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Smith Dean & Associates Responds to anonymous internet rants
The internet is a very influential and effective part of any business in today's fast paced, global economy. A major problem that comes from this is that anyone can post anything they want to about a company without any truth or consequence on the many internet outlets. Many times, after a professional and ethical company is smeared through anonymous ratings, it is the company's good reputation that is in the end, unfairly tarnished.

We would like to set the record straight and state the facts for all to understand once and for all.

Before any one of our clients place an account with us, or any other collection agency, they attempt to collect the debt themselves for 30-90 days before placing the DELINQUENT debtor to us. After our client (the lender) realizes the debtor (the borrower) is not going to pay them, they then forward the now very past due balance to us (the collector).

The ridiculous nature of the statements made by the complainants (the debtor) is that not a single one of these people ranting about us and other collection agencies will take one ounce of responsibility for the fact that they borrowed $ MONEY $ from some business and DID NOT PAY IT BACK!! In many instances, these individuals broke laws by writing worthless checks.

They also fail to mention that every one of them could have worked out an affordable payment plan with our client (the lender) during the 30-90 days before we received the account. After breaking every payment arrangement or flat out just not paying the debt, they decide to go to the internet and post anonymous comments making them out to be the VICTIM!

We maintain that we follow the letter and the spirit of the law in every instance in attempting to collect a debt. Furthermore we are always in complete compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

All we can say is that in a perfect world, if the borrower (now debtor), would have paid back the monies they borrowed in the first place, there would be no reason for us to be contacting them at all.

So potential clients, please keep in mind, the people who are on the internet complaining about collection agencies are the very people who have taken your money and refuse to pay you back. YOU ARE THE VICTIM. Not them...........

I have just had the opportunity to work with this agency and I cannot say enough "GOOD" things about them.

I had a family member become jobless and near homeless.  If there was any kind of luck in this person's life, it was bad.  This was a person who had been a responsible member of society for more than 20 years -- and now they were down on their luck like so many other Americans.  People that have worked all of their lives are now near financial ruin with little to no self worth.

I was contacted by this group because my name had been used as a reference.  The unfortunate part was that I did not receive the message in time and the legal process was already in motion.

However, I called and spoke with 3 members of this team -- and each of them gave me an opportunity to try to clear up this problem for my sibling.  When I explained what was happening in this person's life, not only did they take the effort to understand, but gave me a chance to make things right.  

I promised that I would get the money owed via an Express Moneygram.  Before I had processed the check, the person I spoke to was making "another" trip to the court house to stop the legal proceedings.  He did this on my word because I was up front and honest.

These people have a job to do because people that "don't" pay their bills and avoid their responsibilities have to be held accountable.  I realize that there are collectors that are not as kind and understanding, but this group "trusted" me because I told the truth.  And if people would not avoid their responsibilities, stand up and ask for help, and ALWAYS tell the truth -- people like these outstanding and caring people will do all that they can to help.

I am forever thankful that they listen and stood by me when all my sibling needed was just a small break.  And because of their assistance, each day is getting better and each challenge is becoming more manageable.

I sincerely thank you.

angie smith called with a very nasty attitude lookin 4 a cousin of mine talkin bout giving two felony charges and alot more things.....i want justice against these people

Someone named lisa s. called saying they're investigating a relative & left this phone#. There's no reason for this relative to be investigated. I think it's a scam.

I received a message to call this phone number back and talk to a A. Freeman in the "fraud unit", he told me about a check that I had written in 2007 and said if I did not pay them today they would file a case in court for 2 counts of fraud and attatch $1200 on top of it.  I told him that I had tried to make payments on this through the company I owed and thier collection agency and was told "No" both times and that "it had to be all or nothing".  I told him I couldn't pay that today but I could pay it next week. He told me "No" that it had to be all in full today or they would be going to court today to sign the papers and have me charged with 2 felonies & I would not be able to work in my state again due to my profession. He advised me to call all my friends, family, co-workers and employer to get the money by today.  Luckily I have some really smart friends and a family member who reads the newspaper cover to cover as they told me that they couldn't do this and to call the sheriff's department.  Well I called the county attorney who had a talk with them and they told me that what they are doing is ILLEGAL. I guess Mr. Freeman works in the right department. They write above about "if the borrower (now debtor), would have paid back the monies they borrowed in the first place, there would be no reason for us to be contacting them at all.", that is true but what about those of us who had a run of bad luck and ar trying now to make things right? If they are a collection company why won't they try to work with you to make it right? Why are they so quick at saying no?  I want to pay this debt. I always wanted to pay this debt. I will pay this debt off but now it will be what I can afford a month and not "in full now". I hope that none of these rightous collectors never run into difficult times in thier lives and can't pay thier bills, but then again maybe I do hope they can't and they get phone calls from companies like the one they work for.