Midland Credit Management buys charged-off credit card debt and reports a collection entry using its own purchase date as the account open date. Consumers have disputed that practice as re-aging in BBB complaints filed through early 2026. According to those complaints, MCM has continued to report accounts after receiving written dispute letters and listed the same debt twice on credit reports. Some consumers also allege MCM filed lawsuits without first sending validation notices. Call +1-844-638-1122 for a free case review with The Wood Firm PLLC.
Key Takeaways
- Midland Credit Management Inc. (MCM) is a debt buyer founded in 1953, headquartered in San Diego, CA, and a subsidiary of Encore Capital Group. It purchases charged-off credit card, loan, and telecom debt from major lenders and collects the balances directly.
- MCM is not BBB-accredited. It has accumulated over 1,050 BBB complaints in three years. Common allegations include re-aged accounts, duplicate credit entries, unresponded validation letters, and lawsuits filed before sending required validation notices.
- In 2015, the CFPB issued a consent order against MCM and Encore Capital Group for misleading consumers and failing to validate debts. In 2020, the CFPB sued MCM again for allegedly violating that order.
- MCM and its affiliates have faced multistate robo-signing settlements affecting 1.5 million consumers, a $12 million Massachusetts AG settlement, and ongoing class actions.
- Under the FDCPA, consumers may recover up to $1,000 per violation. Under the FCRA, willful violations carry up to $1,000 per instance. TCPA violations carry $500 to $1,500 per illegal call.
- The Wood Firm PLLC handles these cases on contingency: if MCM violated federal law, they pay the firm’s fees.
Free Case Review: +1-844-638-1122
Who Is Midland Credit Management?
Midland Credit Management is a real, licensed debt buyer. Licensed does not mean every tactic it uses complies with federal law. Founded in 1953 and now a subsidiary of Encore Capital Group (NYSE: ECPG), MCM is one of the largest debt buyers in the United States.
It purchases portfolios of charged-off credit card accounts, personal loans, auto loans, and telecom debts from major lenders, including Chase, Citi, and Synchrony. Once MCM buys your account, it owns the debt and collects directly, rather than acting as a contractor.
The corporate structure matters for understanding what you are dealing with. MCM services the accounts while Midland Funding LLC holds legal ownership. When MCM files a lawsuit, Midland Funding is typically the named plaintiff.
In our practice, we pull the full chain-of-title on every MCM file. Debt that has passed through multiple buyers before reaching Midland frequently has documentation gaps at each transfer point. Those gaps affect whether MCM can prove it owns your specific account.
MCM is not BBB-accredited and has accumulated over 1,050 BBB complaints in three years, with 186 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
- Also Known As: Midland Funding LLC (affiliated debt owner), MCM, Encore Capital Group subsidiary
- Headquarters: 350 Camino de la Reina, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108
- Parent Company: Encore Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE: ECPG)
- Debt Types: Credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, telecom, and retail credit
- Website: midlandcredit.com
- BBB Profile: Midland Credit Management BBB listing
Phone Numbers Midland Credit Management Uses
MCM contacts consumers from several documented numbers. Because MCM manages large account portfolios across multiple service centers, calls may come from different lines depending on which team is working your account. Log every number, every date, and every time a call arrives.
- 800-825-8131 | (800) 825-8131 | +1-800-825-8131 | 8008258131
- 877-366-0169 | (877) 366-0169 | +1-877-366-0169 | 8773660169
- 877-422-4254 | (877) 422-4254 | +1-877-422-4254 | 8774224254
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1692d(6), a debt collector must identify itself as a debt collector when leaving a message. A voicemail from any MCM number that omits that identification may already constitute an FDCPA violation. Cross-reference any unrecognized number against CFPB complaint records and the BBB complaint database before engaging.
Why Is Midland Credit Management Calling You?
Midland Credit Management is calling you because it purchased a charged-off account bearing your name from an original creditor.
That creditor wrote off the balance, sold the portfolio to MCM, and MCM now owns the debt and is attempting to recover it. MCM collects primarily on credit card accounts from major issuers, but also purchases personal loan, auto loan, and telecom portfolios.
If you do not recognize the debt, that is not unusual with purchased debt portfolios. MCM buys large batches of accounts at a discount. The account documentation it receives from the seller may include only a summary record rather than the original agreement, full payment history, or original statements.
