How to beat Pioneer Credit Recovery

Dena Standley | October 19, 2022

Don't let Pioneer Credit Recovery steal your money.

Summary: Is Pioneer Credit Recovery suing you for a debt? SoloSuit can help you take a stand and win in court.

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

If Pioneer Credit Recovery's name seems familiar, it's because they've been in the headlines frequently in recent years. They were one of five collection companies sacked by the Department of Education in 2015 after the IRS engaged them to collect on Americans' overdue tax payments. In 2017, the Trump administration rehired the firm to collect on defaulted student loan obligations again.

If you have failed to make payments on your student loans in over nine months, Pioneer Credit Recovery, one of the many private collection agencies engaged by the Department of Education, may contact you to recover defaulted student loans.

This correspondence can be frustrating and annoying, but ignoring the collector's calls and failing to settle your defaulted loans can only lead to more severe consequences in the future.

We want to help you beat Pioneer Credit Recovery and the many extreme tactics they use to to bother you in an attempt to collect debts.

What is Pioneer Credit Recovery?

Pioneer Credit Recovery, or PCR, is a New York-based third-party collection firm that focuses on collecting debts for government agencies and student loan issuers. Consumer complaints have been filed with PCR alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including improper information sharing and fraudulent representations. If PCR has contacted you, make sure you know your rights before replying.

Who does Pioneer Credit Recovery collect for?

Pioneer Credit Recovery's key stockholders are national, state, and local government entities and delinquent debt accounts for the judicial system and tax amnesty. PCR's government business is a leading provider of collection services across the country, with an extensive portfolio in non-tax government collections. PCR's services provide county and municipal governments exceptional collection performances to collect court fines and fees.

According to PCR's Quality Control page, the company follows "the highest ethical standards" and employs "many layers of responsibility and risk management across all departments." However, there are no links or references to consumer protection services, laws, or enforcement authorities on their website.

Is Pioneer Credit Recovery legitimate?

Pioneer Credit Recovery is a legitimate company. There are three government action notices on Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc.'s Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile page. According to the Better Business Bureau, PCR is a reputable collection agency created in 1985 and incorporated in 2001. In 1988, the BBB launched the PCR profile page. PCR is recognized as a credit service and a collection agency.

Because of its collecting techniques, Pioneer Credit Recovery was initially fired from the Department of Education. PCR has also been sued for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). A few of the violations include:

Misleading customers about the effects of the rehabilitation program
- Fraudulently billing students for collection costs

Using improper telephone practices, such as automated calls

Violating privacy by searching for individuals on social media to identify acquaintances of borrowers who are/were in debt.

If you believe Pioneer Credit Recovery has committed any of these crimes against you, contact us immediately to protect yourself and your assets from PCR.

Can Pioneer Credit Recovery sue me or garnish my wages?

It is prohibited for a debt collector to threaten to sue you or garnish your salary with empty threats. It's also rare that PCR will sue you for a debt you don't owe or that they can't prove. Debt collection companies have brought debtors to court and garnished wages after a default judgment.

Thousands of people have used SoloSuit's services to fight against unscrupulous debt collectors. Visit SoloSuit's website to find out how we can help you win the battle against Pioneer Credit Recovery.

Pioneer Credit Recovery PCR calling you?

Does it feel like the phone will not stop ringing? Are you receiving calls and messages from Pioneer Credit Recovery regularly? Pioneer Credit Recovery and other debt collection companies collect third-party debt. They frequently go to extraordinary lengths to do so, including never-ending and aggravating phone calls.

Being in debt can frustrate ‌you, and it can cause many restless nights. Remember to keep your calm when dealing with Pioneer Credit Recovery or other debt collectors, and avoid saying or doing things that could put you at risk.

Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) governs collection agency behavior by forbidding abusive or threatening language, harassment, and the collection of a debt using false or misleading information. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs how collection agencies and creditors report unpaid accounts to credit bureaus. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) are two more consumer protection statutes.

Put an end to Pioneer Credit Recovery's debt collection harassment right away

Pioneer Credit Recovery frequently violates the FDCPA. Consumers who are a victim of unfair debt collection efforts can be eligible for compensation of up to $1,000 per violation of the FDCPA.

You might have a case against PCR if:

Collectors have threatened you with assault, a lawsuit, or arrest if you don't pay up.
A debt collector will try to get more money from you than you owe.
Negative credit reporting is being threatened against you.
An attempt is made to frighten you by a debt collector.
Accusations of criminal activity have been leveled against you.
Collection organizations use inappropriate language while trying to collect a debt.
Third-party collection organizations are calling you many times every week.
Debt collectors are calling you early in the morning or late at night.
You're getting calls from a debt collection firm at work.
Debt collectors are contacting your family, friends, neighbors, or employees to collect money owed to you.
Robocalls are being made to your phone ‌to get information.

What if Pioneer Credit Recovery sues me?

If you've been sued by Pioneer Credit Recovery, you should have received a court Summons and Complaint. These documents notify you of the lawsuit and list the specific claims against you. The first step to beating Pioneer Credit Recovery in court is to file a written Answer to the Summons and Complaint. Here are 6 tips to drafting a winning Answer:

The Answer isn't the place to tell your side of the story in detail: At this point in the lawsuit, the burden of proof is on Pioneer Credit Recovery, not you. Avoid giving an elaborate explanation of your side of the story in your Answer. This can actually end up hurting your case. Stick the basics: respond to each claim listed in the Complaint.
Deny Deny Deny: Most attorneys recommend that you deny as many of the claims as possible. Denying is like saying, “prove it.” It requires Pioneer Credit Recovery to do more work to prove their case.
Include defenses: Include a section for your “affirmative defenses.” An affirmative defense is any reason that Pioneer Credit Recovery doesn't have a case against you. Some common affirmative defenses include: the debt is past the statute of limitations, the amount is incorrect, the debt is fraudulent, etc.
Use standard formatting or “style”: Your Answer document should be clean and professional, with standard margins, font, and font sizes. You should include a caption at the beginning of the document where you list the court information, parties' information, and the case number.
Include certificate of service: Be sure to print a copy of your Answer and serve it to Pioneer Credit Recovery or the attorney representing it. You will need to add a certificate of service at the end of your Answer document, certifying that you served PRC and the address you used to do so.
Sign it: Most courts will reject any Answer that doesn't have a signature. Be sure to sign both the Answer and the certificate of service separately. Some courts do not accept an electronic signature, so be aware of that too.

To learn more about these 6 helpful tips, check out the video below. SoloSuit's CEO breaks down each tips and more:

SoloSuit can help file an Answer in all 50 states.

What if I haven't been sued yet?

Pioneer Credit Recovery might be contacting you, but no lawsuit has been filed yet. If this is the case, consider sending Solosuit's Debt Validation Letter to protect yourself and your assets from debt collectors. The Debt Validation Letter requires collectors like Pioneer Credit Recovery to prove that a debt is valid before further communication takes place. It also establishes your specific rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). All you have to do is answer a few simple questions while SoloSuit generates an automatic letter and sends mailing instructions to you

Don't let your collectors get the better of you; we're here to help.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

Respond with SoloSuit

"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James

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