Arrow Financial Services was once a major player in buying up bad debts like charged off credit card bills. One of the more aggressive ways Arrow sought to collect on old unpaid credit card debts was to use the courts.
Debt buyers like AFS send some of the debts they buy up on the cheap to an attorney debt collection law firm. Arrow and other bad debt investors rely on the fact that 90% or so of people are not sure about how to deal with a debt collection lawsuit.
People get served a summons and complaint on an unpaid credit card bill and tend to put their head in the sand. What winds up happening when the lawsuit gets ignored, or where a person was not aware they were being sued (it happens), is a default judgment is entered. Those judgments can then be collected on, or even sold off to another debt buyer.
Arrow Financial closed up shop. Where did the debt go?
In just the last week I have gotten a couple of questions on and off line about how to find where Arrow Financial Services judgment debt has gone. In all cases the requests were related to:
- Someone trying to qualify for a mortgage and underwriting suggests they cannot approve a new loan, or the approval on a new loan will have an increased likelihood of success by settling old judgment debt.
- Someone trying to sell a home and satisfy or settle the judgment debt in order to pass clear title. Even if the home owner is trying for a short sale.
It is difficult to find much public information about who purchased the Arrow portfolio, or portions of it. According to a person I spoke with last week, they have a former arrow judgment account that they tracked to LVNV now owning.
LVNV is a Large Debt Collection Agency
LVNV is part of the Resurgent Capital Management and Sherman Acquisitions brand. I was able to confirm that Resurgent/Sherman/LVNV brand did pick up a “good portion” of the Arrow Financial Services debt portfolio.
If you are looking for how to resolve or settle Arrow Financial Services debts, start by reaching out to LVNV. You can reach them by calling their customer service at: 888-665-0374.
If you have any questions or concerns about resolving an old Arrow Financial Services debt with LVNV, or another debt collector, or having trouble finding who has your debt, post questions and comments in the comments below for feedback.
Mark jobbagy says
I am trying to sell my house and found out there’s a judgment against me through arrow financial services. I called the number you show for LVNV and spoke with them and they have nothing on file. But I have a judgment against me through the court system. I’m not sure who is carrying this debt.
Michael Bovee says
This may be one of the situations I have seen where the lien holder cannot be located to send a payoff request. The title company involved in the sale of your home is who would typically do that. You may want to ask what happens when they cannot pay the lien off the normal way. Sometimes they will hold an amount of funds back for a certain period of time.
The court the judgment is in may be a resource to help you understand what needs to happen from here as well.
TIMOTHY S O'NEAL II says
I was just informed that a settlement from Arrow Financial Services with an account number. It appears to me to be fraud as I have no record of ever dealing with said entity. This includes notifications on all three credit reports. I refused the offer. My question is was that the right decision? Do I need to report this somewhere? Thanks in advance for the input.
Michael Bovee says
Can you be more specific with what you have going on?
Who informed you about a settlement with Arrow Financial? What are the names of any other companies involved?
Are you seeing Arrow Financial, or one of the other entities on your credit reports as of today?
Mary Ellen says
How can I get an old arrow financial judgement off title to a property if I don’t have the updated info
Michael Bovee says
Is the judgment paid or unresolved?
How old is the judgment?
What state are you in?
You should be able to look up the case in the county civil court by name.
Lamb Law Office says
Did Frontline Asset Strategies, LLC purchase and debts from Arrow Financial Services ?
Michael Bovee says
I do not think so.
Frontline does collect for LVNV/Resurgent, who did buy most of the Arrow assets.
Brenda Bagwell says
We are trying to refinance our home. When a title was pulled on my husband a “lien” from Arrow Financial was noticed. This is very odd as it did not show up when we purchased this home. We had sold another home and did pay off many bad debts of his at closing. One to LVNV funding, however not in the amount listed with these Arrow people. Why would this not show up from the sell of the former house and now 2 years later appear when we are trying to refinance. These bottom dwellers are a special kind of evil, in my humble opinion
Javier Alvarez says
I just received a letter for withholding of my payroll, but everyone I call they have no info. Im trying to find out if this really belongs to me since I have had problems in the past with someone using my social. can someone please help me. I will give you my girlfriends email since I do not have any access to one at the moment
Michael Bovee says
Fill out the questions using the bot you see on the screen. It is designed to get me the basic details I need and to schedule a free phone consult with you.
Jack Richardson says
Default Final Settlement in Florida Court 9/14/2009 plaintiff Arrow Financial Services. I was unaware that this ever happened until last Friday when contacted by Nations Recovery Center Inc of LVNV Funding LLC. Was told that if I didn’t pay total they would/could freeze/seize my bank account. I have limited income of Social Security $1500 per month and am 70 yrs old. Barely making it on SS and Nations wants me to put the total on 3 available credit cards that I have but don’t use because of inability to pay for things I can’t get on cash. I’m willing to try and pay but I’d be homeless if I had to make minimum payments on $7000 credit card debt. Saw your You Tube that indicated that they couldn’t grab my bank account which was a big relief if heard it right. What do I do?
Michael Bovee says
If I was that tight on money I would tell them there is no way to pay, and no way they could force me to pay. Check out this page about SSI and other exemptions.
Joseph Walmsley says
I am trying to find information about an account I was told that as sold to Arrow Financial, I need to know who holds the account now or who Arrow Financial sold the account to.
Michael Bovee says
I would connect with Resurgent Capital/LVNV to see if they have it.
Cindy says
Hi requesting assistance. My husband has an old judgement from 2008 with Arrow Financial. We just received a grant appointment of reviewer from our courts. What is this and why did we receive this? We are in Texas.
Cindy says
I have tried calling the attorney and get the run around. I am at my wits end and would like to try and resolve this before any further action is taken. Please help
Michael Bovee says
Fill in the talk to Michael form in the right column. When I see that I will email you to set up a time to talk over this in more detail.
Amy says
I have judgement on me which is preventing a home loan. It is from 2008 and I paid it but bank records don’t go that far back. LNV has no record of me.
Michael Bovee says
Fill out the talk to Michael form in the right column Amy. I will see that and email you to set up a time to go over your issue on the phone.
steven says
Two days ago I received notice from my employer that. a granishment order has put on my wages.
LVNV funding Llc
& arrow financial services Llc.
my issue is i have not recieved any. court papers from anyone i have lived at my address for 7 years. after reading the papers givin to me bye my employer. on the first page of the order they have my address as my previous address havnt lived their in 7 years. the debt this is reguarding to is from a bill me and my x wife acquired approx 9-10 years ago. is their anytjhing i can do ?
Michael Bovee says
What state do you live in? If the judgment is in a different state, where is that?
steven says
California and the judgment is also in California
Michael Bovee says
Watch this video interview I did with one of my go to attorney resources in California dealing with debt collection issues. Call Jeremy and talked to him about your options to vacate a judgment, and other options.
Gia says
Thank you for your commitment to helping and this good information above. Please help me find an experienced debt collection defense attorney in Memphis, TN. I really appreciate you!
Dani says
having trouble finding out who has purchased the debt from arrow financial services. I called LVNV and they have no record… This was an abstract of judgment that was issued in 2008.
Michael Bovee says
Fill in the talk to Michael form in the right column Dani. I will see that and email you to set up a time to connect on the phone.
Toya says
Hello Michael, I am experiencing the same nightmare as many others in the comments. My son, which is in high school just sent me a text saying that his bank account has an hold on it. I called…long story short its a debt that I have. I called the Law firm: they mentioned Arrow Financial and LVNF, I googled them because I have no idea who they are. It’s a judgement from 2010. I can remember having a credit card that I didn’t pay in 2006 or 2007. I They want $9k and the card only had a $2,500 limit. Can you recommend any lawyers in the Dallas, TX area?
Michael Bovee says
I sent you an email with a list of attorneys that can advise you in the Dallas area. Please post an update to this comment string with what you learn, and how things develop for you.
CHRIS CUNNINGHAM says
Hello, I just received a writ of execution money order from a collection attorney. The attorney is representing lVNV funding which apparently bought it from Arrow Financial. The court judgement said there was a judgement back in 2009 from a bill I stopped paying in 2007. They just last month got a money judgement against me. I never knew about this judgement, never received any papers or notice. Now they are trying to freeze my accounts. I have no house, no money, no job, lost it all to cancer and divorce in 2007. What should I do? Should I contact the attorney? I am being helped by my mom and want to avoid backruptcy at all costs. Thank you so much, Chris
Michael Bovee says
I doubt they just got the judgment, as suing on such an old debt would be passed the SOL to sue. What state are you in?
What is more likely is that LVNV purchased your debt, as well as many other Arrow Financial accounts, when it was already a judgment. They are just trying to enforce that.
You appear largely uncollectable. If you remain that way (no income or assets), you may not have to concern yourself with this much. But if you want to resolve the debt, you can often settle for much less than the full amount owed.
