Are you receiving calls from a company calling itself Critical Resolution Mediation, with threats of arrest or legal action if you donât pay immediately? Youâre not alone and you should be cautious. Many people report being pressured to pay debts they donât recognize, often without any written proof. These high-pressure tactics are designed to create fear and rush you into paying.
This isnât a typical collection company. It has faced federal action and has been permanently banned from the debt collection industry due to serious misconduct. Before you respond or make any payment, itâs important to understand what youâre dealing with.
What Is Critical Resolution Mediation LLC?
Critical Resolution Mediation LLC (CRM) is a former debt collection operation headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Despite the word “mediation” in its name, this company was not a neutral dispute resolution service. It was a collection agency that, according to a federal court filing, used illegal threats, false identities, and phantom debts to extract money from consumers.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Critical Resolution Mediation LLC |
| Principal Address | 6500 McDonough Drive, Suite C2, Norcross, GA 30093-1236 |
| Owner / Managing Member | Brian Charles McKenzie |
| Co-Defendant Entity | Parliament Services LLC (related pass-through entity) |
| Co-Defendant Individual | Tracey Dottrice Warren (Parliament Services officer) |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Primary Phone | (877) 620-2730 |
| Alternate Phone | (888) 958-1718 |
| Fax | (888) 501-2213 |
| Website | criticalresolutionmediation.com (now inactive) |
| BBB Status | Not currently BBB accredited; 121 complaints filed with BBB |
| Current Industry Status | Permanently banned from debt collection by federal court order |
| FTC Case Number | FTC Matter / File Number 192 3192 |
| Federal Court | U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division |
| Case Docket | Case No. 1:20-cv-3932-JPB |
Is Critical Resolution Mediation A Scam?
Critical Resolution Mediation is not a scam operation in the sense that the company itself was registered and physically existed. But what it did to consumers was, in the federal government’s own documented judgment, unlawful from start to finish.
Federal regulators shut down Critical Resolution Mediation and permanently banned it from the debt collection industry. Authorities found the company was collecting âphantom debtâ and using fake legal threats like arrest and jail to scare people into paying. These claims were false and unlawful.
One thing we observe in our practice is that the name âCritical Resolution Mediationâ is itself a deceptive device. The word âmediationâ suggests a neutral process where both sides are heard, but no such process existed. Instead, the name was used to mislead consumers into believing they were involved in a formal legal proceeding, when in reality it was a collection operation using threats and deception.
Why Is Critical Resolution Mediation Calling Me?
If Critical Resolution Mediation is calling you, or if you received calls from phone numbers associated with them, there are a few things happening that you should understand immediately.
One thing consumers often misunderstand is that a caller knowing your personal information is not evidence that you owe a debt. Personal data is bought and sold routinely, and phantom debt operations use it precisely to make illegitimate demands seem credible. The only thing that proves a debt is valid is written documentation: the name of the original creditor, the account number, the amount, and a verifiable chain of assignment.
What Consumers Said About Critical Resolution Mediation
Because CRM is now out of business pursuant to a federal court order, current BBB complaint pages may be archived or restructured. However, the documented complaint record while CRM operated is extensive.
BBB Complaint Record
According to BBB records, Critical Resolution Mediation accumulated 121 consumer complaints during its period of operation. The company was at various points BBB-accredited with a B rating, which makes its underlying conduct all the more alarming. Accreditation and rating did not reflect the experiences consumers were reporting.
Consumer Forum: 800notes.com
Consumers posting on 800notes.com documented the scripted, threatening nature of CRM’s calls in detail. One verified consumer post described a voicemail left by Critical Resolution Mediation as follows: a caller stated they were contacting the consumer regarding “a very important business matter that has been placed in our office,” urged the consumer to respond “before any decisions get made,” and warned it was “imperative” to call back immediately because the consumer “may not be aware” of their “options.”
