States Recovery Systems, Inc. is a California collection agency that collects for local governments, utilities, schools, medical providers, landlords and other businesses. A notice from it usually means one of those clients referred an unpaid bill.
- Type
- Collection agency
- Also known as
- States Recovery Systems, Inc.
- Headquarters
- Rancho Cordova, CA
- Collects
- municipal and government accounts, utility bills, telecom bills, higher education accounts, medical bills, property management accounts, retail and banking accounts
- Phone numbers it lists
- (800) 211-1435, (916) 631-7085
- Website
- statesrecovery.com
81 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about States Recovery Systems, 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 States Recovery Systems?
States Recovery Systems, Inc. is an accounts receivable management company at 10933 Trade Center Drive, Suite 108, in Rancho Cordova, California, outside Sacramento. Its website says it was founded in 1988, has served California municipalities since 1999, and is a certified small business and woman-owned California corporation. It says it is licensed and bonded in all 50 states and reports more than 300 active clients.
The company lists California debt collection license No. 10009-99, NMLS No. 929085, and a Nevada compliance manager certificate. Its published phone numbers are (800) 211-1435 and (916) 631-7085, and it offers an online payment portal.
Why States Recovery Systems May Be Contacting You
States Recovery Systems has a dedicated government team, and city governments, municipalities and special districts are among its main clients. That means a notice could concern a bill owed to a city, special district or other public agency, not only a private business. It also lists clients in education, banking, telecommunications, medical care, property management and retail, and says it handles business-to-business accounts.
Because so many of its clients are public agencies, the "creditor" on the letter may be a city or district rather than a company. Look for the agency's name and an account or citation number you can check with that agency.
How to Check a Debt States Recovery Systems Says You Owe
- Review the validation notice. It must name the creditor, give an itemized balance and tell you how long you have to dispute (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
- Dispute in writing if the charge isn't yours. Final utility bills after a move, ambulance bills that should have gone to insurance, and charges billed to a former address are common sources of confusion.
- Call the original agency yourself. A city utility department or school billing office can confirm whether the charge is real and whether it already received a payment.
- Ask whether the account was referred or sold. Most government accounts are referred for collection rather than sold, but ask who owns the debt now.
- Consider the age of the debt. Texas generally sets a four-year limit to sue on a consumer debt (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers may not sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). California and other states set their own periods, and some government charges follow special rules.
What States Recovery Systems Can and Can't Do
A third-party agency collecting consumer debts for others is a debt collector under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Whether the FDCPA covers a particular government charge can depend on whether it arose from a consumer transaction, such as a household utility service; fines and taxes are often treated differently. When the FDCPA applies, States Recovery Systems:
- May not threaten arrest, jail or other action that isn't legally possible or intended (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(4)–(5)).
- May not report a medical or utility debt to a credit bureau without first contacting you (12 C.F.R. § 1006.30(a)).
- Must keep calls to the Regulation F limit of seven calls in seven days per account (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).
- Must stop contacting you, apart from limited notices, if you ask in writing (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)).
We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against States Recovery Systems. Read whether a collector can threaten arrest, or visit our 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 States Recovery Systems 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
- States Recovery Systems: home page
- States Recovery Systems: About
- CFPB enforcement actions (full list reviewed)
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: States Recovery Systems, Inc., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that States Recovery Systems has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.