What are your goals?
winfred walker says
I filled bankruptcy in 2011 arrow financial put a lien on my property I am trying to get it paid off but they said they no longer own the loan they sold it but don’t know who bought it how could I get this matter resolve so I can clear title
Michael Bovee says
I would call LVNV Funding to see if they own your judgment. If they do, they will negotiate with you, or tell you who you can call to resolve it.
Christie says
I’m trying to have a lien that was placed on my property in 2010 (had no idea it was there) removed so a home improvement loan can go through. I called all the arrow numbers and none work. I called the county I live in and they directed me to a local law firm that filed the lien. When I called them the number was not for an attorneys office but a debt collector by another name all together. I then called the attorney general as advised by the county and they are referring my back to the county. Can you advise on the quickest way to remove a lien from a company no longer in existence? Thank you!
Michael Bovee says
You may want to contact LVNV and see if they own your judgment. If they do, you can negotiate a settlement for less than the balance and get the judgment updated to satisfied and the lien removed.
Christie says
Thank you. I’ll see what happens.
kristin says
I received a writ of continuing garnishment dated 8/30/16 from my employer. The plantiff is arrow financial services and law firm is machol&johannes located in denver. The original judgement listed on the document is dated 1/24/11. I never received a judgement during this time. The original amount is $10k with the writ racking on $4k for interest. I don’t know what this is and have no idea what to do next. What are my rights?
Michael Bovee says
The first thing I would do is find the lawsuit in the court record and determine the address they say they served someone at. Let me know what you learn, and whether you ever lived at that address, or did not live there at the time of filing.
Kristin says
Got the papers today. Apparently my husband signed for it. And I recognize the debt now- a credit card- although I still don’t have any recollection of this judgement back in 2011 but there it is in black and white it’s weird that it was never on my credit report. I’m not sure how to proceed – do I have to accept the garnishment or can I call the law office to try and settle?.
Michael Bovee says
You can try to settle, but once a garnishment is in place, there is very little incentive for a collection attorney to accept less.
Are you struggling enough to meet your monthly bills that you could qualify for a hardship exemption? If you think so, you can formally contest the garnishment with the court.
Kristin says
I wouldn’t say struggling- although it depends how much the garnishment is taking out on a monthly basis- then I might be. Do you think it’s worth talking to a lawyer? Is there another way I can contest this and get a court hearing? I’m not against paying I just wish it was on different terms.
Michael Bovee says
I thing it is worth consulting with an attorney. You do not need one to contest the garnishment as creating a hardship, but they could give you an idea if you have a shot at qualifying.
Kristin says
Thank you so much for all of the advice. Just one more question- is there a reputable firm that you recommend? I live in metro denver.
Michael Bovee says
I sent you an email with contact details to several. Let me know how things go.
jessica says
the same thing happened to me and dont know what to do
Steven L says
Arrow Financial Services had a Judgement entered against me in the amount currently at $4,200. in July 2010. I received a letter from Asset Recovery Solutions in December of 2015 stating that the current creditor was LVNV. I asked for validation of the debt and proof that I had a legal obligation to pay Asset Recovery. The only thing they sent me was a copy of the court judgement. In July of 2016 I received a letter from a local Lake/Cuyahoga County Ohio Attorney that they were retained by LVNV on this case. The attorney filed a Motion to Revive the Judgement along with a signed affidavit stating that he is one of the attorneys for the plaintiff herein. Again, Arrow Financial Services LLC is the Plaintiff on the judgement, not LVNV. I called the attorney and made an offer of $1,000 to satisfy the judgement, they countered with $3,700, I balked. He further stated that his client would garnish my wages after the judgement was revived(Sept 12, 2016).
My question is do I have any grounds to contest the Motion to Revive Judgement, since no proof or chain of custody has been presented that LVNV owns this debt, even though it may be true.. Or that the attorney does not represent the Plaintiff as is listed on the Judgement. Or can I delay the decision by asking for a hearing on this. Further, I am somewhat collection proof in the near term, but do own a home that a lein could be attached to. I would like to clear this debt off, but I see no real advantage to paying it off with a higher than the 4% interest per anum the court has allowed for on the original judgement to save $500. My goal is for them to come off the $3,700 figure to something I could work with by throwing a wrench into what they perceive as an easy road to restitiution. When I made my $1,000 offer the attorney said his client would counter with a number and there would be no negotiating from that number($3,700).
Your thoughts on a course of action to achieve my objective would be appreciated.
Michael Bovee says
That chain of custody you are looking for is not required of them.
The plaintiff was Arrow Financial, but judgment debts get sold. That sale does not change the original plaintiff name from the original action.
You may be able to delay by contesting. Talk to an experienced debt collection defense attorney in your state about what all would be involved.
I would continue to negotiate the amount down, wither now, or after they renew and find no easy path to getting paid other than a lien. You are looking at 50% as an optimistic, yet still realistic target.
Diana Hawthorne says
Also how can we find out what the debt is that they are trying to collect? The original petition is not showing up on the case in the Court database.
Michael Bovee says
That is unusual, but I can help you get to the bottom of it when we speak.
Diana Hawthorne says
We are trying to sell my deceased mother’s house and Arrow Financial Services LLC and LVNV are showing up as a judgment against my mother’s name. The title company found it when searching the title.
We didn’t know anything about a debt with Arrow Financial Services LLC or LVNV on my mother. She was in her 80’s when she passed away in 2010. The judgment is from 2008. Is there some way we can have this removed so that we can proceed with the real estate transaction?
Michael Bovee says
Call in for a consult Diana. You can reach me at 800-939-8357, ext 2, or fill in the Talk to Michael for in the right rail. Those come direct to me. I will email you in order to set up a time to talk over the issue and offer some direction.
Sam says
My husband had a judgement with arrow financial in 2003. LVNV now owns it and for the last year have been garnishing his wages. First off we never received any information or communication about this prior to them garnishing his wages. It’s not on his credit report either. They did it twice last year and ended up paying us back.. Weird right? So it’s happening again and when I call LVNV they say I need to communicate with the ‘law firm’ that is managing the case but they just keep telling me the debt isn’t settled even though we have ZERO information on the case besides what the county court has on its website (case closed in 2003, Wisconsin Court) and what his employer has received. The ordinal judgment was for $2700 but they are trying to collect $7000. I have called everyone multiple times including the court and it gets me no where. I don’t know what to do anymore. Please help!
Michael Bovee says
Most judgments drop off your credit reports in 7 years from date of entry in the court record. But they are still collectable even when we do not see them on our credit any longer.
It is odd that they garnished and then gave that money back. I would want to look more into that, and the rest of your scenario, by talking things over with an experienced debt collection defense attorney in your state. I can email you some if you like?
Jackie says
Michael I thought a judgement fall off in 10 years?
Michael Bovee says
When a judgment falls off your credit reports in 7 years, it does not make the judgment go away. It is still collectable. Some state laws allow judgments to be renewed (stay collectable) for life… as long as they are renewed. While others may limit the life of a judgment. What state are you in?
Cristina says
Michael,
Thank you for giving me the reference for Jeremy Golden, Esq. in CA. I called you just a few months ago when nearly 5,000 was taken out of my bank account and sent to the Ventura County Sherriff’s office – due to an old judgement (dated 2007) from Arrow/LVNV. The Sherriff’s Office said I wasn’t the only one whose funds were taken by Robert Colclough in CA. This scam is real. I ended up getting me back my funds and Jeremy had the judgement vacated, but it was a nightmare and my funds were taken, if I had known what to do in this case it still would have been an nightmare to try to do myself and I had to hire Jeremy to get them back. He was amazing and handled it. Anyone in CA – I highly recommend Jeremy Golden to help you out. Thanks again Michael.
Michael Bovee says
Awesome Cristina! I am glad you got this taken care of favorably.
Do me a favor, if you are up to it…. I started a review page today using a plug in. I am inviting you to be the first to use it. Click “write a review” at the top of the page. Click on the Create your own review tab. Fill in the blanks and click the star rank the way you see fit. And thanks if you do it!
Dustin K says
I am currently in the process of getting a home loan. The underwriters on the loan are bringing up a judgement from Arrow Financial. I filed for bankruptcy in 2012, Arrow Financial was listed on my bankruptcy. Why is there a judgement still on my credit report? They are requesting that my debt of $1127 be paid or show proof of settlement on the payment. I provided my bankruptcy documents, that I obtained from the courthouse stating Arrow, I guess sufficient enough, How do I provide them proof of the settlement? Who can I contact from Arrow, I don’t want to have to settle this twice, but I will, I need this home loan.
Michael Bovee says
Was it a chapter 7 bankruptcy that went all the way through to discharge of the listed debts? If so, than show them the bankruptcy papers.
JOdy says
Arrow just sent my employer a garnishment court order through a local court…….how cn this be if they are closed?
Michael Bovee says
Arrow is gone but the judgment they got is not. Those debts were sold off to other purchasers.
Lenora Porzillo says
When did Arrow Financial closed shop in Gaithersburg, MD?
Michael Bovee says
It has been years since Arrow Financial Services sold off its debt portfolio and went out of business.
What do you have going on?
