Credit Control Services Debt Collection

Getting calls or letters from Credit Control Services — or seeing it on your credit report — can be stressful, but the law puts real tools in your hands, and you do not have to face the company alone. Credit Control Services, Inc., widely known as Credit Collection Services or simply "CCS," is a high-volume collection agency whose accounts reach consumers nationwide. A collector that dials the wrong number, inflates a balance, or reports an account it cannot prove is a collector you can hold accountable — frequently without paying anything out of pocket. Below, we walk through who CCS actually is, why it may have your number, and the concrete steps to challenge a Credit Control Services account.

Who is Credit Control Services (CCS)?

Credit Control Services, Inc., which does business as Credit Collection Services and "The CCS Companies," is a third-party debt-collection agency based in Norwood, Massachusetts. It is a contingency collector — it works on behalf of the original creditor and takes a share of what it recovers, rather than buying the debt outright.

One point of confusion worth clearing up: this Norwood-based Credit Control Services (CCS) is a different company from an unrelated collector called "Credit Control, LLC" based in Missouri. If your letter or credit report lists a Norwood, Massachusetts address, you are dealing with CCS, and this page is for you.

How to contact Credit Control

If Credit Control, LLC (also called Credit Control Services or CCS) is contacting you about a debt or reporting one on your credit file, you can reach the company directly to dispute the debt or request validation:

• Mailing address: Credit Control, LLC, P.O. Box 188, Hazelwood, MO 63042
• Phone: 1-866-784-1160
• Online: credit-control.com

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you can send a written dispute or validation request within 30 days of first contact, and the collector must pause collection until it validates the debt. If it is also reporting the account to the credit bureaus, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires accurate reporting and a reasonable investigation of any dispute. Keep copies of everything you send.

Credit Control in the courts

Credit Control, LLC is a frequent subject of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act litigation and consumer complaints. Federal courts have repeatedly scrutinized the form and content of its collection letters — including a 2022 decision analyzing an FDCPA claim over a Credit Control letter that listed multiple addresses — and consumers file numerous complaints against the company in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s public complaint database. If Credit Control is contacting you improperly or reporting a debt inaccurately, you may have claims under the FDCPA and the FCRA. Sources: Consumer Financial Services Law Monitor and CFPB complaint database.

Why is Credit Control Services calling me?

Most people first hear from CCS through repeated phone calls or a collection letter about an account it has been hired to collect. CCS is especially known for pursuing auto-insurance balances, unpaid tolls (including E-ZPass), telecommunications and wireless bills, utility accounts, and similar consumer debts.

A call or letter does not prove the debt is valid, that the amount is right, or that you are even the correct person. Collectors routinely contact the wrong consumer, chase balances that were already paid, or pursue debts that are inaccurate — all of which you have the right to challenge before paying anything.

Who does Credit Control Services collect for?

Because CCS is a contingency collector rather than a debt buyer, it collects on behalf of the original creditor — which usually still owns the account. Its clients commonly include auto-insurance carriers, toll and transportation authorities, telecom and cable providers, utilities, and other service companies.

That distinction matters. Since the original creditor typically still owns the debt, it affects who you dispute with, who must validate the account, and how the item should appear on your credit report.

Is Credit Control Services legitimate, or a scam?

CCS is a real, long-established collection company — it has operated since the late 1980s — so it is not a phantom-debt scam. But a legitimate collector can still call the wrong person, misstate a balance, or report an account inaccurately, and scammers sometimes impersonate well-known collectors like CCS.

Treat any demand carefully. If a caller insists on immediate payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency, refuses to send written validation, or threatens arrest, those are red flags. A legitimate collector must, on request, send you written verification of the debt — so never pay based on a phone call alone.

How to tell if a letter, call or text is really from Credit Control Services

Most people find this page after something showed up that they did not expect — an envelope from a Massachusetts address, a call from a number they do not recognize, or a text with a payment link. Below are the identifiers that are publicly associated with Credit Control Services, so you can compare them against whatever you received.