The same thread confirmed: “Total scam! Do not pay these people.” Multiple consumers confirmed receiving identical scripted messages from rotating numbers, all pointing back to Critical Resolution Mediation as the calling party.
FTC Complaint Quote on Consumer Harm
The FTC’s own complaint described the human reality of these calls in concrete terms. The complaint alleged that in documented instances, CRM collectors called a consumer’s parents, read out the consumer’s driver’s license and Social Security numbers, and told the parents that their child’s driving privileges would be revoked if payment was not made. Consumers described being “intimidated into paying” debts they did not owe because the threats felt credible and the personal information being recited seemed impossible for a stranger to have without legitimate access to records.
In our practice, we frequently encounter clients who paid CRM because they were genuinely terrified. They did not know that arrest for failure to pay a consumer debt is categorically illegal. They did not know that no collection agency, regardless of what it calls itself, can suspend your Social Security payments or your driver’s license. CRM counted on that fear. It was the product they were selling.
Critical Resolution Mediation Phone Numbers and Call Patterns
CRM’s calling behavior was not random. According to the FTC’s complaint and the broader documented record, the company operated a systematic calling campaign using multiple outbound numbers to reach consumers. The rotation of numbers was deliberate: when a consumer blocked one number, calls continued from a different one.
Documented phone numbers linked to Critical Resolution Mediation include:
| 281-374-4711 | 210-960-4772 | 404-220-9825 |
| 877-620-2730 | 678-971-2759 | 213-223-6840 |
| 832-495-4162 | 770-406-6572 | 214-736-3929 |
| 404-492-8447 | 281-738-1874 | 888-958-1718 |
| 678-890-5917 | 678-701-5528 | 727-325-9074 |
| 678-825-3749 | 844-880-8539 | 404-994-2810 |
| 678-831-2846 | 770-406-6502 | 305-489-9652 |
| 713-999-0739 | 800-679-2017 |
The FTC complaint detailed call patterns that went well beyond normal collection activity:
Collectors called consumers repeatedly at work phone numbers specifically to create fear of professional embarrassment. Collectors called family members and friends and told them the consumer faced serious legal consequences. Collectors called after consumers asked them to stop. Collectors refused to identify themselves as debt collectors, concealing the “mini Miranda” warning required by federal law. Collectors used profane and abusive language when consumers asserted their rights.
The FTC complaint includes a documented example of a collector responding to a consumer’s request for debt verification with the phrase “we don’t got to do that you fing… bch.” That exchange, documented in a federal court filing, is a textbook FDCPA violation under 15 U.S.C. Section 1692d (harassment and abuse) and 15 U.S.C. Section 1692g (failure to provide validation notice upon request).
Federal Court Action Against Critical Resolution Mediation
Case 1: FTC v. Critical Resolution Mediation LLC, Parliament Services LLC, and Brian Charles McKenzie
Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division Case Number: 1:20-cv-3932-JPB Date Filed: September 22, 2020 Assigned Judge: Honorable J.P. Boulee Emergency TRO Entered: September 30, 2020 Stipulated Permanent Injunction Entered: August 10, 2021 (Document 58) Outcome: All defendants permanently banned from debt collection; $3,010,123.65 monetary judgment entered.
The FTCâs complaint against Critical Resolution Mediation, approved unanimously by the Commission, alleged that since at least 2012 the company engaged in widespread illegal debt collection practices targeting financially vulnerable consumers. It claimed to be affiliated with law enforcement and courts, threatened arrest, imprisonment, and loss of government benefits, added unauthorized fees, contacted third parties, failed to provide required FDCPA validation notices, and in many cases attempted to collect debts that were never owed.
The FTC also noted CRM had previously been warned in a 2015 Georgia enforcement action, where it paid penalties and agreed to stop similar conduct, but continued the same practices afterward. A federal court later issued a permanent injunction banning all defendants from any debt collection activity, imposed a multi-million-dollar judgment, and ordered the liquidation of their operations under a court-appointed receiver.