Kelly Corbin says
Someone from Arrow Financial is calling and harassing me as well as my parents. Are the opened or closed?
Michael Bovee says
Arrow Financial Services is no longer in business. Try and identify the collection company saying they are collecting on an old Arrow account and let me know with an update. If the collector will not tell you their company name, or insists they are Arrow, you are likely dealing with a scam debt collector.
Dennis says
Hi Michael,
Hope you can help.
I found a judgment on one of my credit report for a total of $2,666 that dated back to 2010 summons starting in 2009. There are court documents and case number as I just looked it up. At the time of the first summons I was living in a different state and city, fun thing is that I am now living in the city and state of where the summon and judgment was issued
I have never defaulted and never been late on a payment. I plan on purchasing a home soon and would like this judgment to be gone. What would be the best course of action?
Also never had and kind of letter of phone call from any collection agencies.
Michael Bovee says
Are you saying that you do not recognize the debt and there is no way it could be yours?
Eddy Lara says
Hi Michael
I would like to Congratulate for your post and contributions to our question.
I had been Garnished to my wages from ARROW Financial Services. How can I stop from them to continue charging to my account or there is any way to see how my debt is been paid.
Thanks
Michael Bovee says
What state do you live in?
What is the judgment amount and when was it entered in the court?
How long have your wages been garnished?
Eddy Lara says
Hi Michael.
Sorry to missed some information. I live in New York. I have dated filed in 2010 on one of my credit report for a total of $3,100 from GE Capital. I know a moved from other location in New York and I know this debt but I forgot.
Now this Collection Company ARROW Financial Services already garnished my waves account for #225 dollars. I started paying my Student Loan and with all my bills i don’t have enough money to pay. I don’t know if is true but friend of mine advice me to hire a Consultant Company who can repair my credit and clear this public record. It’s this possible? What Should I do. Should I can hire this consultant company to stop this public record and clear out? or Should I go to Court to find out how this debt will be managed.
I hope you can help me .
Thank you so much.
Michael Bovee says
So no one is garnishing you right now?
If you are not being garnished I would look to resolve the judgment debt by negotiating a reduced lump sum pay off. You are going to have to do that with someone other than Arrow now that they are closed.
Can you pull together half the amount owed?
Getting a judgment off of your credit report is not that common. When you are able to get it off the report(s) they have a tendency to show back up again with the local data miners sweep the information again.
Charley says
Daughter has a default judgment that had expired from Arrow Financial but purchased by LVNV that is now trying to revive the judgment. Unfortunatley she did not realize she could have put up a strong defense instead of waiting for a default against her. the atty trying to revive the judgement lists the plaintiff as Arrow Financial instead of LVNV. I feel that LVNV may not have a standing in court for this because they bought a batch of debt that I believe broke the chain of custody with heresey evidence.
Can you recommend a debt defense atty in the Peoria, ill area This is an Illinois case.
Michael Bovee says
I will send you an email with a list of attorneys in Illinois with the experience you need.
The chain of title argument was likely something to argue years ago, and would serve no purpose now.
Brandy says
My boyfriend has been receiving calls from 2 different “law firms” stating he owes an old credit card debt from 2007. He thought he paid it off, but doesn’t recall from that far back and doesn’t have anything showing that he did. It was originally Chase and then Arrow, but now we don’t know where it went. These people are extremely rude and threatening to have his wages garnished. I spoke with them yesterday and requested a letter of validation and he told me I could get that in court, but that he could email me something basically stating the same thing, but I still haven’t received that. It went from $7k with the first caller a month ago to $15k with this guy. Sounds like a scam, but he’s not sure he paid and we want to verify. It’s also not on his credit report. We just aren’t sure what to do at this point. Can you give me some direction?
Michael Bovee says
Who are the debt collectors contacting him now?
What was the original judgment amount? What did the court set as interest?
If you would like to call in for a consult I can dig deeper into the details and offer actionable feedback. It would help if you knew what the last entry in the court record was too. You can reach me through the hot line, 800-939-8357, option 2 rings to me.
Shelahbeth says
I am trying to purchase a home. I have a judgment against me from Arrow financial, in another state that I do not live in, from 2009. I have no idea what the debt is from, or how to go about finding out. It is only showing on one of the crediting bureaus also. I did put in a dispute with them to get it resolved, and was also told to contact someone from Arrow financial- but they are closed down.
I have 30 days to figure this out.
Also, I looked up the case/docket # with the courts, and it says not matching case found…..
How do I go about finding out what the original debt is from? I don’t live in the state where the judgment was filed, but would I need to go to that court to get info?
Michael Bovee says
You do need info from the court the judgment originated. Once you have that give me a call at 800-939-8357, choose option 2. I can help you from there.
Shelahbeth says
My dispute with Transunion worked! They deleted the judgment from my credit report. I called on Friday afternoon, explained how Arrow Financial was no longer in business and that the court has no record of the case number, and by Wednesday I had a deletion letter in the mail.
I’m sure it is not always that easy. I consider myself very very lucky!
Ashlee says
Can a judgment on my credit report be disputed? How do I do this??
Michael Bovee says
I have a post up that is dedicated to dealing with judgments on your credit reports. Review that page and read deep into the comments about what people have experienced themselves.
Durka says
Hello,
So I have a bit of an issue. When I turned 18 and graduated from high school, I went off to college for a couple quarters and my father immediately began fraudulently using my name to obtain and wrack up debt on about a dozen different cards. To make matters worse, after I got tired of college, I went back and was outright oblivious for a couple years.
One of these was used by Arrow Financial to get a judgement out against me (of which I was never informed of). I never got mail or received any notice likely because he intercepted them. Many years later, I got away from him and learned of the debt that he collected under my name and I am slowly dealing with it. So far I have had several creditors realize that it was fraud and remove the charges(while others have died out due to the statute of limitations), but this is one of the final pieces that I have been unable to deal with.
If they are out of business, where did my judgement go, where can I find this out? Is there any way to report this as fraud and have the judgement lifted without a long and expensive process? or will negotiating with the debt holder be the only way to get out of this without paying the full amount(4500$)?
At one point, it will drop off my credit report.. but I don’t have to have them come at me some day and demand that I pay for a judgement that shouldn’t belong to me.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thank you!
Michael Bovee says
Call the number to LVNV that I provided in the original article above. Post an update if they do not have it.
You will still want to resolve this issue one way or another after the Arrow Financial judgment is dropped from your credit reports. It can still be collected on through wage garnishment and bank levy. It is also something that will be discovered in many financing transactions and could still hold you back from getting a home loan.
Did you ever file an identity theft report?
Durka says
Well, the issue with that is that its my father and my family is sort of mixed on the issue until my 90year old grandmother passes. She is naive enough to believe that “at least its not murder” … which is great and all, except that it ruins my soon-to-be career.
We have had the creditors review the charges and have personally done so as well. Most of them were from alcohol when I was 18, car insurance for a car when I never had a drivers license, plane tickets to places I never went to.
If that is the only way of dealing with it, I am about ready to go ahead and file a police report. It is just a delicate family topic.
So you say that we should negotiate for a portion of it rather than hire a lawyer to fight it? how much do you think they would negotiate for?
Michael Bovee says
I cannot say whether you should look to negotiate a lower payoff or attempt to unwind the whole thing through the court. I would probably want to get the judgment out of the court record if possible and affordable. If the attorney assistance I need is more expensive than the cost of settling it would give me pause.
How much is the judgment for, and what was the date of entry?
Durka says
Well, the judgement is for about $4500 .. but assuming they are going to tack on interest, it could be quite a bit more. It was ‘judged’ in Sept. 2010. So likely it won’t come off my credit report for another 2 years(I believe my credit score said one and a half)
And even if it did come off sooner, I would still have to worry about them trying to garnish me, correct?
It sounds like I just need to go ahead with the police report, file with the ftc and hire an attorney down where it happened to take care of it. Which sounds like it will cost a pretty penny. If I skip the lawyer bit, it will cost me a good $250 round trip to go down there and it might be several trips overall.
Either that or request information from LVNV and attempt to settle it with them.
Is there really no government identity or process that can recognize that its identity theft and dismiss the judgement without a costly process?
Michael Bovee says
Yes, just because the judgment is no longer on a credit report does not mean they cannot collect on it through the extra ordinary means provided with a judgment.
There is no government agency to help you with this that I know of other than the courts. That is where the issue is,and the courts have to be part of any unwind, or even something as simple as receiving and filing the notice of satisfaction if you locate the account and settle it.
Let me know if you need a referral to an attorney with the experience you need in the area of the court at issue.
J Bowers says
I am closing on my house in a week. and just got a disturbing call from my title company. Apparently there are two liens against my title. My problem is they are not my debts but my ex-husbands, which he incurred after our divorce, and after another marriage. We divorced in ’02 and these are from 2009, seven years later. One of my problems is that while my address is not listed, I found out in 2011 that my divorce lawyer had never filed the quit claim deed for me at the time of my divorce when I received full rights to the home. I was able to get my ex to sign a warranty deed and filed it immediately. So as you can see these judgments fell in between these dates, which makes this even trickier.