Phone numbers CCS publishes

• Main phone number: 617-965-2000, also written (617) 965-2000 or 6179652000. This is the company's main corporate line, and it is the number most people are looking for when a missed call turns out to be CCS.
• Collection account inquiries: 617-965-2000, extension 4490. This is the extension CCS publishes for consumers asking about a collection account, as opposed to its sales, commercial, customer-contact and ClaimAssist departments, which use extensions 4491 through 4494.

Other numbers people report as CCS

Consumers frequently report collection calls from 888-725-7020 and 888-725-7021 and identify them with CCS. Neither number appears anywhere on the company's own website, so we cannot confirm that CCS uses them — they may belong to a dialing vendor, or to a different company altogether. Treat a call from either as unverified until you get something in writing.

Addresses on record

• Street address: 725 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062. This is the company's main office.
• Mailing address on collection correspondence: P.O. Box 400, Norwood, MA 02062. Consumer letters and payment remittances are commonly directed to this box rather than to the street address.
• Names it uses: Credit Control Services, Inc., "CCS," and "The CCS Companies." On a credit report the tradeline may appear simply as CCS or Credit Collection Services, which is why people often cannot tell which company is reporting.

A match on the address or phone number does not mean the debt is valid, and it does not mean the amount is right. It only means the sender is probably the real company rather than an impostor. Those are two different questions, and this page answers both.

What about calls and texts from numbers not listed here?

Collection agencies rotate outbound calling numbers, and many use third-party dialing and messaging vendors, so a legitimate call from CCS can display a number that appears nowhere on the company's own website. That cuts both ways: an unlisted number is not proof of a scam, and a number that looks official is not proof the caller is who they say they are.

Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a collector must identify itself in the communication, and within five days of first contacting you it must send a written validation notice stating the amount of the debt and the name of the creditor you owe it to. Since the CFPB's Regulation F took effect on November 30, 2021, a collector that texts you also has to give you a reasonable and simple way to opt out of further text messages — typically replying STOP.

The safest way to check a number is not to call it back. Instead:

• Do not use the callback number, payment link or portal address given in the message itself. If the message is fraudulent, every contact point in it is controlled by the fraudster.
• Ask, in writing, for the validation notice. A real collector has to produce it; a scammer generally will not.
• Pull your own credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and see whether a CCS or Credit Collection Services tradeline actually exists. If a caller is demanding money on an account that appears nowhere on any of the three reports, that is a meaningful warning sign.
• Never give a bank account or card number to an inbound caller who contacted you first, no matter how legitimate the company name sounds.

If the account is real but is not yours, is already paid, was discharged in bankruptcy, or shows the wrong balance or the wrong dates, that is a credit reporting problem as well as a collection problem, and you may have claims under both the FDCPA and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Credit Control Services' track record: complaints and lawsuits

CCS's collection practices have generated a steady stream of consumer complaints and litigation. Consumers have filed thousands of complaints about the company with the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's public complaint database, frequently describing calls about debts they do not recognize, wrong-amount balances, and continued contact after they asked the company to stop.

CCS has also been named as a defendant in numerous consumer lawsuits alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) — for conduct such as failing to properly validate debts, reporting inaccurate information, and improper communication practices. These are allegations raised by consumers, but the sheer volume is a strong signal: if CCS is contacting you, it is worth looking closely at whether it has followed the law.

Your rights when Credit Control Services contacts you

Two federal statutes work in your favor here. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) sets the rules for how a third-party agency like CCS is allowed to communicate with you, while the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) controls how the debt may show up on your credit file.

In practice, that means CCS is barred from contacting you at unreasonable hours or badgering you with repeated, harassing calls, and it must back off entirely once you put a stop request in writing. It also has to prove the debt when you ask — pausing collection until it delivers written validation — and it must keep any credit-report entry accurate, deleting whatever it cannot substantiate. Those are enforceable obligations, not courtesies, and CCS can owe you money when it ignores them.

Is the Credit Control account on your credit report even yours?

