At Viking Client Services, we’ve been in the debt collection business for more than half a century. Throughout the years, we’ve been questioned many times. 

Is Viking Client Services a scam? 

Is Viking Debt Collection a real debt collector? 

Despite these questions and a million like them, we’ve demonstrated time and time again the legitimacy of our operation and the good work we do to help people reconcile their accounts and rebuild their credit. But the questions are fair, given the amount of shady businesses doing less-than-reputable things in the name of debt collection. 

How can you tell if a debt collection call is a scam?

Identify

Ask the caller for their name and the company name, as well as the company’s street address, phone number, and professional license number. Any hesitancy or unwillingness to provide these should alert you to a company’s legitimacy. Check with your state attorney general’s office for the company’s legitimacy. 

Verify

Ask the caller for some pieces of information to clarify and identify the debt they’re talking about. You can ask them for the amount you owe, the name of the creditor or company you owe, and your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Verify the information they share with your records and recollections, confirming that they’re truly representing a company or creditor you owe money to. Keep in mind that debt collection firms are contracted by companies to do the debt collection on their behalf. So you may not recognize the name of the debt collection company, but should recognize the debt. You may contact the company you own money to and verify that they have granted permission to the debt collector who contacted you to recover debts. These steps in verification protect you from fraudulent activities. 

Clarify 

There are a various types of information you can request that can help you have confidence in the person you’re talking with on the phone. 

You can tell the company that you won’t proceed with debt repayment until you receive a written “Validation Notice” of your debt. This letter will include the amount of debt you owe, the name of the creditor, and the details of the FDCPA. 

Viking Client Services and Collection Scams

Remember that a legitimate debt collection company will never:

Threaten you with criminal charges 

Ask you for personal or financial information without verifying their company’s identity. 

Refuse to disclose the amount or source of debt, or be unwilling or unable to provide you with a company name, phone number, and street address. 

The important thing to remember is that you have rights.

Legitimate debt collectors have standards that they work by that protect consumers. The more that you know these standards and are prepared with the tools to vet and validate a person who calls you, the more that you can protect yourself.