I next attempted to contact these two companies, Arrow Financial Services LLC and Advantage Assets Inc. ii. My attempts were futile as both have since gone out of business.
I am now at a complete loss as where to go from here. I close on my house in 6 days and the money from the sale is being used to purchase my new home, which has already been approved. I feel hopeless… These are not my debts, I could lose everything.
Michael Bovee says
Have you contacted the company I reference in the original post above? Try reaching LVNV to find out if the accounts at issue were purchased by them. If you are still in limbo after that call let me know.
Garnished says
Hi, I came across this post when doing research for my own case. We’re in the middle of a mess on which I would love some insight. I’ll try to limit it to bullet points for reader ease.
Friday afternoon- 7/17/15: I logged in to my online bank and noticed that four of my accounts were frozen with their balances on “hold”. A phone call to my bank revealed that Arrow Financial Services, LLC. via Machol & Johannes, LLC (attorneys) had submitted a Writ of Garnishment for any bank account with my husband’s name attached to it. I called our credit counselor who advised us to fill out a “Head of Household” document to claim the appropriate exemptions and protect some of our frozen money. When we completed that task, the court employee told us that there was no garnishment filed against us in our local county (Missouri). She did some research and tracked it to a court in Colorado. We called that court and were directed to forms to obtain copies of the Writs and Notices filed against my husband from 1/2014 to 6/2015. All of these were “served” to a false address in Colorado. We’ve never lived in nor held a mailing address in Colorado. The documents include “Foreign Judgment”, “Notice of Foreign Judgment”, “Amended Notice of Foreign Judgment”, and three separate “Writ of Notice of Garnishment and Pending Levy” Some of these documents don’t have the correct “defendant” name. It’s not even close. They do, however, have the same case number. I can’t clarify because it’s beyond comprehension to me right now. I have people from the court looking in to who let that error get filed.
Monday- 7/20/15: We sent (Certified/Return Receipt Requested) A “Notice of Exemptions” and a “Motion to Stop Garnishment” (included bank statements to show that money didn’t come from my husband (the defendant), but came from me, and even my teenage daughter (He’s on it, so they froze her account, too) to the Colorado court and sent copies to Machol & Johannes, LLC.
Thursday- 7/23/2015: the balances of all accounts, With the exception of my daughter’s account, were consolidated and a check was drafted. The attorney for my bank told us, via phone, that they hold the funds until everything is cleared and garnishment is upheld. My accounts are empty, but thawed out for us to use again. However, I am scared to use them. I am scared to put money in them again. I don’t understand how a collections attorney can get so much wrong and still take money. They still have “Arrow Financial Services, LLC” on all of the court documents. They are dated as late as 6/24/2015.
Any insight or helpful information would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Garnished
Michael Bovee says
Give me a call to go over everything in a bit more detail. I am going to likely refer you to some experienced counsel in Colorado, but want to be certain of some of the issues before I do that.
I can be reached at 800-939-8357, choose option 2. If you get voicemail be sure to leave a message so I know to return the call.
N Patters says
I hope you can help me… I worked for Arrow in 2003. I just got hit by a garnishment from the CA FTB for not filing taxes in 2003. My CPA thinks if I can file a return now I won’t owe anything. Is there anyway to get a W2 from Arrow? Or do you think all of there records are gone. BTW I ws a low performing collector because I refused to use the business practices of the top producers. I’m sorry I ever worked there. I left before 2004.
Michael Bovee says
I do not know how you would go about getting a w-2 from Arrow Financial this long after they closed.
Pained in PA says
Apparently, in 10/ 2010 my then husband signed for a notice to appear for a debt in arbitration for Attorney Weinberg, Frederic Ivan representing Arrow Financial Service for breach of contract. We were separated at the time and are now officially divorced since 2013. I was never informed nor received the notice and a judgment was entered in 12/2010. May 27 a pracipe-writ of execution issued to both and YESTERDAY my bank account was frozen. I have no idea what this debt is or where it originated from. I received this information from the Chester County website. Today I filed a the following: A Rule of Show, Precipe of Determination, Petition for Emergency Special Relief with the attempt to get my account unfroze. This evening I also received a letter from my bank’s attorney indicating the situation and to notify me that they would be charging me $500. Total amount of judgment is $5006. Did I do the right thing? What can I expect from here?
Michael Bovee says
It may prove to be the right thing to have done. You do not know the debt and were never afforded an opportunity to defend it if it is yours. I would run your scenario by an experienced debt defense attorney in PA. Are you more eastern or western PA? Let me know and I can email you contact info to a good attorney.
Pained in PA says
I am Eastern Pa…Chester County, PA.
Mary says
Hi, I just find out that there is a judgment on my property title for a debt that is been collected by arrow financial services, but this debt was included on bankruptcy three years ago.
Can you give me some advice on how to proceed to remove the judgment?
Michael Bovee says
Talk to your bankruptcy attorney first about how to proceed.
carlene says
Hi
I have a weird situation. I have an old credit card from Washington Mutual that was not paid.. I received a judgment from Arrow Financial as ssignee for Washington Mutual Bank with attorney listed as Erica L. Brachfeld (The Brachfeld Law Group) for $2800. I did not know about this until pulling my credit report this month (May 2015). I want to buy a home and can not get financing with this judgment on there.
The problem is Arrow is closed and so is the law firm. Who do i contact abou this?
carlene says
After calling around to everybody i could i located my account at Glass Mountain Capital LLC – they contract through LVNV Funding LLC which bought the debt from Arrow…. wow long process but i found it
Michael Bovee says
Whoops! I responded to your earlier comment before seeing this one. Is your goal to settle the judgment debt for less? How did your conversation go?
Michael Bovee says
Have you checked to see if LVNV purchased your judgment debt? The number to call them and check is in the original article above. If LVNV does not have it, post an update and lest go from there.
Kara says
I had an old judgement as well through arrow financial. I called LNLV and they did have my judgment and put me in touch with the lawyers who could accept payment (1/3 of the balance for me) and get this taken care of.
Michael Bovee says
Thanks for sharing your success Kara, and nicely done!
Annette says
Hello. I have been reading this with interest. My employer called me this morning to tell me LVNV was garnishing my income beginning in two weeks, for a settlement through our local courts way back in 2007.
Q#1. Why was I not SERVED to appear in court. (And No, I really was NOT served).
Q#2. How can I get all the way back to the ROOT of the matter. I want to know who the ORIGINAL deb is owed to. I realize it really does not matter now since LVNV has the debt.
Q#3. They are seriously allowed to disable my income and take more than half?
Michael Bovee says
1. You could be a victim of what is sometimes referred to as “sewer service”.
2. Look up the court record and determine if the account was yours, as the original lender should be outlined in the complaint.
3. No state I know of allows a 50 percent garnishment. Your states laws will speak to how much can be garnished, and there are also hardship scenarios that you may qualify for. What state are you in?
Annette says
I live in Kentucky, and lived in Kentucky in 2007.
Michael Bovee says
Did you look up the court record to see who the original credit was and make sure it was a debt you recognized?
When looking that up in the court record, also look for the address the process server says he/she went to to serve you. Is that an address you ever lived at? Is it an address you lived at the time of service listed?
octavio sandoval says
Hello,
I work for a mortgage servicer in the loss mitigation department. we have a borrower approved for a deed in lieu of foreclosure. The borrower has a lein from Arrow from 2007. That debt was discharged in a BK chapter 7 a year later so collection can’t be pursued but the lien remains on the property. I was trying to reach them to offer them money to have the lien released. Since they cannot collect on it, its unlikely that the debt was sold. I will try LVNV. Any insight you can provide will be appreciated.
Michael Bovee says
Call Steve at 866-997-4242. He is a counselor I refer to often for Arrow Financial judgment and lien issues. He has good success tracking down resolving many issues like this.
Loretta says
I am seeking an address to send a Bankruptcy case filing Notice to and wanted to know how do I know which debt was bought by which company? I want them to get Notice or it will not be discharged or paid. Please help. Thank you,
Michael Bovee says
I would start by contacting LVNV Funding (number in post above).
Are there Arrow Financial Services judgments?
Jessica says
Hi Michael, my husband and I just tried to apply for a mortgage loan, we then found out my husband has a “Judgment” from Arrow Financial Services from 06/2009. We tried calling but found out they were no longer open, we were then transferred to LVNV & were told they do not have his case. We are in Cook, IL. and are in desperate help on how to get this settled. Any advice would be truly appreciated!
Michael Bovee says
Call Steve, a counselor in the network who has had great success in these situations with Arrow, and talk everything over – 866-997-4242.
Karla Gutierrez says
Hello Michael, I work for an escrow company and am currently processing a refinance for a client. There is a judgment recorded on the property for which Arrow Financial is the named creditor. We have tried calling the attorneys who are on the abstract, however, they are now out of business as well. We then called LVNV and they are not handling this account. We cannot find the financial institution handling this case. By any chance do you know where else the Arrow Financial accounts have been transferred to?
