How to check out collections agency?

[firemanup]

What is the name of your state? IA

My wife has had some problems the last week after paying off an old debt to a collection agency, the usual CA bull....

I'm curious if there is any way to research a specific collections agency? I'd like to find out a little bit more about them.

We live in Iowa and the agency she's dealing with is in washington state.

When i search for the agency on the net, i get another agency in massachusetts that is a completely different agency, exact same name but they have no offices in washington state.

Is there a registry for these agencies or any way to find out more aobut a particular one...?

thanks

Jason

 

[JETX]

I don't know of any particular 'clearinghouse' for debt collectors... but there is some information at:
http://www.budhibbs.com

 

[bigun]

You might check with your Secretary of State's office and see if they are in compliance with the bonding and liscensing requirements in your state.

 

[Ladynred]

Try this. Go to www.collector.com and go to Roster, Collection Agencies. Then go to the Advanced Search page and put in the company name. You can get quite a bit of info this way IF they're registered.