BBB complaints through early 2026 describe consumers disputing accounts they do not recognize. MCM relies on seller-provided summaries to respond to validation requests rather than original account documentation.
Request written validation before taking any action. MCM must identify the original creditor, the amount owed at charge-off, and any additions to the balance since then. Without that documentation, you cannot determine whether the debt belongs to you, whether the balance is accurate, or whether the statute of limitations has expired.
Can Midland Credit Management Sue You?
Yes. MCM and its affiliate, Midland Funding LLC, actively file collection lawsuits in state courts. BBB complaints through 2026 document consumers alleging MCM filed lawsuits and achieved service of process before the consumer received any written validation notice. A lawsuit filed before a validation notice is sent may violate the FDCPA’s notice requirements under 15 U.S.C. § 1692g.
The 2020 CFPB enforcement action alleged MCM continued filing collection lawsuits without required documentation and pursued consumers on time-barred debts. The CFPB’s 2015 consent order had already required MCM to stop those practices. If sued, request the bill of sale proving Midland Funding owns your account. Courts have dismissed MCM cases for failure to produce that chain-of-title documentation.
Has Midland Credit Management Been Sued?
Yes. MCM has faced federal enforcement actions, multistate settlements, and ongoing class-action litigation. Its enforcement record is among the most documented of any debt buyer operating in the United States.
- CFPB Consent Order (2015): The CFPB penalized MCM and Encore Capital Group for misleading consumers, failing to properly validate debts, and violating the FDCPA. MCM was required to overhaul its collection and credit reporting practices.
- CFPB Enforcement Action (2020): The CFPB sued MCM for allegedly violating the 2015 consent order, suing consumers without required documentation, and collecting on time-barred debts.
- Massachusetts AG Settlement: MCM paid $12 million to resolve claims of deceptive practices and collecting debts without sufficient proof of ownership.
- Virginia AG Settlement: MCM resolved state-level enforcement claims involving deceptive collection conduct.
- Robo-Signing Settlement (multistate/FTC): MCM and its affiliates resolved claims that they used robo-signed affidavits in collection lawsuits, affecting approximately 1.5 million consumers.
- Time-Barred Debt Class Actions (ongoing): Multiple class actions allege MCM and Midland Funding collected on debts past the statute of limitations without required disclosures.
When we open an MCM file involving a collection lawsuit or disputed credit entry, we request the bill of sale and chain-of-assignment documentation immediately. The robo-signing settlements and CFPB enforcement actions established that MCM has systematically relied on deficient affidavits and incomplete documentation. A case where MCM cannot produce original account documentation is a case where its legal standing to collect is genuinely in question.
Is Midland Credit Management a Scam?
Midland Credit Management is a real, licensed company, not a scam. MCM’s enforcement record makes the licensed-versus-lawful distinction critical. A company penalized by the CFPB in 2015, sued again in 2020, and implicated in a robo-signing settlement has demonstrated recurring federal compliance failures. These are not isolated incidents.
BBB complaints from 2025 and 2026 document three active patterns. MCM lists its purchase date as the open date, which consumers dispute as re-aging. MCM reports the same debt twice: once as charged-off, once as active collection.
MCM also continues furnishing credit information after receiving written disputes. In our practice, we take the current complaint record seriously alongside the enforcement history. The same documentation and reporting gaps documented in the 2015 CFPB order appear repeatedly in current consumer filings.
Is Midland Credit Management Banned by the FTC?
No. Midland Credit Management has not been banned by the FTC and continues to operate legally in all 50 states. The FTC was a party to the robo-signing settlement requiring MCM to overhaul its affidavit practices. That settlement did not ban MCM from operating.
The more significant federal enforcement came from the CFPB. The 2015 consent order and the 2020 lawsuit together established federal oversight of MCM for FDCPA violations, suing without documentation, and collecting on time-barred debt. Those enforcement actions do not ban MCM. They establish that documented consumer evidence of those patterns maps directly to MCM’s prior conduct with federal regulators.