Michael Bovee says
One of the counselors in the network has had great success in tracking these down for people. Call Steve at 866-997-4242 and see if he can help you.
Thomas says
Michael, where can I find an official document that shows Arrow Financial LLC is dissolved?
Michael Bovee says
Not sure where you will find that. You might look at the original corporate filing and see that it has not been renewed these last several years, if there is no formal dissolution filed.
Brian says
Hi there, I recently was told of a judgment against me during the closing of escrow from Arrow Financial. My credit report shows nothing? Do you think i should call LVNV or is there another way to get this judgment removed?The case was from 12/2008. Thank you
Michael Bovee says
How much of a hurry are you in? What is the balance owed?
I generally suggest starting with locating the judgment owner, so calling LVNV first would establish that, or eliminate them.
Post an update and lets go from there.
Joanne says
Hi, I am looking to pay off a judgment that was placed against me in 2009 by Arrow. It’s legitimate, I just need to know who to pay so I can get my credit cleared. The attorney that had the case said that I have to contact Arrow, but they’re out of business.
Michael Bovee says
Did you call the number for LVNV that I provide in the article above? If not, that is the first place I would check to see if your debt was part of their purchase. Let me know what you find out and lets go from there.
keith waterman says
Hi. My father has a judgement from Arrow Financial in 2008 (originally Bank of America) against his house. They passed it to Forster and Garber, but now they are not acting for Arrow. I checked with LV and they do not have debt. I want to sell he house, but do not know who I need to clear the debt with.
Can you advise?
Keith
Michael Bovee says
One of the guys in our network, Steve, has had good success tracking down and resolving old Arrow Financial issues. Scroll down to the blurb about Steve and reach him at the number listed for professional help with debt collectors.
Michelle says
Hello, I had a judgement placed against me in 2008. Arrow financial services llc is listed as the plaintiff as assignee for Washington Mutual Bank with Mann & Bracken as the collection agency/attorney. All of which have closed up shop. I had payment plans a years back with mann and bracken and those stopped and I’ve never heard from anyone ever again. How do I find out where my debt has gone and how I would start to pay this again??
Michael Bovee says
Did you try calling Resurgent Capital / LVNV Funding to see if your account was one they purchased? I would start there. The number is up top in the original article.
deanna says
I have a question and need help. I have a judgment against me from Arrow financial services. They have been trying to collect on a hsbc credit card since 2009. the judgement says arrow financial svcs vs deanna [edited] but the attorneys that filed the judgement are bowman vivacian and something else. It says the plaintiff is arrow financial svcs vs deanna [edited] not bowman vivacian. I live in Indiana the attorney they sent it to is about 20 mins from my house. I want to know what I can do about this because I have not received any other information that someone else bought it and I have a supplement hearing on 11/25/2014 at 8:45 in the morning. I want to dispute this because my credit report is showing the debt charged off and a 0 balance for this hsbc account which was back in 2008. It says consumer closed account. Any help would be great. Thank u
Michael Bovee says
When a creditor sells a debt to a debt buyer, like Arrow Financial, the charged off credit card will stay on your credit reports for up to 7.5 years from the date you last made your on time payments to HSBC. And the zero balance HSBC is showing is how it should report. They sold the legal right to the debt and are now owed nothing.
Debt buyers do not have to inform you when they sell your debt.
When you were sued many years ago, were you aware that was happening? That, and other angles, may be worth digging in and fight back.
How much is owed on the judgment?
deanna says
It’s about 1600.00 may be more because nothings been paid on it. Interest and late fees racked up plus court costs. Yes I was aware of it I went to court but couldn’t pay anything because I didn’t have a job lost my job in 2008 that was why I stopped paying it. I still don’t have a job today and I have this hearing tomorrow for them to try and get money from me. I consulted an attorney he told me there was nothing they can do to me if I don’t have a job. But how long can they keep coming after me? I would think they would give up being I can’t pay it. I was going to settle with them for 1300.00 because my husband was going to pay the settlement but he lost his job 3 weeks ago and I still have to go to this supplement proceeding. Now our main goal is to make sure we don’t lose our house. Just wondering how I can get rid of this. I can’t afford bankruptcy now so I don’t know. Thanks for your help.
Michael Bovee says
It is what it is until your situation turns around.
Be sure to show up to all scheduled court proceedings at this point.
Is the judgment against just you?
Do you have joint bank accounts with your husband?
It would cost as much, or even more, to file chapter 7 bankruptcy, than it would to settle the debt for less than what is owed. Not worth it unless you have other debts to include in chapter 7.
nicole b says
Hi Michael,
I have a judgment from 2008 showing in the public records section of my credit report with the plaintiff: AGD Financial Services. I too, am trying to get a mortgage and cannot while this shows as unsatisfied. When I couldn’t find any information on AGD Fin. online, I called the law offices that represented them. They told me that AGD was now Arrow Financial Services and I would need to contact them. A quick search showed the Arrow was no longer in business, and then I found this page (thankfully!). I contacted the number above and spoke with someone at Resurgent who could not find an existing account under my name, address or social. The representative told me I should contact the court, which I did and the clerk told me that she didn’t know what I should do, except talk to a lawyer. I have already spoken with miconsumercredit.com who told me they couldn’t help – they only help with inaccuracies on credit reports. So….any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated! thanks in advance!
Michael Bovee says
Steve, a CRN specialist, has had good success in resolving some of the Arrow files that are… anomalies so to speak. Give him a call at 866-997-4242.
Roger says
Michael, been reading so much here about Arrow Financial. I too have a judgement against me from Arrow in 07. My problem is, I just received a wage garnishment from the local court, that was brought against me from some lawyers in NY stating that their assignee is Arrow Financial. However the judgement they used is dated from 09, yet no judgements show up on my credit report from 09. I don’t even know what the debt is in relation to. I can understand this if the law firm bought the debt even if I’m not sure where the debt originates from. But is it “Legal” for them to represent a company that no longer exists, even if they bought the debt ? Should not the Assignee be the NEW company that bought the debt ?
Michael Bovee says
Your situation may be the reference to the Arrow Financial judgment in the court record, as that is the matter legally recognized. The fact the account changes hands post judgment is not required to be cleaned up in the court necessarily.
Who is the law firm collecting?
Can you confirm the name of the new company?
Roger says
Well Michael, I’m having a hard time understanding how there can be 2 judgements for the same case or so it seems. I went to the court house to get a copy of all judgements against me. The one for Arrow was from 07 but up in the corner of the page the clerk also wrote an addintional judgement number from 09 yet wasn’t able to produce a copy ? The Lawyers in NY are Eltman, Eltman, and Cooper. Googled them and found that they have had many, many, cases that were tossed out of court for unethical practices and not being able to produce the original debt. On the court papers it states that the Attorneys are just that, Attorneys for Plaintiff/Plaintiffs Assignee. and list Arrow as the Plaintiff. It doesn’t say that there are new owners for the debt or who presently owns the debt. Answer me this, if civil judgements are public record, what stops an attorney from filing papers stating that they represent a plaintiff ? Should I write the Lawyers and demand proof of debt and try to get the judgement vacated if they cannot produce the proof of debt?
Michael Bovee says
I would recommend running all of what is going on with this judgment, Arrow, and the Eltman and Cooper law firm, by an experienced debt collection defense attorney. Most attorneys with a practice focused in this area will offer a no cost initial consult. And this will help you get your bearings for what action step to take.
Post the name of a large city near you if you want some help locating some experienced attorneys to talk to.
CoachAJ5 says
Have read alot of good things here. Basically my story is I have a judgement on file with arrow from 2009, and then from Midland funding in 2010. I literally cannot remember what they were for, only that I tried to contact arrow and like everyone else, ran into a wall. Reading past posts here I have realized I will be making a court trip next week to pull the dockets, and get more info. I am in Massachusetts, and am unsure who, if anyone, owns that debt now. And even if they did buy it, don’t I have to receive notice of it? My big issue is I am trying to get a mortgage, and using a VA loan, I guess, or any loan- civil judgements need to be satisfied. If noone bought the debt, can’t I challenge in court that it is even owed anymore? And furthermore, if they bought debt that has exceeded 7 years (6 in Mass I believe) isn’t that debt void? Any help will be greatly appreciated. I can’t believe you respond to so many posts. Thanks so much!!
CoachAJ5 says
And the Midland comment was because although they are for different amounts, maybe it was the bought debt?
Michael Bovee says
It is not a requirement that Arrow notify you they are selling the judgment, nor the buyers responsibility to let you know they purchased your debt. That may change with debts changing hands in the future, as that type of notice is one that is being considered by the CFPB in their rule making capacity (not that any development in this regard would help or hinder you).
Judgment debt in Massachusetts is good for 20 years. You may be looking at the SOL to initiate a collection action in the court being 6 years, but the SOL to collect on an existing judgement is 20.
How much are the judgment balances?
CoachAJ5 says
One is 2700 and the other 1700. I’m off to pull both dockets tomorrow am. After I may end up contacting LVNV. Thanks for the response!
