American Collections Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI) is a debt collection agency in Alexandria, Virginia that began business in 1993. If it is contacting you, a creditor has placed an account with it for collection.
- Type
- Collection agency
- Also known as
- American Collections Enterprise, Inc.; ACEI; AM Collect
- Headquarters
- Alexandria, VA
- Phone numbers it lists
- (571) 202-7300, (833) 724-2234
- Website
- payacei.virtualcollector.net
60 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about American Collections Enterprise, Inc. from November 13, 2023 to November 12, 2026. A complaint is a consumer's account, not a finding that the company broke the law. Read the complaints in the CFPB database.
Who Is American Collections Enterprise?
American Collections Enterprise, Inc., which uses the short name ACEI, is a collection agency in Alexandria, Virginia. The Better Business Bureau lists its address as 205 S. Whiting Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22304, shows a March 1993 start date and an April 1993 incorporation, lists "AM Collect" as another name, and names W. Patrick McNemar as president and CEO. Its consumer website at payacei.com states that "ACEI is a debt collector." We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against American Collections Enterprise.
Why American Collections Enterprise May Be Contacting You
ACEI's public pages do not name its clients or the kinds of debts it handles, and we could not verify them. What the site does show is how ACEI reaches people: phone, a 24-hour automated phone agent, text messages (consumers can text "OPTIONS" to 84636), email at [email protected], and an online customer service and payment portal. So a first contact may arrive as a text or email rather than a letter. Make sure any message you get actually comes from ACEI before you pay, by checking it against the contact points above.
How to Check a Debt American Collections Enterprise Says You Owe
When you don't know what kind of account it is, the validation notice is your best tool.
- Request or locate the validation notice. It must give the creditor's name, the account number, the itemization date and the balance, and explain how to dispute (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34). A collector may deliver it electronically only under the rules in 12 C.F.R. § 1006.42.
- Dispute in writing within the validation period if you don't recognize the creditor or the amount. Keep a copy and proof of sending.
- Ask who owns the account now and who the original creditor was.
- Match the balance to your own records, and ask for an explanation of any interest or fees.
- Check whether it is too old to sue on. In Texas the general limit is four years (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers cannot sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). Virginia and other states have different periods.
What American Collections Enterprise Can and Can't Do
An agency that regularly collects consumer debts owed to others is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6).
- Every text and email must offer a simple way to opt out (12 C.F.R. § 1006.6(e)); see whether collectors can text or email you.
- It may not email you at a work address in most cases, or post about your debt where others can see it (12 C.F.R. § 1006.22(f)).
- Calls are limited to seven attempts in seven days per debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).
- It may not misrepresent the amount or legal status of the debt (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(2)).
If ACEI's contact seemed improper, see our Texas FDCPA attorneys page.
We Sue Debt Collectors That Break the FDCPA
Texas Debt Law files Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuits against debt collectors in federal court for consumers in Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia and Colorado. If American Collections Enterprise or anyone collecting for it harassed you, misstated what you owe, threatened action it could not take, or told others about your debt, you may have a claim. A court can order a collector that violated the FDCPA to pay your actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional statutory damages, and your attorney's fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1692k(a)). An FDCPA claim generally must be filed within one year of the violation (§ 1692k(d)), so keep your letters, call logs, voicemails and screenshots, and talk to us early. Texas residents may also have claims under the Texas Debt Collection Act. Learn more from our FDCPA attorneys.
Free FDCPA Case Review(214) 851-2250
Or start your free case evaluation online. No lawyer can promise a result; every claim depends on its facts and proof.
Sources
- American Collections Enterprise: consumer portal
- BBB business profile: American Collections Enterprise, Inc.
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: American Collections Enterprise, Inc., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that American Collections Enterprise has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.