Can Midland Credit Management Report to Your Credit
Yes, MCM can report unpaid accounts to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, but that reporting must comply with the FCRA. BBB complaints from 2025 and 2026 document two specific patterns: MCM listing its purchase date as the open date, and MCM reporting the same account twice. MCM’s own BBB responses confirm the open date it reports is its purchase date, not the original account origination date. If that reporting makes the account appear more recent than it is, it may constitute re-aging under the FCRA.
Pull all three credit bureaus and check the open date on any MCM entry. Compare it against the original delinquency date, and check whether the same underlying debt also appears under the original creditor. Either pattern may support an FCRA claim independent of any FDCPA issue.
How The Wood Firm PLLC Helps Stop Midland Credit Management Debt Harassment
The Wood Firm PLLC opens every MCM file by asking two questions. Does MCM have documented chain-of-title proving it owns this account? Does the credit entry reflect the original delinquency date rather than MCM’s purchase date? Both questions go directly to MCM’s most documented vulnerabilities. The 2015 and 2020 CFPB actions established that MCM relied on seller summaries rather than original account documentation. The current BBB complaint record establishes that the open-date reporting issue is active and ongoing. Together, those two points shape the examination framework for every MCM file we open.
The firm handles these cases on contingency. There are no upfront fees. If MCM violated federal law, they pay the firm’s fees. After you call, an attorney reviews the call log, the credit entry, and any validation correspondence you have received or sent. The Wood Firm PLLC has represented consumers exclusively since its founding and has never represented a collector or creditor. To start a review, reach the firm at +1-844-638-1122.
MCM’s documented pattern of open-date re-aging and chain-of-title gaps creates specific, verifiable fact patterns under the FDCPA and FCRA. Visit our contact page or call +1-844-638-1122 for a free case review. The Wood Firm PLLC handles these cases on contingency: if MCM violated federal law, they pay our fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Midland Credit Management calling you
MCM is calling you because it purchased a charged-off account bearing your name from an original creditor. MCM collects primarily on credit card debt from major issuers but also purchases personal loans, auto loans, and telecom accounts. Request written validation before taking any action or making any payment.
Is Midland Credit Management legitimate?
Yes. MCM is a licensed debt buyer and subsidiary of Encore Capital Group. The CFPB issued a consent order against MCM in 2015 for FDCPA violations, then sued MCM again in 2020 for violating that order. Licensed and compliant are not the same thing.
Can Midland Credit Management sue you
Yes. MCM actively files collection lawsuits through its affiliate Midland Funding LLC. If sued, request the bill of sale proving Midland Funding owns your account. Courts have dismissed MCM cases for failure to produce that chain-of-title.
What is Midland Funding and how does it relate to MCM
Midland Funding LLC is the affiliated entity that typically holds legal ownership of purchased debts. MCM services those accounts. When MCM files a lawsuit, Midland Funding is often the named plaintiff. Both entities fall under the Encore Capital Group corporate umbrella.
Can Midland Credit Management remove a collection entry from my credit report
Yes. MCM’s BBB responses confirm it has deleted credit entries in response to consumer disputes, including identity theft affidavits and validated disputes. If the underlying debt is inaccurate or unverifiable, an attorney can request removal. MCM’s own CFPB consent order required it to overhaul its credit reporting practices.
What does it mean that MCM lists its purchase date as the account open date
MCM’s BBB responses confirm it reports its own debt purchase date as the open date, not the original account origination date. If that date makes the account appear more recent than it actually is, it may constitute re-aging under the FCRA.
Has Midland Credit Management been sued by the government
Yes. The CFPB issued a consent order against MCM and Encore Capital Group in 2015. It filed a second enforcement action in 2020 for allegedly violating that order. MCM also settled multistate robo-signing claims affecting approximately 1.5 million consumers and paid $12 million to resolve a Massachusetts AG action.
What Happens After You Call About Midland Credit Management
Document everything now. Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus. Note the open date on any MCM or Midland Funding entry and compare it against the original delinquency date. Save every letter, every voicemail, and every certified mail receipt you have. The FDCPA carries a one-year statute of limitations; the FCRA carries two years for willful violations. Call +1-844-638-1122 to have an attorney review the contact pattern and credit entry before that window closes.
Jeff Wood represents consumers exclusively, never creditors or collectors. He holds federal court admissions across 9 districts, including all courts of AR, CO, NM, and TX. He practices from Little Rock, AR.
