Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC

CFPB Consumer Complaint Profile

54,759
Total Complaints
17,579
Last 12 Months
98.7%
Timely Response
57
States Affected
Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC timely response rate 98.7%
Industry benchmark

Percent of CFPB complaints answered within the regulator's expected window. Industry benchmark sits at 95%.

Credit utilization context — why this matters

A primer on how revolving balance ratios shape credit-bureau scoring; useful when reading complaints about account closures and credit-line cuts.

Ideal (+0 to +10)0-10Healthy (~0 to -10)10-30Moderate (-10 to -30)30-50High (-30 to -50)50-75Very high (-45 to -70)75-100Maxed (-60 to -100+)100-12030%

FICO impact ranges synthesize myFICO + Experian + Equifax consumer-education materials. Individual results vary.

Complaints by Product

Debt collection — I do not know 20,074
Debt collection — Credit card debt 16,761
Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 6,530
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 4,166
Debt collection — Credit card 2,675
Debt collection — Other debt 2,284
Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.) 603
Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 229
Debt collection — Medical debt 215
Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 146

Top Issues

1.Attempts to collect debt not owed 15,700
2.Written notification about debt 7,782
3.Incorrect information on your report 5,366
4.Took or threatened to take negative or legal action 5,258
5.Communication tactics 5,111
6.False statements or representation 4,927
7.Improper use of your report 2,492
8.Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed 1,931
9.Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem 1,655
10.Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem 1,315

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2013 341
2014 1,183
2015 1,468
2016 1,502
2017 2,205
2018 2,881
2019 2,259
2020 3,160
2021 4,435
2022 3,136
2023 3,667
2024 7,613
2025 16,199
2026 4,710

Complaints by State (Top 15)

Texas 6,654
Florida 6,588
California 5,987
Georgia 4,089
New York 3,703
Pennsylvania 2,379
Illinois 2,195
New Jersey 1,633
Ohio 1,565
Michigan 1,321
Maryland 1,290
North Carolina 1,265
South Carolina 1,243
Virginia 1,223
Louisiana 1,153

Company Responses

Closed with explanation 33,430
Closed with non-monetary relief 19,583
In progress 1,741
Closed with monetary relief 5

What the CFPB Complaint Record Shows for Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC

The CFPB Consumer Complaint Database has logged 54,759 complaints against Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC overall, with 17,579 of those filed in the trailing 12 months. Reports have come from consumers in 57 states and territories, making this a nationwide complaint footprint. The single largest complaint category is "Debt collection," which consistently leads the product-level breakdown and signals where consumer friction is most acute. Within that category, the most frequently cited specific issue is "Attempts to collect debt not owed" — a useful starting point for anyone trying to understand what goes wrong most often in the company's consumer interactions.

Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC's timely response rate stands at 98.7%, meaning that share of CFPB-forwarded complaints received a company reply within the 15-day window the Bureau expects. That figure is at or above the industry benchmark and suggests the company's intake and escalation processes are functioning as designed. Consumers formally disputed the company's response in 21.8% of resolved cases, a signal of how often the initial resolution failed to satisfy the complainant. Of complaints that were resolved, 35.8% closed with some form of monetary or non-monetary relief to the consumer.

Complaint counts alone do not tell the full story — larger institutions with more customers will naturally generate more complaints in absolute terms. The more informative signals are the direction of the yearly trend shown above, the state-level concentration (which hints at regional servicing issues or regulatory exposure), and the ratio of monetary-relief closures to closed-without-relief outcomes. Taken together, these fields give consumers a reasonable empirical basis for deciding whether to escalate a dispute, and give researchers a starting point for investigating institutional patterns.

Educational data summary, not financial or legal advice. Individual complaint outcomes vary. Consumers should consult a qualified attorney or financial advisor for guidance on a specific dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CFPB complaints does Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC have?

Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC has 54,759 total consumer complaints filed with the CFPB, with 17,579 filed in the last 12 months.

Does Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC respond to complaints on time?

Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC has a 98.7% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. This is considered excellent.

What product generates the most complaints for Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC?

The most complained-about product for Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC is "Debt collection." You can view the full product breakdown on this page.

What is the most common complaint issue with Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC?

The most common issue reported by consumers about Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC is "Attempts to collect debt not owed." All complaint issues are listed above with their counts.

How do I file a complaint against Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC?

You can file a complaint against Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC directly with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB will forward your complaint to the company and work to get you a response, typically within 15 days.

In how many states have consumers complained about Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC?

Consumers in 57 states and territories have filed complaints about Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC with the CFPB.

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database CFPB Consumer Complaint Database Data through March 2026

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