Total CFPB complaints
25
All-time across CCDB intake
This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.
2026 CFPB data Public-data reference. FDCPA reference 25 complaints
Sterling & Associates, LLC — Debt Collector Complaint Profile
CFPB complaint profile across 12 states. Updated as new federal complaint data lands in the upstream Consumer Complaint Database.
Complaints by issue type
What consumers report about Sterling & Associates, LLC
- Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
15 complaints
- Written notification about debt 3
Written notification about debt
3 complaints
- Communication tactics 2
Communication tactics
2 complaints
- False statements or representation 2
False statements or representation
2 complaints
- Attempts to collect debt not owed 1
Attempts to collect debt not owed
1 complaints
- Taking/threatening an illegal action 1
Taking/threatening an illegal action
1 complaints
F
Grade F · 38.7/100 composite
This collector has a failing complaint record with very high complaint volumes and poor response rates.
What do CFPB complaints reveal about Sterling & Associates, LLC?
Sterling & Associates, LLC has accumulated 25 total CFPB complaints across 12 states, with 1 filed in the most recent 12 months against 24 historical complaints before that window. The trailing-12-month volume represents 4.0% of the full complaint history, a falling pattern that implies either tighter collection practices, portfolio sell-offs, or improved dispute handling.
The dominant consumer grievance logged with the CFPB is "Took or threatened to take negative or legal action", narrowing to "Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay", which aligns with FDCPA-regulated conduct and signals the operational area most likely to trigger regulator scrutiny. The company posts a 4% timely-response rate against a 0% consumer-dispute-after-response rate, a pairing that calibrates how well its complaint-resolution workflow holds up once a consumer pushes back.
Complaints have been recorded across 12 states, led by Georgia with 5 and Florida with 3, which matches a multi-state collection footprint rather than a regional operation. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 38.7/100 places Sterling & Associates, LLC in grade band F, a tier reached by blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rates, and issue severity into a single comparable metric.
Complaint Summary
Last 12 months
1
4.0% of total history
Falling ↓
States active
12
Distinct state filings
Timely response rate
4%
Within CFPB SLA window
Consumer disputes
0%
After company response
Reputation grade
F
38.7/100 composite
Response-quality profile
How Sterling & Associates, LLC performs on CFPB resolution-quality metrics versus a fleet average benchmark drawn from the full debt-collection vertical.
Timely response within SLA 4.0%
Vertical avg
CFPB requires companies to respond within 15 days for most complaints; 60 days for credit-reporting.
Consumer dispute rate (post-response) 0.0%
Vertical avg
Lower is better. The percentage of consumers who flagged the company's response as unsatisfactory.
State coverage breadth 21.4%
Share of US states + territories with at least one filed complaint against this collector.
How does Sterling & Associates, LLC compare to its peers?
Sterling & Associates,… National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
Timely-response ratehigher is better
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. Complaints reflect consumer reports, not proven violations.
Complaint Trend (24 months)
2016-07 2025-09
Top Consumer Issues
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action15 (%)
Written notification about debt3 (%)
Communication tactics2 (%)
False statements or representation2 (%)
Attempts to collect debt not owed1 (%)
Taking/threatening an illegal action1 (%)
Most common issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay
Know Your Rights
If this company is contacting you, you have rights under the FDCPA. They must stop contacting you if you send a written cease-communication request. You can also request written validation of the debt within 30 days.
Issue Detail Breakdown
| Issue | Sub-Issue | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Took or threatened to take negative or legal action | Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay | 10 |
| Took or threatened to take negative or legal action | Threatened to sue you for very old debt | 4 |
| Written notification about debt | Didn't receive notice of right to dispute | 2 |
| Communication tactics | Frequent or repeated calls | 2 |
| False statements or representation | Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official | 1 |
| Written notification about debt | Didn't receive enough information to verify debt | 1 |
| Attempts to collect debt not owed | Debt was paid | 1 |
| Taking/threatening an illegal action | Threatened arrest/jail if do not pay | 1 |
| False statements or representation | Indicated you were committing crime by not paying debt | 1 |
| Took or threatened to take negative or legal action | Collected or attempted to collect exempt funds | 1 |
Where do complaints against Sterling & Associates, LLC come from?
The states where consumers have filed the most CFPB complaints against Sterling & Associates, LLC. Every figure is the company's own complaint count in that state — not a national baseline.
Top states by complaints against Sterling & Associates, LLC
Across 12 states with at least one filing
- Georgia
Georgia
5 complaints
- Florida
Florida
3 complaints
- Illinois
Illinois
2 complaints
- Texas
Texas
2 complaints
- Tennessee
Tennessee
2 complaints
- Ohio
Ohio
2 complaints
- Wisconsin 1
Wisconsin
1 complaints
- California 1
California
1 complaints
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common complaint against Sterling & Associates, LLC? ▼
The most common issue consumers report about Sterling & Associates, LLC is "Took or threatened to take negative or legal action", specifically "Threatened to arrest you or take you to jail if you do not pay". This is based on 25 complaints filed with the CFPB.
Are complaints against Sterling & Associates, LLC increasing or decreasing? ▼
Complaints against Sterling & Associates, LLC are falling. The company received 1 complaints in the last 12 months, showing improvement over prior periods.
What is Sterling & Associates, LLC's reputation grade? ▼
Sterling & Associates, LLC has a reputation grade of F (score: 38.7/100). This collector has a failing complaint record with very high complaint volumes and poor response rates.
Does Sterling & Associates, LLC respond to consumer complaints? ▼
Sterling & Associates, LLC has a 4% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. Consumers disputed the company's response in 0% of cases.
In how many states does Sterling & Associates, LLC operate? ▼
Sterling & Associates, LLC has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 12 states, with the most complaints from Georgia (5 complaints).
What can I do if Sterling & Associates, LLC is contacting me? ▼
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you have the right to request written debt validation within 30 days of first contact. You can also send a cease-communication letter to stop calls. If Sterling & Associates, LLC violates the FDCPA, you may be able to sue for damages up to $1,000 plus attorney fees.
Consumer Guides
Primary source data
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCollector Editorial
| Publisher | Kiznis Studio |
| Sources | the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database |