First Federal Credit Control is a private collection agency with an operations center in Beachwood, Ohio. It collects past-due bills for healthcare and dental offices, utilities, governments and small businesses.
- Type
- Collection agency
- Also known as
- First Federal Credit Control, Inc.; FFCC
- Collects
- medical bills, dental bills, utility bills, communications bills, government and municipal accounts, small business accounts, fitness center memberships
- Phone numbers it lists
- (800) 486-5500, (216) 360-2000
- Website
- ffcc.com
333 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about First Federal Credit Control, 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 First Federal Credit Control?
First Federal Credit Control (FFCC) presents itself on its website as a collection agency serving businesses; despite the word "Federal" in its name, nothing on the site describes it as a government office or a bank. Its website asks that correspondence go to its operations center at 25700 Science Park Dr., Suite 370, Beachwood, Ohio 44122, and also lists an office at 1761 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Suite 320, Deerfield Beach, Florida.
FFCC's About page says the company has worked in collections for more than 50 years and belongs to ACA International and the Ohio Receivables Management Association. It says its staff's average tenure is 15 years and that more than 10,000 businesses are clients.
Why First Federal Credit Control May Be Contacting You
FFCC's website lists the industries it serves as commercial and small business, healthcare, dental, government and municipalities, communications, utilities and fitness centers. Its About page speaks of working with clients' "patients," reflecting a large healthcare and dental client base.
A letter from FFCC is often about a doctor's or dentist's balance left after insurance, a gym membership you thought you had cancelled, a utility or phone bill, or a bill from a small local business. The phone numbers on its site are (800) 486-5500 and (216) 360-2000.
How to Check a Debt First Federal Credit Control Says You Owe
Small-business and office balances are often modest, but they can still affect your credit, so check them carefully rather than paying to make them go away.
- Get the validation notice. It must name the creditor (the dental office, clinic, gym or other business) and itemize the balance (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
- Dispute in writing within the validation period. Ask for the itemized statement and, for a membership, the signed contract and any cancellation records. FFCC must stop collecting until it verifies.
- Check insurance and cancellations. For a dental or medical bill, compare it with your insurer's explanation of benefits. For a gym, find your cancellation email or letter.
- Ask whether the business still owns the account. Most agency accounts are still owned by the original business, but you can ask.
- Look at how old it is. Texas generally allows four years to sue on a consumer debt (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers cannot sue on time-barred consumer debt in Texas (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). Other states set different time limits.
What First Federal Credit Control Can and Can't Do
FFCC collects debts owed to its clients, so it is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Among the rules that apply:
- It may not use a name or wording that falsely suggests it is affiliated with the federal government (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(1)). If anyone calling for FFCC says it is a government office, that is a red flag.
- It may not collect a collection fee or interest that your agreement with the business or the law does not allow (15 U.S.C. § 1692f(1)). See can a collector add fees?
- For a bill from a licensed Texas health care facility, the provider must first send a written itemized bill (Texas SB 490).
- It may not call more than seven times in seven days per debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)), and Texas does not allow wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debt.
If FFCC's collection 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 First Federal Credit Control 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
- First Federal Credit Control: home page
- First Federal Credit Control: About Us
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: First Federal Credit Control, Inc., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that First Federal Credit Control has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.