From an enforcement perspective, the case is significant because it shows a repeat offender operation that continued deceptive practices despite prior regulatory action, ultimately resulting in a permanent industry ban.
Source: FTC v. Critical Resolution Mediation LLC
Case 2: Operation Corrupt Collector (FTC Multi-Agency Sweep, 2020)
Agency: Federal Trade Commission, coordinated with state law enforcement partners Action Name: Operation Corrupt Collector Date: September to October 2020 Critical Resolution Mediation Role: One of three companies targeted in federal civil actions; CRM was the primary Georgia-based target
The FTC did not act against Critical Resolution Mediation alone; it was part of Operation Corrupt Collector, a coordinated federal sweep targeting companies using deceptive and abusive debt collection tactics. The FTC filed multiple simultaneous cases and worked with state attorneys general to stop firms involved in threats of arrest, impersonation of legal authorities, and collection of âphantom debts.â
CRM was identified as a key target because its alleged conduct reflected the most serious abuses under investigation, including false threats and misuse of personal data. The FTC later confirmed in its 2021 report to Congress that CRM was a âphantom debtâ case and that its operations were shut down under court supervision and a final order.
FDCPA and FTC Act Violations Reference Table
| Violation Alleged | Legal Provision | Documented CRM Conduct |
|---|---|---|
| Falsely representing character, amount, or legal status of debt | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(2)(A) | Collecting phantom debts never owed; debts already paid or discharged |
| False representation as attorney or court officer | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(3) | Posing as attorneys, mediators, investigators, process servers |
| Threatening arrest or imprisonment for debt | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(4) | Telling consumers they would face felony charges and jail |
| Threatening action that cannot legally be taken | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(5) | Threatening driver’s license revocation, Social Security suspension |
| False or deceptive means to collect debt | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(10) | All calls using false identity and phantom debt framework |
| Failure to disclose debt collector status (mini Miranda) | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(11) | Routinely omitting required disclosures in initial communications |
| Falsely implying government or law enforcement affiliation | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692e(1) | Posing as “detectives,” “investigators,” affiliated with sheriff’s office |
| Collecting unauthorized fees and charges | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692f(1) | Adding arbitrary fees and penalties not authorized by any agreement |
| Harassment and abusive language | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692d | Profanity directed at consumers; example documented in FTC complaint |
| Contacting third parties about consumer debt | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692c(b) | Calling family members, employers, friends about alleged debts |
| Failure to provide validation notice | FDCPA 15 U.S.C. 1692g(a) | Refusing to provide written verification; actively denying consumer’s right to it |
| Unfair and deceptive acts in commerce | FTC Act 15 U.S.C. 45(a) | Full pattern of misrepresentation underlying all collection activity |
State-Specific Legal Protections for Consumers
CRM operated nationally, and consumers in several states have additional protections independent of the federal FDCPA.
- Georgia (State of CRM’s Incorporation and Operation): The Georgia Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. Section 10-1-390 et seq.) independently prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in commerce. CRM was subject to Georgia state law, and the 2015 AVC was entered under that state framework. Georgia consumers who were contacted by CRM may have state-law claims in addition to federal FDCPA claims.
- Florida: Florida’s Consumer Collection Practices Act (Florida Statutes Section 559.72) independently prohibits harassment, threats, and deceptive collection practices and applies to any collector contacting Florida residents. CRM used Florida-area phone numbers (305-489-9652, 727-325-9074) in documented outreach, suggesting Florida consumers were a target population.
- Texas: The Texas Debt Collection Act (Texas Finance Code Chapter 392) mirrors the FDCPA and provides a private right of action for Texas consumers. CRM used Texas-area numbers (713-999-0739, 281-738-1874, 281-374-4711, 832-495-4162, 214-736-3929, 210-960-4772) extensively in its outbound calling, and Texas consumers were clearly a core target market.
