Penn Credit Debt Collection

If Penn Credit Corporation is calling you, leaving voicemails, or has shown up on your credit report, you are not alone — and you have rights. Penn Credit is one of the busiest collection agencies in Pennsylvania, and consumers across the country report a steady stream of calls, robocalls, and pre-recorded voicemails from the company. Federal law limits what Penn Credit can do to collect a debt, and when a collector crosses the line you may be entitled to money damages — often with no out-of-pocket cost to you. This page explains who Penn Credit is, why it may be contacting you, and exactly how to push back.

Who is Penn Credit Corporation?

Penn Credit Corporation is a third-party debt-collection agency headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Unlike a debt buyer that purchases old accounts, Penn Credit is primarily a contingency collector — it works on behalf of the original creditor or a government agency and takes a percentage of whatever it recovers.

The company is one of the larger accounts-receivable operations in the country and handles a high volume of government, municipal, and institutional debt. Because of that volume, its automated dialing and voicemail systems reach an enormous number of consumers — which is exactly why complaints about repeated calls are so common.

Why is Penn Credit calling me?

Most people first hear from Penn Credit through a phone call or a pre-recorded voicemail, often from a number in the 800-900 range — Penn Credit's main consumer line is 800-900-1381. If you searched that number after a missed call, this is who it belongs to.

Penn Credit typically calls about a past-due account it has been hired to collect: a government or municipal debt, an unpaid utility or toll balance, a medical bill, a student-loan-related balance, or a similar institutional account. A call does not prove the debt is valid, that the amount is correct, or that you are the right person — collectors routinely contact the wrong consumer or chase debts that are inaccurate or already paid.

Who does Penn Credit collect for?

Penn Credit is best known for collecting on behalf of public-sector and institutional clients rather than for itself. Its accounts frequently include state and local government agencies, municipal courts and citations, toll authorities, public utilities, healthcare systems and hospitals, and education-related balances.

Because Penn Credit collects for the creditor, the original account holder — the utility, the hospital, the government office — usually still owns the debt. That matters: it affects who you dispute with, who you can demand validation from, and how the account should appear on your credit report.

Is Penn Credit Corporation legitimate, or a scam?

Penn Credit is a real, licensed collection company that has operated for decades — it is not a phantom-debt scam in the way some fly-by-night operations are. But 'legitimate company' and 'legitimate debt' are two different things. A real collector can still call the wrong person, misstate a balance, report an account inaccurately, or violate the law in how it contacts you.

Scammers also impersonate well-known collectors like Penn Credit. If a caller demands immediate payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency, refuses to send written validation, or threatens arrest, treat it as a red flag. A legitimate collector must, on request, send you written verification of the debt — and you should never pay based on a phone call alone.

Penn Credit's track record: a $4.675 million voicemail settlement

Penn Credit's collection methods have drawn significant legal scrutiny. In a class action in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Penn Credit was accused of sending pre-recorded 'ringless' voicemails to consumers' cell phones without their consent, in violation of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

To resolve the case, Penn Credit agreed to a $4.675 million class-action settlement, which received court approval in 2021. As is typical, Penn Credit denied wrongdoing and settled to avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation.

The takeaway for consumers is simple: if you have received repeated pre-recorded calls or voicemails from Penn Credit that you never agreed to, you are not imagining a pattern — the company's automated-contact practices have already been challenged in court.

Your rights when Penn Credit contacts you

Two federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) governs how third-party collectors like Penn Credit may communicate with you, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) restricts robocalls and pre-recorded messages to your cell phone without consent.

• Penn Credit generally may not call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time.
• It may not call you repeatedly to annoy or harass you, or use abusive or threatening language.
• It may not contact you at work after you tell it your employer prohibits such calls.
• It must stop contacting you if you send a written request to cease communication.
• It may not send pre-recorded or auto-dialed calls or ringless voicemails to your cell phone without your prior consent.
• On request, it must send written validation of the debt — and stop collecting until it does.

