Debt collector · complaint record
Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints
Filed under Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
Consumers have filed 69,060 complaints about Portfolio Recovery Associates since 2013, 21,733 of them in the last 12 months (+47% on the year before). It answered 99.8% on time and closed 62% with relief for the customer - more often than a typical debt collector. The most common problem is attempts to collect debt not owed. It is the 4th most complained-about of 1,963 debt collectors this year.
Strong response record. How it works
- Complaints on record
- 69,060
- Last 12 months
- 21,733
- Answered on time
- 99.8%
- Closed with relief
- 62%
- Last 30 days
- 1,283
- Rank
- #4 of 1,963
Since February 2013
+47% vs the year before
Industry: 96.5%
Typical debt collector: 24%
Newest: Nov 9, 2026
Most complained-about debt collectors
Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints by month
The busiest month was March 2026 (2,126 complaints). Complaints in the last 12 months are up 47% on the year before. Complaints rise with a company's size and with news, so compare trends rather than totals.
How Portfolio Recovery Associates answered last 12 months
- Closed with non-monetary relief12,80458.9%
- Closed with explanation7,84936.1%
- In progress1,0805%
"Closed with explanation" means the company replied but gave no money back and changed nothing. What each answer means
- Answers on time44/4599.8% on time
- Relief for customers40/4062% closed with relief
- Complaint trend5/15+47% vs last year
What Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints are about
Top Portfolio Recovery Associates problems last 12 months
Inside "Attempts to collect debt not owed"
- Debt is not yours 14,634
- Debt was result of identity theft 5,380
- Debt was paid 1,302
- Debt was already discharged in bankruptcy and is no longer owed 626
Where Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints come from
Most complaints: Texas (8,957), Florida (8,238), California (7,371), Georgia (5,119), New York (4,514).
Portfolio Recovery Associates compared with other debt collectors
| # | Company | Score | 12 months | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CL HoldingsDebt collection | 85 | 30,179 | A |
| 2 | Resurgent Capital ServicesDebt collection | 75 | 23,723 | B |
| 3 | Encore Capital (Midland Credit)Debt collection | 60 | 23,474 | C |
| 4 | Portfolio Recovery AssociatesDebt collection | 89 | 21,733 | A |
| 5 | CCS Financial ServicesDebt collection | 53 | 10,265 | C |
| 6 | Kriya CapitalDebt collection | 86 | 8,832 | A |
| 7 | I.C. SystemDebt collection | 48 | 8,160 | D |
| 8 | National Credit SystemsDebt collection | 51 | 7,463 | C |
Compare side by side: Portfolio Recovery Associates vs CL Holdings · Portfolio Recovery Associates vs Resurgent Capital Services · Portfolio Recovery Associates vs Encore Capital · Portfolio Recovery Associates vs CCS Financial Services
What people say about Portfolio Recovery Associates
All experiencesNo experiences with Portfolio Recovery Associates yet. Yours would be the first on the record - and the one the next person reads.
Share yoursLatest Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints
Full log| Received | About | Issue | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | Explained |
| Nov 9, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt was result of identity theft | In progress |
| Nov 9, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | Explained |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Written notification about debtDidn't receive notice of right to dispute | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Written notification about debtDidn't receive notice of right to dispute | Fixed |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt was result of identity theft | Fixed |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Debt collection | Attempts to collect debt not owedDebt is not yours | In progress |
Questions about Portfolio Recovery Associates
How many complaints does Portfolio Recovery Associates have?
Portfolio Recovery Associates has 69,060 complaints on record since February 2013, including 21,733 in the last 12 months and 1,283 in the last 30 days. That makes it number 14 of every company by complaints this year.
Does Portfolio Recovery Associates respond to complaints?
Yes. Portfolio Recovery Associates answered 99.8% of its complaints on time (within 15 days) and closed 62% with relief - money back or a fix; 0% ended with money back. The rest were mostly closed with an explanation only. Its Response Score is 89/100 (grade A).
What do people complain about most with Portfolio Recovery Associates?
The most common problems are attempts to collect debt not owed (21,942), took or threatened to take negative or legal action (7,707), written notification about debt (9,616).
Is Portfolio Recovery Associates legit?
Portfolio Recovery Associates is a real company with a public complaint record: consumers have complained about it 69,060 times and it answers through the official complaint process. Whether it is right for you depends on the details - see is Portfolio Recovery Associates legit? for the signals, red flags and how to protect yourself.
Are complaints about Portfolio Recovery Associates going up or down?
Up. There were 21,733 complaints in the last 12 months against 14,786 in the 12 before (+47%). See every month.
How do I file a complaint against Portfolio Recovery Associates?
Complain to Portfolio Recovery Associates in writing first and keep a copy. If it isn't fixed, file an official complaint with the federal consumer financial regulator - the company must answer, usually within 15 days. Our step-by-step guide: how to file a complaint against a company. Then share your experience here so others know.
Where do most Portfolio Recovery Associates complaints come from?
Most come from Texas (8,957), Florida (8,238), California (7,371). Big states file more complaints, so the map shows complaints per 100,000 people.
Complaint records are public consumer complaints filed with U.S. regulators, checked (newest received Nov 15, 2026). Complaints are consumers' own accounts and are not verified; counts grow with a company's size. How the data works
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