2021-07-23
Added · Updated
ProCollect, Inc. must pay a $10,000 civil penalty and $2,800 in back licensing fees to the State of Connecticut for acting as an unlicensed consumer collection agency between January 1, 2014, and January 26, 2021. The entity is ordered to cease and desist from operating without a license in violation of Connecticut General Statutes Section 36a-801(a). This resolution waives ProCollect's right to a hearing or judicial review regarding these specific allegations, though the Banking Commissioner retains the right to enforce future violations of this order.
IN THE MATTER OF: * * PROCOLLECT, INC. * CONSENT ORDER NMLS # 1663589 * * (“ProCollect”) * *
WHEREAS, the Banking Commissioner (“Commissioner”) is charged with the administration of Part XII of Chapter 669, Sections 36a-800 to 36a-814, inclusive, of the Connecticut General Statutes, “Consumer Collection Agencies”, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, Sections 36a-809-6 to 36a-809-17, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (“Regulations”); WHEREAS, ProCollect is a Texas corporation with an office located at 12170 N. Abrams Road, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas; WHEREAS, ProCollect has never been licensed to act as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut; WHEREAS, on February 19, 2021, ProCollect filed an application with the Commissioner on the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (“NMLS”) to act as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut, which application is currently pending; WHEREAS, the Commissioner, through the Consumer Credit Division of the Department of Banking, conducted an investigation pursuant to Section 36a-17 of the Connecticut General Statutes into the activities of ProCollect to determine if it had violated, was violating or was about to violate the
2 - provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes and Regulations within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner; WHEREAS, as a result of such investigation, the Commissioner alleges that between January 1, 2014 and January 26, 2021, ProCollect acted as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut without a consumer collection agency license, in violation of Section 36a-801(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes in effect at such time; WHEREAS, the Commissioner believes that such allegation would support the initiation of enforcement proceedings against ProCollect, including, without limitation, proceedings to issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Sections 36a-804(b) and 36a-52(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes, and an order imposing a civil penalty of up to One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) per violation pursuant to Sections 36a-804(b) and 36a-50(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, initiation of such enforcement proceedings would constitute a “contested case” within the meaning of Section 4-166(4) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, Section 4-177(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 36a-1-55(a) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies provide that a contested case may be resolved by consent order, unless precluded by law; WHEREAS, the Commissioner and ProCollect acknowledge the possible consequences of formal administrative proceedings, and ProCollect voluntarily agrees to consent to the entry of the sanctions imposed below solely for the purpose of obviating the need for formal administrative proceedings concerning the allegation set forth herein; WHEREAS, the Commissioner and ProCollect now desire to resolve the matters set forth herein; WHEREAS, ProCollect represents that it is no longer acting as a consumer collection agency in this state without a license; WHEREAS, ProCollect specifically assures the Commissioner that the violation alleged herein shall not occur in the future;
3 - WHEREAS, ProCollect acknowledges that this Consent Order is a public record and is a reportable event for purposes of the regulatory disclosure questions on NMLS, as applicable; AND WHEREAS, ProCollect, through its execution of this Consent Order, voluntarily agrees to waive its procedural rights, including a right to a notice and an opportunity for a hearing as it pertains to the allegation set forth herein, and voluntarily waives its right to seek judicial review or otherwise challenge or contest the validity of this Consent Order. CONSENT TO ENTRY OF SANCTIONS WHEREAS, ProCollect, through its execution of this Consent Order, consents to the Commissioner’s entry of a Consent Order imposing the following sanctions: