.

This Desist and Refrain Order shall remain in full force and effect until further order of the Commissioner Andrew Law Firm a.k.a. ACS Incorporated is hereby ordered to pay the Commissioner a penalty of $7,500.00 within 30 days of the date of this order.