The phone number 877-339-4612 is a known toll-free number used by Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC (PRA), one of the largest and most prominent debt buyers and collection agencies in the United States.
If you are receiving calls from this number, it means PRA has likely purchased a defaulted debt that a creditor (like a credit card company, telecom provider, or lender) has written off. They have now initiated the collection process to recover the amount owed.
The negative impact on your credit score is not directly from PRA calling you, but from the underlying debt event that led to your account being placed with them. Here’s the chain of events that damages your credit:
Original Late Payments: Your original creditor (e.g., Capital One, Synchrony Bank) reported late payments (30, 60, 90 days past due) to the credit bureaus. Each late payment significantly lowers your score.
Charge-Off: After typically 180 days of non-payment, the original creditor "charges off" the debt, meaning they close your account and report it as a loss to the IRS. A charge-off is a severe derogatory mark that remains on your credit report for 7 years from the date of the first missed payment that led to the default.
Account Sent to Collections: The creditor then sells this charged-off debt for pennies on the dollar to a debt buyer like Portfolio Recovery Associates.
New Collection Account: PRA reports the collection account to the credit bureaus. This creates a second negative entry on your credit report for the same debt. Having a collection account on your report is extremely harmful to your credit score and can drop it by 50-100 points or more.
Having an active collection account from a company like PRA on your report signals to future lenders that you are a high-risk borrower, making it difficult to get approved for new credit, secure loans with good interest rates, or even pass rental application checks.
This number is legitimate and is officially associated with Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, a legitimate and publicly traded company. However, legitimacy does not automatically mean all their practices are always above board. They must operate within the rules of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
It is also common for scammers to "spoof" (fake) the caller ID of real companies. Therefore, you must verify the call is truly from PRA.
How to Verify Legitimacy and Protect Yourself:
Ask for Details: Request the collector's name, company name, address, and a callback number.
Demand a Debt Validation Letter: This is your legal right under the FDCPA. Verbally request it and follow up in writing. A legitimate collector must provide this, which details the original creditor, the amount owed, and your rights.
Do Not Confirm Personal Information: Do not provide or confirm your Social Security number, bank account details, or other sensitive data until you have verified the debt.
Check Your Credit Report: Pull your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com for free. Look for an account listed under "Collections" from Portfolio Recovery Associates.
Contact PRA directly: Use the contact information on their official website (portfoliorecovery.com) to confirm the debt, rather than engaging with the number that called you.
The FDCPA protects you from abusive practices. Harassment can include repetitive calls intended to annoy you, calls at unreasonable hours, using obscene language, or making threats.
Steps to Stop the Harassment:
Verbally Request Them to Stop: You can tell the caller that you wish to cease all telephone communication. It's best to do this in addition to sending a written letter.
Send a Formal "Cease" Letter: This is a powerful tool. Send a letter via certified mail with a return receipt demanding that they stop all contact with you, except for legally required communications (like notifying you of a lawsuit). Once they receive this letter, they can only contact you to confirm they will stop calling or to tell you about a specific action, like filing a lawsuit.
Document Everything: Keep a log of every call—date, time, name of the caller, and what was discussed. Save all voicemails and letters.
Report Violations: If the harassment continues after your written request, report it to:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): They will forward your complaint to the company and work to get a response.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC enforces the FDCPA and collects data on illegal collection practices.
Your State's Attorney General's office.
Ignoring the calls is generally a bad strategy. While blocking the number might stop the ringing phone, it does not make the debt or the problem disappear. Ignoring a legitimate debt collection can lead to worse outcomes:
The collection account will continue to damage your credit for up to 7 years.
Portfolio Recovery Associates is known for filing lawsuits to obtain wage garnishments or bank levies.
If they sue you and you ignore the court summons, they will win a default judgment against you, granting them much stronger collection powers.
The better approach is to engage proactively by requesting debt validation and then deciding on a strategy, whether it's negotiating a settlement, disputing the debt, or setting up a payment plan.
Yes, absolutely. As a legitimate debt buyer, PRA has the legal right to sue consumers to collect on debts it owns. They file thousands of lawsuits every year. Whether they will sue depends on the age and size of the debt—they are more likely to sue for larger debts (often over $1,000) that are within the statute of limitations.
Statute of Limitations (SOL): This is a critical law that sets a time limit on how long a creditor or collector can sue you to collect a debt. The SOL varies by state and by debt type (typically 3-6 years). Important: Making a partial payment can restart the SOL clock in many states.
Do NOT ignore a Lawsuit: If you are served with court papers, you must respond by the deadline. Ignoring it will result in a default judgment.
Removing this collection account can significantly improve your credit score. You have several options:
Pay for Delete: Negotiate with PRA. Offer to pay the debt (often for a settled amount less than the full balance) in exchange for them completely removing the collection account from your credit reports. Get this agreement in writing before you send any money. Not all collectors agree to this, but it is always worth trying.
Dispute the Debt: If any information is inaccurate, outdated, or you don't believe the debt is yours, you can dispute it with the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and directly with PRA. If they cannot verify the debt within 30 days, the bureaus must delete it.
Wait It Out: A collection account can only remain on your credit report for 7 years and 180 days from the date of the original delinquency (the first missed payment with the original creditor). After that, it must automatically fall off.
1. What should I say when I answer a call from 877-339-4612?
Stay calm and polite. Do not admit the debt is yours or make a promise to pay. Simply gather information: "Can I have your name, company, and address? I am requesting that you send me a validation letter for this debt in writing." Then, end the call.
2. If I pay the debt, will it disappear from my credit report?
No. Paying a collection account does not automatically remove it. It will be updated to a "paid collection," which is better than an unpaid one, but the negative entry itself will remain on your report for the full 7-year period unless you negotiate a "pay for delete."
3. What is the difference between a debt collector and a debt buyer?
A debt collector (or collection agency) often works on behalf of the original creditor for a fee. A debt buyer (like PRA) purchases the debt for a low price and then owns it, keeping 100% of what they collect.
4. How long can Portfolio Recovery Associates try to collect this debt?
They can attempt to collect indefinitely. However, the statute of limitations (how long they can sue you) is much shorter. The time they can report it on your credit report is capped at ~7 years.
5. I don't recognize this debt at all. What should I do?
This is a major red flag for potential fraud or a mistake. Immediately send a debt validation letter demanding proof that you owe the debt and that they are the rightful owner. If you suspect identity theft, place a fraud alert and credit freeze with the three credit bureaus.