How to stop Penn Credit's calls and robocalls

1. Write down every contact — date, time, the number that called (for example 800-900-1381), and what was said or left as a voicemail. Save voicemails; they can be powerful evidence in a TCPA case.
2. Send Penn Credit a written 'cease communication' letter and a request for written validation of the debt. Keep a copy and send it so you have proof of delivery.
3. Do not consent to future automated calls — and never give a new phone number to a collector unless you intend to allow calls to it.
4. If the calls, robocalls, or voicemails continue after your written request, that ongoing contact may itself be a violation you can act on.

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

Before paying, ask whether the account is accurate — and whether it is even yours. Penn Credit collects for many different creditors, and the information reported is often wrong, which is where your strongest rights lie.

• It isn’t your debt (identity theft). If the account was opened in your name by someone else, a Penn Credit 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 do I remove Penn Credit from my credit report?

If a Penn Credit collection account is on your credit report and it is inaccurate — wrong amount, not your debt, already paid, or too old to report — you can dispute it under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Send a written dispute to each credit bureau reporting the item and to Penn Credit directly, explain what is wrong, and include supporting documents.

The bureau and the collector then have 30 days to investigate. If the account cannot be verified as accurate, it must be corrected or deleted. If the account is the product of identity theft, create an FTC Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov and submit it together with your dispute — it triggers additional protections and can require the item to be blocked.

Where to send a dispute or written request to Penn Credit

You can mail a written dispute, validation request, or cease-communication letter to Penn Credit at its Harrisburg office. Sending your request in writing — and keeping proof of mailing — protects your rights far better than a phone call, which leaves no record.

Penn Credit places collection calls from several numbers in the 1-800-900-13xx range — consumers most often report calls and caller-ID entries such as 800-900-1361, 800-900-1370, 800-900-1381, 800-900-1382, and 800-900-1392 (sometimes shown with a +1 prefix) — and its letters and payment notices often list a payment address of P.O. Box 69703, Harrisburg, PA 17106 — which is why many people search these to identify who is contacting them. Always confirm the correct return address on your most recent letter before mailing.

Penn Credit Corporation, 2800 Commerce Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Its main consumer phone line is 800-900-1381.

How The Kim Law Firm helps with Penn Credit

Our first focus is your credit report: if Penn Credit is reporting a debt that is not yours, belongs to someone else, or is inaccurate, we pursue the credit bureaus and Penn Credit 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.

The Kim Law Firm represents consumers against Penn Credit and other collectors under the FDCPA, the TCPA, and the FCRA. If Penn Credit is calling relentlessly, leaving pre-recorded voicemails, or reporting a debt you do not recognize, we can step in, deal with the collector for you, and pursue damages when the law has been broken.

Because these laws let us recover our fees from the collector, our review is free and we work on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis. Save your call logs and voicemails, then start your free case review or call us at 855-996-6342 to find out where you stand.

Dealing with a different collector? We also handle 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.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Penn Credit calling me from 800-900-1381?

That number is Penn Credit Corporation's main consumer line. The company is a collection agency, so a call usually means a creditor — often a government agency, utility, toll authority, or hospital — has hired Penn Credit to collect a past-due balance. A call alone does not prove the debt is valid or that you are the correct person, so you can ask for written validation before doing anything else.

Is Penn Credit a scam?

No — Penn Credit 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 anything.

Can I sue Penn Credit for harassment?

Yes, potentially. If Penn Credit violated the FDCPA or sent pre-recorded or auto-dialed calls or voicemails to your cell phone without consent in violation of the TCPA, you may be entitled to statutory and actual damages. Penn Credit has already paid a $4.675 million class settlement over its voicemail practices, so these claims are far from hypothetical.

How do I get Penn Credit off my credit report?

If the account is inaccurate, dispute it in writing with each credit bureau and with Penn Credit 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 submit it with your dispute.

Does paying Penn Credit remove it from my credit report?

Not automatically. A paid collection can still remain on your report as 'paid,' which is why it is important to confirm any settlement terms in writing before you pay. If the account is inaccurate in any way, disputing it may be a stronger path than paying it.

How much 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. You can find out where you stand at no cost.

Wherever you are located, we can help. The federal laws we enforce — including the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — protect consumers no matter where they live, and The Kim Law Firm helps victims wherever they are from our offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.