CoachAj5 says
The one I am having an issue finding is $2700, the other is $1700, or was, and now $2106.90 thanks to our friend interest. The Arrow one which was bought by Lustig Glaser & Wilson I found this am after a clerks visit is for a Washington Mutual Card I had at least ten years ago, and in the initial proceedings had an “on or before date” of April 2008. The judgement was default as I didn’t even know it was on the date it was. Then Sold to a diff lawyer, and eneded up currently being in the hands of Lustig&co. After a judgement is obtained do I have any more rights to request info on the debt? As in proof of debt? I realize so many people end up worsening their problems by default judgments whether or not they actually owed. It just seems with all the trickery and bs the plaintiffs get away with, I would at least like to try and make them prove I even owed WaMu a debt they likely bought for pennies on the dollar. Again, this site is so helpful! Any info is greatly appreciated-
Michael Bovee says
The issue you will likely have to contend with is that all of this took place so long ago. Judgment debts can be challenged, but timelines for challenges of sewer service and the like have limits. I know some consumer law attorneys have had success challenging judgments beyond the plain reading of their states statute (often one year). You can look deeper into the viability of challenging court judgments you knew nothing about by consulting with someone in your state who practices collection defense regularly.
What city are you in?
CoachAJ5 says
I am in Springfield, Massachusetts. And thakyou again for the response.
I got copies made of the two judgements which both name Lustig & Co. as the plaintiff, and phoned them today, and they told me they only had one in their computer. So now I am thinking I maybe should consult with an atty as it would seem if they bought the debt from arrow ( I have the guys signature on the default execution 8/11/2009) they likely have it somewhere. And I am reluctant to give them any info that may end up requiring me to pay something that is probably time-barred. I officially have a headache. Thanks so much for this forum and your insight! I am floored at how educational this place is.
Michael Bovee says
Closest attorney I found with the experience you need is in Northampton. I sent you an email with his contact details. Let me know how this progresses for you.
Coachaj5 says
So I spoke with the lawyer you referred and thanks again, he was great. He thinks they have a solid 2 judgements as they didn’t even botch the serving (on paper). Not that I received at least one of them. At any rate, so I called Lustig & Glaser who told me the 2009 judgement was called back to Arrow Financial in Mar of 2010. Now this is referring the Washington mutual card and so I have no idea where to find this judgement. Guess I call Whoever bought Washington mutual? Also, in regards to the other debt they offered me 1750 on the 2150 judgement and I declined. Countered w 50% an they said no, and I terminated the phone call. Could use some info on how to get them to negotiate lower than the original debt before interest. I called homedepot Citibank who confirmed thT it is in the hands of Lustig &Co. but noted I can make payment to them as well. Didn’t seem legit but now all of it is getting deeper. So do I call LVNV to see if they have it? Whoever bought Washington mutual? Dang. This is the worst. Never again in my life will I allow anything near this to happen. What a headache.
Michael Bovee says
WAMU got absorbed into Chase. But I highly doubt calling Chase will lead to anything on an old Arrow Financial collection issue. I would start trying to narrow who has the account down by calling LVNV/Resurgent Capital.
If you are settling these, and your targets are 50%, that is fairly realistic. But that can also depend on how collectable you look to collectors and attorneys. Are you paying other accounts on time that show on your credit reports? Have applied for new credit in the last 6 months?
CoachAj5 says
Yes, I have. So they have stood strong at offering me $1700 and some change, which is pretty much what the original debt was, so I am super hesitant to “settle” for that much, especially where ever I read I am seeing 40-60% without trouble. Also, on my second judgement I hit a roadblock. Resurgent says they do not have that judgement, nor LVNV which I guess they manage as well. So now I am kind of at a loss where to go from here. If the company that owned the debt sold it to Lustig in ’09, then recalled it in 2010 and LVNV and Resurgent say they don’t have it who does that leave? Washington Mutual? Because they too, are out of business. So I sort of looked around at who might have bought their debt, and hit a wall. Ugh,
Michael Bovee says
Use what you read about others settling as reference point, but try not to get hung up on the settlement results for situations you have little insight into. It really can boil down to collectability scores that are based on collections software. If you look more collectable than someone who is not paying anything on time on their credit report, I would give them a lower deal than you too.
That said, try again maybe a week from today when there are a couple days left for someone to meet there monthly collection goals. That kind of collector motivation is not always in play with judgment debts, but it can be.
As far as Arrow goes, call in and consult with Steve at 866-997-4242. He is a specialist in the network I have worked with for many years. He has had good success tracking down and resolving old Arrow accounts.
Coachaj5 says
So update is like this: believe it or not, chase has the account. I called the. Last because why would they have it? Well, they bought WaMu is why, and on their side the paperwork was rocked because it shows as Chase on the account. Not arrow financial. After a lengthy conversation I ended up faxing them my copy of the judgment and we have a tentative deal for $1008 on the $2900 provided it gets through their hurdles. Calling back tomorrow, after the second week of faxes, and phone calls has passed. So glad I didn’t pay that lawyer (so far, I may have porked myself by faxing them). Figured it is public record anyway, so why slow the process down when the goal is to clear it up. I wanna thank you again for all the help, and guidance. I have learned SO much during this process, and most important being never let it get to this level. Haha. There really is no reason for it. I’ll keep updating as this is far from over I am sensing. The other judgement I haven’t called back on, but will next week sometime before the end of the month like you suggested.
CoachAj5 says
So, here we are 90 something days later, and Chase still hasn’t done anything with the debt, as they can’t find it. I have been told by a debt collector the account was recalled by Arrow 26Mar2010, and it has since vanished. LVNV have said they never had it, and don’t, and I can’t seem to get it taken care of until it is found. I called the number (Steve) a few times and have hit a wall. Is there any representatives left for Arrow? How is it possible that noone is made to have accountability for it? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Michael Bovee says
Did you speak with Steve?
Nancy says
Michael,
I had a debt with Arrow Financial and back in 2008 a judgement was granted for less than $3,000. Now a new group has this debt and they filed a garnishment for $11,000. I just discovered that Arrow never served me any legal paperwork. They sent the paperwork to my mother’s old address and to her sisters. I have lived at the same address for over 20 years and it should have been very easy for anyone to locate me. Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount now owed since I was never informed for the first court hearing? It carries over $8,000 in interest.
Michael Bovee says
What stat are you in Nancy?
Nancy says
Michigan
Michael Bovee says
Debts that are really old can be difficult to unwind. Some states have precedent for reaching back and vacating judgments as old as yours, but I am not aware of that in Michigan. But that does not mean it is not possible.
Call in and talk to Steve, a CRN specialist, that has had many successes helping folks with Arrow issues: 866-997-4242
Bob says
Hi Michael I have a debt with arrow and have settled with Kream and kream. Originally when I settled it was out of court before the court date and they told me not to go. A while later I had missed some payments and had to go back to court I then found out after that they were charging me 13% interest because I defaulted on the first court appearance because they told me not to come and they would tell the judge we settled but never informed me of the interest on the debt. I have now paid them over $800 on a debt that was only around $950 and now they want an additional $795! Is there a way to get the interest off and the balance to the original debt?
Michael Bovee says
Was there anything in writing about the settlement and payment agreements at any time?
Bob says
None that I was given at first. Then when I actually went to court I got paper work saying that the there was an agreement where I had to pay the $25 a month nothing about the interest or the amount owed
Michael Bovee says
Pull the judgment docs from the court record and verify the amount in the order, and what the judge capped the interest rate at. Calculate that and make sure the attorney collector did the math right.
When payments stop to creditors and debt collectors, even in this late collection stage scenario, you can often contact them to negotiate a lower lump sum pay off. There are even instances where the real time value of money will kick in to the thought process of judgment creditors, enabling you to negotiate a lower single payoff while current with a monthly payment agreement.
unsureonwhattodo... says
Will a judgement be taken off after 180 days or will it stay on your credit forever, even if i do send the release and satisfaction to the credit bureas and the court house?
Michael Bovee says
Paid or settled judgments will generally be removed from your credit reports 7 years after they were first entered in the court record.
unsureonwhattodo... says
Hi Mike I also wanted to add that my judgement is for almost 2100.00 my original line of credit was for 1000.00 but i am not sure if i even spent all of that. Do you think 700.00 is a fair amount to settle upon or should i ask for a lower amount, because i dont even make 700.00 every two weeks. I would like it lower but unsure on how to pursue this.
Michael Bovee says
You did a good job getting LVNV to settle for that low. You can certainly try to negotiate and even lower deal, but being realistic, it will not get all that much better than that on judgments.
Shane says
Hey, hope someone can be of help. In December of 2008 I had a judgment placed against me by Arrow Financial Services, LLC. This was for a Bank of America Credit Card I defaulted on. Fast Forward to August of 2014 when I receive a Writ of Garnishment from Eltman Eltman Cooper on behalf of Arrow Financial Services. My questions are: Can EEC legally do this because it is my understanding that Arrow Financial Services no longer exists. I could understand this if EEC bought the bad debt and then tried to get judgment against me, but all the legal documents I have received still list Arrow Financial as plaintiff with EEC as there attorney. Any and all help would be appreciated.