Before you pay anything, ask whether the account is accurate — and whether it is even yours. Because collectors like CCS handle high volumes of accounts, the information reported is often wrong, and that is where your strongest rights lie.

• It isn’t your debt (identity theft). If the underlying account was opened in your name by someone else, a CCS entry can be a sign of identity theft.
• It’s someone else’s account on your file (a mixed credit report). If the debt belongs to another person with a similar name or Social Security number, you may have a mixed credit file.
• The details are wrong. An incorrect balance, wrong dates, a duplicate, or a re-aged account are all credit reporting errors you can challenge — and recover damages for.

Each is a potential Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) violation that can require the item to be corrected or deleted and entitle you to damages — often at no cost to you.

How to stop Credit Control Services and dispute the debt

1. Build a paper trail first: note the date, time, and number of every call and hold on to every letter and voicemail — that record is often the evidence that wins a case.
2. Mail CCS a written demand for validation of the debt, and if you want the calls to end, a separate written notice to cease communication. Keep copies and get proof of delivery.
3. For an inaccurate account on your credit report, file a written FCRA dispute with each bureau and with CCS directly; the 30-day investigation clock starts, and anything unverified has to be fixed or removed.
4. Where identity theft is the cause, generate an FTC Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov and attach it to your dispute for added protection.
5. If the calls keep coming after your written notice — or a mistake is 'confirmed' despite the proof you sent — that ongoing conduct can be a violation in its own right.

Where to send a dispute to Credit Control Services

Mail your written dispute, validation request, or cease-communication letter to CCS at its Norwood office, and keep proof of mailing. A written record protects your rights far better than a phone call, which leaves no trace.

Credit Control Services, Inc. (CCS), 725 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062. You can also reach Credit Control Services — which does business as “The CCS Companies” and “Credit Collection Services” — by phone at (617) 965-2000; consumers also report CCS calls and letters referencing (800) 326-6400, and caller ID sometimes shows the company as “CCS Offices.” On your credit report the account may appear under a name such as “Credit Collection Services,” “CCS,” or “The CCS Companies.”

How The Kim Law Firm helps with Credit Control Services

Our first focus is your credit report: if Credit Control Services is reporting a debt that is not yours, belongs to someone else, or is inaccurate, we pursue the credit bureaus and CCS under the FCRA to get it corrected or deleted — and to recover damages. We help with credit reporting errors, identity theft, and mixed credit files.

At The Kim Law Firm, we take on CCS and collectors like it under the FDCPA and the FCRA. Whether Credit Control Services is flooding your phone, ignoring a stop request you already made, or dragging down your credit score with an account you do not recognize, we can step between you and the collector and go after damages when it has crossed a legal line.

These statutes shift our fees onto the collector when it loses, which is why your review costs nothing and we take these cases on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis. Hold on to your call logs and letters, then start your free case review or call 855-996-6342.

Dealing with a different collector? We also handle Penn Credit and Jefferson Capital Systems, plus major debt buyers like Portfolio Recovery Associates, Midland Credit Management, LVNV Funding, and Cavalry Portfolio Services. See the full list on our furnisher & debt collector resource page.

Collectors paid a commission, and collectors paid to service someone else's purchase

Two very different businesses both call themselves debt collectors. A contingency agency like CCS works the account for the original creditor and keeps a share of what it recovers; the creditor still owns the debt. A servicer works accounts that a debt buyer already owns outright. The distinction decides who has the original records, who can authorize a deletion, and who you are actually negotiating with.

• Resurgent Capital Services — the Greenville, South Carolina servicer that collects on accounts owned by debt buyers, most visibly LVNV Funding and other Sherman Financial Group affiliates.
• Transworld Systems — a nationwide contingency collector working student loan, medical, auto and utility accounts from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
• The CBE Group — one of the largest agencies in the country, and a company that has held a private collection contract with the IRS.
• IC System — founded in 1938 and still working healthcare, dental and telecommunications placements out of the St. Paul area.
• Enhanced Recovery Company — the Jacksonville collector that also appears as ERC and as Enhanced Resource Centers.

