ABC-Amega's International Debt Collection Procedures

Countries Where ABC-Amega Collects

ABC-Amega has experience collecting past due accounts in more than 200 countries on every continent, and in every major U.S. trading partner. The only countries for which ABC-Amega does not currently offer international debt collection services are: Angola, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria,North Korea, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria.

Placing International Collection Accounts

Claims against debtors in foreign countries can be submitted by fax, mail, email, FTP or via our Internet site.

In-House Handling

Effective international collection agencies maintain in-house staffs of experienced collectors specializing in international debt collection. ABC-Amega's collectors are well informed regarding foreign laws affecting credit and collections and sensitive to differing cultural climates.

In most cases, ABC-Amega’s international debt collectors will directly contact the overseas debtor.  ABC-Amega employs multilingual collectors fluent in such languages as French, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese Korean, Japanese and German.

After initial contact, the claim receives diligent follow-up by phone, e-mail, and fax. You will be kept apprised of our progress through regular status reports. And, you can check on the status of your accounts at any time, 7 days a week, 365 days a year through our Internet Client Access web site.

In some cases, ABC-Amega’s collector may be able to determine early on that a local presence is necessary to collect an account. They will then refer the claim immediately to our overseas debt collection correspondent.

Forwarding to Our Foreign Correspondents

ABC-Amega has affiliate attorneys, agencies, and representatives in more than 200 countries and every major metropolitan area. These debt collection partners specialize in commercial law and collection-related services.

If it is determined that regional intervention is required on a foreign account, the ABC-Amega collector will forward the account to our correspondent in the debtor’s area. ABC-Amega’s overseas partner will first attempt to collect amicably. If unsuccessful, a law suit can be filed; however, ABC-Amega will never allow legal action to be instituted against a debtor anywhere in the world without the express prior approval of the client.

ABC-Amega International Collection Fees

ABC-Amega's fees for international debt collection services are determined by the location of the creditor and, in some cases, the age of the account. Our in-house collection fees are contingent upon collection -- no collection, no fee.

ABC-Amega does its best to find qualified foreign partners who will work within our usual fee structure; however, in some countries this is not possible. Therefore, some of our attorneys and/or affiliates require handling fees at the time accounts are placed. Some will accept contingent fees for amicable collections, but charge hourly for legal action. In some countries, attorneys are not legally allowed to accept contingent fees at all, and hourly rates are levied for both amicable collection attempts and legal action. Where fees do not conform to our usual schedules, ABC-Amega will inform you and request permission before forwarding the account.

If you would like to receive a quote on a particular account, complete our Information Request form or email info@abc-amega.com.

Suit Fees

If you do authorize a collection law suit, all costs and non-contingent fees must be paid by you. They include:

• Court costs required to institute an action, which cover filing fees, service of process, etc. They vary widely from court to court, state to state, and country to country. When recommending legal action on a specific case, our local attorney will provide an estimate of the court costs required. These costs must be paid up-front.
• Suit fees, which cover the work of the attorney in preparing and filing the necessary papers and in making appearances in court. They may be contingent (retained only out of recoveries), non-contingent (payable in advance regardless of any collection), or a combination of both.

Again, in some countries, attorneys, by law, cannot accept contingent fees (examples include France, Norway, South Korea, South Africa). In these cases, we will inform you the costs of assigning your claim to a lawyer in the debtor's area and obtain your prior approval before doing so.