Michael Bovee says
Judgments can be assigned and sold like debts at earlier stages of collection. The judgment in the record will not change from Arrow Financial if your debt was sold.
You can contest a wage garnishment formally with the court. If the notice you received did not explain the basics for requesting a hearing, call the court clerk tomorrow and ask for the steps you need to take. You will get to the bottom of this through that process, and if the garnishment is valid, you will have an opportunity to show how the amount they are trying to get is too high for your income and expenses. If you meet certain criteria, you could be partially, or even fully, exempt from garnishment.
How much is the judgment for?
Mary says
I paid a judgement off from Arrow Financial aka LVNV and need a letter to confirm. Who do I contact?
Michael Bovee says
When and whom did you pay?
paula says
I have paid my judgement from Arrow Financial Services and they never filed a release of satisfaction of Judgement with court. I wrote Arrow a certified letter asking them to file a satisfaction of Judgement with my county court. I have never received a response, and the debt has been paid since 2010. What other things can I do?
Michael Bovee says
Call and talk to Steve, a CRN specialist, at 800-939-8357. He has had a good amount of success help people get through tough to solve Arrow Financial issues.
marilyn says
I was sued by a law firm for money i owed to arrowhead. My wages were garnished. I lost my job. Got a letter in the mail saying the garnishment was quashed. 2 years later and I just got a letter saying a different law firm has taken over this case and they are going to sue me for garnishment. Can this happen? Original debt was incurred in2007.
Michael Bovee says
What state are you in?
marilyn says
Arizona
Michael Bovee says
On the surface you appear to be passed the SOL to sue, but the prior suit may have tolled the SOL (paused the passage of time for SOL purposes), or the last date of payment in their records is not yet 6 years old.
How much are they trying to collect? What is your goal with this account?
Meghan says
Another Arrow Fianacial Issue! My fiancé and I are in the process of applying for a mortgage, we were approved except for 1 issue on his credit report with arrow financial. A debt that he has a judgement for on his credit report, we pulled docket entries from our state website that showed they had attempted to garnish wages but at the time the bank used stated he had no accounts with them. He contacted the bank with which it was issued they said it was closed and gave him the lawyers office with which it originated, they said they couldn’t help because it was a closed account. Our mortgage person the contacted the credit bureau to submit for a supplemental, they in turn sent back a note that stated unsatisfactory. Closing is coming up, without this issue taken care of we will not qualify for the loan. Feels like we are at a dead end or vicious circle! Not sure what direction to go.
Michael Bovee says
Call 800-939-8357 and talk to Steve, a CRN specialist. He has had good success resolving old Arrow issues.
Daniel Dalton says
Hello,
I bought a camper (RV) from a guy without a title silly me right! I applied for a lost title and found out that ARROW FINANCIAL SERVICES owns the lien. They are closed now and I have contacted LVNV they dont have the loan either. Do you know of anyone else that may have taken over AFS loans?
Michael Bovee says
I would encourage you to call 800-939-8357 and speak with Steve, a CRN specialist. He has had good success tracking down AFS accounts that seemingly disappear.
Tammy says
I have a judgement from Arrow Financial dated 05/2008.
My ex husband was to assume all debits (credit cards too). Needless to say, he just didn’t pay them. So my past life is following me around…$4073.00.
I have disputed this and sent the divorce decree to them….nope, they say it doesn’t matter. The debit is mine. Am I correct to think that in May 2015, this judgement will disappear …or am I doomed to pay it?
Bad thing…the ex jerk used it to buy his crappy hunting supplies that he still has.
Michael Bovee says
The divorce decree did not absolve you with the courts and creditors. You can chase the ex down for this money, but until this is resolved, it will still follow you around.
Once a judgment falls off a credit report, it does not necessarily stop impeding your ability to get credit, due to the public record still being easily accessed.
What state do you live in?
Paul says
I have a paid judgement from Arrow Financial that I want to get removed from my credit report. I wish I knew as much about this back when it was happening as I do now! Anyway, now that theyve closed shop, who do I contact about getting it removed? The Credit Bureaus?
Michael Bovee says
Getting Arrow Financial off your credit report is not likely at this point. Disputing with the credit bureaus may mean getting lucky and one or more remove the info, but the public court record is why Arrow shows on your credit. Once the local data miner provides another batch of data, Arrow is back on your credit again.
What was the date of judgment entry in the court record?
Amy says
Hi Michael,
Arrow Financial Services, sued me on January 28, 2010 for $1,411.00 for a credit card debt with Fifth Third bank, I was in college and had a bank account (which I did overdraw) but never had a credit card. I had no credit and couldn’t get a credit card.
Having never been served a summons and complaint before, I called the company listed and was told to wait for a court date. That never came, but a default judgment did. I filed a motion to set aside the default judgment and during the hearing could not prove I was served improperly but adamantly disputed the validity of the debt and challenged the Plaintiffs to prove that I did. They could not, so the judge adjourned court and set a date 30 days ahead to allow Arrow Financial to obtain verification of the debt. Upon the second hearing they still had no documents from Fifth Third Bank of a credit card, just some random numbers that matched neither a credit card number (digits were not 16+ long enough nor began with the customary number for Visa’s, Mastercards, etc.) and yet the judge reverted back to the fact that I was served properly and dismissed my case to set aside the default judgment. This took place in Michigan.
Fast forward to the present, I currently live in Texas, this Judgment has been a blemish on my credit since 2010. I want this removed and as discussed AFS it is out of business. What do I do? How can the Courts collect on behalf of a company that has dissolved or went bankrupt? Is it too late to file a motion for dismissal of the judgment?
The account has not been placed with any of the above lenders. An atty collection firm out of Novi, MI called Mary Jane Elliott, PC has the AFS account now. How can their office collect on the “debt?” They are not the original Plaintiffs, furthermore, how do I know that they are even legally entitled to collect on the debt.
Michael Bovee says
The court record is what they get to rely on for proof of the debt. Find out who Mary Jane Elliot is working for. Someone bought your Arrow Financial judgment debt. That kind of thing happens, and with companies that are still open for business.
You are not likely going to get this off your credit report. You would have to do that at the court level. I can refer you to someone with the experience you need to look into it. But be prepared for their being costs, with no guarantees of success.
Craig says
Hi,
I have a judgment against me from 2008 and am trying to get a mortgage. They told me this needs to be removed but it was paid off when I got a mortgage for another house back in 2011 (I had quite a few issues on my credit report that were all resolved prior to my getting the loan for my home). I am not sure why/how it’s still there given that I was able to get approved for a mortgage and car loan since the judgment in 2008. I don’t know who to contact to get it removed since Arrow is out of business and would another company even have records that this was paid?
Michael Bovee says
Craig – Who did you pay the money to when this was resolved a couple years ago?
Jan says
Michael
Just received a call at my office from an “Investigator” claiming she is trying to find me as I am elluding Arrowhead corporation for a loan they provided me in 2009 of $300. The woman said they are going to prosecute me for intent to fraud and failure to pay off a debt. I explained to the woman that I have no idea who Arrowhead corp is and have never taken a loan from them. She said Arrowhead had been trying to contact me for the last 5 years with no luck. I asked her where she got my phone number from and address. She replied Arrowhead. I said “Ok then if they gave you this address and phone number and this is the first time you tried to reach me and actually DID reach me don’t you think its kind of weird they couldn’t reach me.” She replied “Ma’am its because I am an investigator.” I asked her to fax me some proof of this debt and she said she did not have to. Either I arrange payment today or she turns it over to the attorney’s and the State police and they will handle it. My mind is completely blown at this time…and I have no clue what to do.
Michael Bovee says
Jan – Based on what you shared, you are being victimized by a scam debt collector. You did not give them any personal financial information… right?
Legitimate debt collectors do not say the things that were told to you… pretty much period. You can ignore this if you like. But if it were me, I would file a complaint with your state AG, and the CFPB, providing all available details. It would at least be on their radar.
don says
Im in same boat for a client like bill long, any one can do this real cheap in wa state?
Michael Bovee says
don – Call or email Steve, the CRN specialist I just emailed you contact details for. He has been able to help folks either directly, or get them where they need to be.
Bill Long says
Arrow Financial had a judgement against us. Then they went out of business and I couldn’t figure out who to pay to satisfy the judgement years later. I looked up the principle contacts from their LLC records and my lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the judgement based on the fact that Arrow Financial was AWOL and there was no successor for the asset. Nobody from Arrow showed up to court. We got the judgement dropped. Case closed. If you’re having trouble with Arrow in this manner, find a lawyer and take care of business.
Debbie says
Michael, As reading all the comments on your site, I am slowly beginning to realize I have a long road ahead of me. With NO warning, my wages have begun to be garnished as of yesterday. I asked payroll to email a copy of the judgment. To my surprise the original judgment against me was in my former name which I haven’t had since 2001. The judgment was dated Oct. 8, 2007 for Arrow. As I have worked for years at the same place, any loans I had went through my credit union. The newest judgment against me was from LVNV. They got a court order against me in March of 2014.