Whichever category the company falls into, the Fair Credit Reporting Act obligation runs against whoever furnished the tradeline. Ask in writing for validation, and ask specifically who owns the debt. If the answer names one company and the credit report names another, that mismatch is worth documenting — it is often the first sign the account was reported by an entity with no records to verify it.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Credit Control Services calling me?

CCS is a third-party collector, so a call usually means a creditor — often an auto-insurance company, toll authority, telecom provider, or utility — hired it to collect a past-due balance. A call alone does not prove the debt is valid or that you are the right person, so you can request written validation before doing anything else.

Is Credit Control Services (CCS) a scam?

No — CCS is a real, long-established collection company, not a phantom operation. But a legitimate collector can still make mistakes or break the law, and scammers sometimes impersonate known collectors. Never pay by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency, and always demand written validation before paying.

Is this the same as 'Credit Control, LLC'?

No. Credit Control Services / Credit Collection Services (CCS) is based in Norwood, Massachusetts and is a different company from the unrelated 'Credit Control, LLC' based in Missouri. Check the address on your letter or credit report to confirm which collector is contacting you.

How do I get Credit Control Services off my credit report?

If the account is inaccurate, dispute it in writing with each credit bureau and with CCS under the FCRA. They have 30 days to investigate, and anything that cannot be verified must be corrected or removed. If it stems from identity theft, file an FTC Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov and include it with your dispute.

Can I sue Credit Control Services for harassment?

Potentially, yes. If CCS violated the FDCPA — for example by calling after you told it to stop, using abusive tactics, or failing to validate the debt — or reported inaccurate information under the FCRA, you may be entitled to statutory and actual damages, often at no upfront cost to you.

What does it cost to hire an FCRA or FDCPA lawyer?

Usually nothing up front. These consumer-protection laws let prevailing consumers recover attorney's fees from the collector, so The Kim Law Firm reviews your case for free and works on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis.

Who is calling me from 617-965-2000?

617-965-2000 — also written (617) 965-2000 or 6179652000 — is the main corporate line for Credit Control Services, Inc., the Norwood, Massachusetts collection agency also known as CCS, The CCS Companies, or Credit Collection Services. The company publishes extension 4490 for consumers calling about a collection account. Reaching a real company number does not mean the debt is valid or the balance is right.

Who is calling me from 888-725-7020 or 888-725-7021?

Consumers frequently report collection calls from 888-725-7020 and 888-725-7021 and identify them with CCS. Neither number appears anywhere on the company's own website, so we cannot confirm CCS uses them; they may belong to a dialing vendor or to an unrelated company. Do not call back the number in a voicemail or text and do not use a payment link from it. Ask in writing for the validation notice the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires within five days of first contact.

What address does Credit Control Services mail from?

CCS directs most consumer correspondence and payments to P.O. Box 400, Norwood, MA 02062. Its office street address is 725 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062. A letter showing either address is probably from the real company, which is a separate question from whether the debt is yours. Send written disputes by certified mail and keep a copy.

Where we practice, and what to do if you are somewhere else

The Kim Law Firm is licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and that is where we handle matters directly.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a federal statute. It applies the same way in every state, it is enforced in federal court, and the rules a collector has to follow do not change when you cross a state line. So the answer to "does this apply to me in Ohio" is yes — but the answer to "can you represent me in Ohio" depends on the case and on where it would be filed.

If you are outside Pennsylvania and New Jersey, contact us anyway. Some matters can be handled from here. Some are better sent to a consumer lawyer admitted where you are, and we will tell you that plainly rather than let a deadline run while you wait. Either way you will get an answer, and the review costs nothing.

The one thing that does not wait is the clock, and under this statute it is short. An FDCPA claim generally must be brought within one year of the date the violation occurred, not one year from the day you found out about it. If the calls or the letter you are asking about were last year, that clock may already be most of the way run.