My first question will be: how do I find out what the original debt was for so I can know to dispute it or not? And, is there a statute of limitations on debt collections?
If in fact I have forgotten something of this nature, it certainly would have been at least 14 years ago at a minimum.
Any help on your part would be greatly appreciated before I invest in an attorney. Thank you…
Michael Bovee says
Debbie – My guess is that LVNV renewed an existing judgment (real easy to do), that was originally and Arrow Financial collections in the court. You can learn more about the original debt Arrow sued for in the court record. Call the clerk of that court and ask how you might access the courts info on line, or go in and view the info at the court house.
If the garnishment is causing a hardship, you can contest the amount through the court. Ask the clerk about how to do that too.
If you have an issue with the original judgment (debt not yours or something like that), post an update and lets go from there.
Susan Gibbs says
Hi..I hope you can help resolve an issue…My late husband purchased 2 four-wheelers back in 2005 which were financed thru GE Money bank. He was taken to attorney collections in 2008 and I paid off the debt that year after he passed away. I was never sent release of lein documents and now cannot pass the title on because of the stamped lein from GE Money. They cannot help me since the account went with Arrow, and, well, you know where they went. I also contacted the original attorney’s office and they could not help either. I do have their payoff letter but the title agency tells me that doesn’t work because the letter does not reference the account was for the titled four wheelers..just gives the GE Money name and a 16 digit account number. I live in Ohio if that makes a difference. Thanks
Michael Bovee says
Susan – I would encourage you to fill out the contact box on this page. I will forward your information on to Steve, a CRN specialist, who has gotten good results in situations like what you describe.
mary says
I have an old debt older then 9years on Arrow Financial. They garnished my paycheck and now garnishing my bank account. But now its called something else and now over to The Law Offices of Michol and Johannes. They were sending paperwork to an old address that now elderly is staying at and the elderly couple never returned my mail to post office so law office assumed I got all this paperwork. Well now there is a freeze or hold on my account and law office stated that any penny that comes in to my account will be taken for this debt. When i called them i was so pleasant and told them that if I knew I still had this debt
i wouldve called earlier to set up a payment plan instead a hold on my account. He started to argue, i assume they are just use to clients complaining and yelling at them, but i just want to get rid of this debt and pay it off with payments as soon as i can. But they took also my boyfriends money which he gets his paycheck direct deposited and he just got his tax return deposited. What should I do? How can i add this debt to my debt consolidation? Can this debt still be collected even after 10years? and can they also hold my account and take my boyfriends money when its only my DEBT??
thank you for your time.
Mary
Michael Bovee says
Mary – Judgment debts do not expire like other debts that are not legally enforceable. And yes, that does mean money in your bank account is at risk.
How much is the balance owed on the judgment right now? How much did they get from your joint bank account with your boy friend? How much can you come up with to settle the debt in a single payment? What state do you live in?
katie says
We have the same issue a Ally, my husband has a judgment on his credit report from 2011 but never got paperwork. We don’t even know the original creditor so how do we get this resolved since we are trying to fix our credit to get a house.
Michael Bovee says
katie – You can pull a copy of the judgment from the court record. Once you have that, post an update with the info (creditor and if you agree with balance owed etc) and lets go from there.
What is your time frame for your goal of buying a home? How many collection entries do you have on your credit reports individually? Are they paid, or unpaid? How long ago were there payments made on any of them?
Ally says
Hello Mike,
I have a judgment on my credit report dated back in 2008. At the time, a family member signed for the summons. Last year I found out Arrow is out of business. I now really want to get this judgment off my credit report ( no patience to wait another year and a half). What should i do? I would certainly settle for 25-30% of the claim amount. Do you know of anyone who was successful at settling judgment in exchange for getting it vacated? Please let me know what you think. I would like to get this taken care of as soon as possible. Thank you.
Ally.
Michael Bovee says
Ally – I would say you have a zero percent chance of getting this off of your credit report. You would need to identify some legal strategy to get this reopened in the court. That means hiring an experienced debt collection defense attorney. That costs money, and perhaps quite a bit, and with no guarantee of success.
Why is it you are losing patience. What are your credit goals you are trying to achieve. You may still need to resolve the judgment even if it comes off your credit report.
Melissa says
I have a question, I am very confused, I was told by my employer the other day that they received a phone call regarding my employment status and my wages will be garnished, I had no clue what this was over, so I called the number they gave me and was told it was Arrow Financial for a debt of $8000 from 2005! I found out they had placed a judgment against me in 2008 and was still open, I have never received any phone calls or letters about this debt and now they are stating they are going to send paperwork to garnish my wages. My question is can they garnish my wages for an unsecured credit card debt?
Michael Bovee says
Melissa – It sounds like the garnishment is for an Arrow Financial Services judgment, not for Arrow themselves. It is not that you are simply being garnished for not paying the unsecured debt. The debt is now secured by a judgment, that is enforceable through garnishment in most states.
You will have to deal with this. Can you pool together money to settle the debt? If not, or even if you can, you will want to look at whether you meet full or partial exemptions from garnishment in your state based on your income and expenses.
Kim says
I am trying to settle a very old debt that was being handled initially by Arrow Financial. They have since begun garnishing my wages. Now that I am a position to get the debt settled, I tried to find Arrow only to come across the news of their folding. I have no idea where the debt landed. I have tried calling a couple of places that I have sseen through this site (LVNV, Cavalry, VanRu), but have not been successful in finding the current collector. What can I do to find them?
Michael Bovee says
Kim – Call in and talk to Steve, a specialist I have worked with for years. He has had good success tracking down Arrow accounts. 800-939-8357
Linda says
Hi Michael,
I was expecting a tax return from my state, only to find out I have a pending garnishment from Arrow Financial for 2K. I called the MI tax creditor and they told me Arrow Financial sold it to an collection attorney Winters. I have no idea what this is, and never received any type of paperwork on this. There is nothing about this on my credit report. Do you have any suggestions?
Michael Bovee says
Linda – I would suggest connecting with a specialized consumer debt defense attorney in your area. If you post the name of a nearby larger city, I will look one up and email you what I find.
Brady says
Hi Michael. I have an odd situation with Arrow. They bought a charged off debt of mine back in 2008. A year later I was served a paper summons with an actual case number. I hired an attorney who responded to them and apparently Arrow never followed through to obtain a judgement. About a year later I was served again at home with a different complaint by the same attorney representing Arrow for the same debt. Again, my lawyer responded to them and after a few back & forth rounds of various calls, faxes, voicemails, emails, etc. the matter sort of died. No judgement was ever taken against me despite having been served paperwork twice.
Now that Arrow went belly up, LVNV has purchased the account. On my credit report it is LVNV who is reporting this debt. I think my last payment made was sometime in Sept 2008. but I could be wrong and it could have been as late as Sept 2009. I was going through a difficult financial time back then and have no records from my bank or saved in the filing cabinet. I have since changed banks and have no historical account access to my old checking account. The SOL in my state is six years. And my DOFD was sometime around June 2007. That means I am close to having this fall off my credit report at the end of the year and also very close to not worrying about another lawsuit, assuming my last payment was really in June 2008.
My concern is I am not sure about that last payment date. How can I verify it for sure without contacting LVNV and poking the sleeping monster? I want to buy a home sometime in 2015 but am scared LVNV will try to sue me again for this zombie debt.
Also, are they still able to go after me again via lawsuit considering the inactivity with the last two “summons” I received? I am not very well versed in credit law but have done some reading on Laches as well as docket inactivity (see: EDIT LINK REMOVED ). Although I do not live in PA, I wonder if this case law helps my situation.
Thanks for any clarity you may provide.
Michael Bovee says
Brady – Given all of the background detail you provided, I do not think you have much to worry about. I doubt LVNV is going to sue on this debt again. And if they do, your attorney has proven to be adept at chasing off debt collectors.
Your credit report and estimating the date the account will age off: Which credit reports are you looking at when you see the original creditors entries?
Brady says
Thank you, Michael. That makes me feel better. I am hoping to buy a house in the next year and believe that mortgage shopping will draw LVNV’s attention.
I began to archive all of my credit reports that I obtain online and via regular mail since 2010. On my older reports, the OC listed DOFD as well as last payment. The OC has previously dropped off my reports and was replaced by Arrow. They used the same DOFD but a different date of last payment, and I am wondering if I made the mistake of paying them once or twice after the OC assigned the account to them. Arrow was adding a lot of interest to the original amount the OC had reported after the account had charge off.
Arrow is no longer on my reports, but LVNV is. LVNV has since recalculated my balance owed to match the amount previously listed by the OC. It’s all very odd to me.
Shar says
Hi Michael. I contacted LVNM to find out if they have an acct picked up from Arrow Financial only to find out they did not. Where else can I check?
Michael Bovee says
Shar – Call in for a consult with Steve. He has had good success with Arrow Financial account location and resolution. Call 800-939-8357.