- California: The Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Civil Code Section 1788) extends the FDCPA’s protections to cover original creditors and applies the same substantive standards to any collector contacting California residents. CRM used the (213) 223-6840 number, a Los Angeles area code, in documented calls to consumers.
- North Carolina: Under the North Carolina Debt Collection Act (G.S. Chapter 75), consumers may recover damages ranging from $500 to $4,000 per violation, significantly exceeding the federal FDCPA’s $1,000 per-action statutory cap.
How to Respond If You Are Receiving Calls Claiming to Be from Critical Resolution Mediation
If you are receiving calls from any number claiming to be Critical Resolution Mediation, take these steps in order:
Step 1: Do not pay. CRM has been permanently shut down and banned from debt collection. No legitimate successor operation is authorized to collect on its behalf. Anyone claiming to be CRM and demanding payment is either misrepresenting themselves or operating in contempt of a federal court order.
Step 2: Document everything. Write down the date, time, phone number, and exact wording of the call. If they leave a voicemail, save it. This documentation becomes essential if you later file a complaint or retain an attorney.
Step 3: Do not provide personal or financial information. CRM’s documented playbook involves using personal information you provide to make subsequent threats more convincing. Do not confirm your Social Security number, bank account information, or any debt amount.
Step 4: Send no money via prepaid card, wire transfer, or Green Dot account. The CFPB consumer complaint documents CRM directing payment to a Green Dot prepaid account. No legitimate debt collector accepts payment exclusively via prepaid card or wire transfer. This is a hallmark of fraud.
Step 5: Report the call to the FTC. File a complaint at FTC. Describe the call in detail, including the phone number and what the caller said. These reports go directly into the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network and inform enforcement priorities.
Step 6: Report to the FCC if robocalls were used. If you received a prerecorded or autodialed call to your cell phone without your consent, file an FCC complaint at FCC.
Step 7: Contact a consumer protection attorney. If CRM or anyone claiming to be CRM violated the FDCPA in contacting you, you are entitled to pursue statutory damages of up to $1,000, actual damages, and attorney’s fees paid by the violator. We handle these cases at no cost to the client.
What Are Your Legal Rights When Dealing with Critical Resolution Mediation or Its Imitators?
About Us
Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC is a law firm that specializes in helping clients who are facing harassment from debt collectors in any form, including telephone communication. Rather than suffer alone, contact our office to begin the process to stop the Critical Resolution Mediation harassment. Our office has been assisting consumers since 2010. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
If you are interested in learning more about how to safeguard yourself and prevent harassment from Critical Resolution Mediation call us at 877-700-5790 for immediate assistance or visit our website.
Success Stories
- I was overwhelmed by constant phone calls from a debt collector who wouldnât stop, even after I told them to. Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC stepped in and put an end to the harassment. They were professional, compassionate, and got results fast. I finally have peace of mind.
- The collectors kept calling me at work and threatening me with legal action. I felt helpless until I found Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC. They explained my rights and handled everything with confidence. Within weeks, the calls stopped, and I felt in control again.
- I didnât even owe the debt the collector was calling about, but they kept harassing me day and night. Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC took my case seriously and got the harassment to stop. I couldnât have asked for a better legal team.
FAQs
1. Why is Critical Resolution Mediation contacting me specifically?
They usually contact individuals after being assigned a specific account for mediation or resolution, meaning your file has been flagged for negotiation rather than standard billing.
2. How can I verify that a call from Critical Resolution Mediation is real?
You can request written validation of the debt and assignment details, including the original creditor and account reference tied to CRMâs mediation file.
3. What makes Critical Resolution Mediation different from a normal collection agency?
Unlike standard collectors, CRM typically presents itself as a mediation-focused agency, meaning they may emphasize settlement negotiation rather than repeated demand calls.
4. Can Critical Resolution Mediation reduce the amount I owe?
In many cases, CRM accounts are eligible for structured settlements or reduced payoff offers, depending on the status of the assigned file and creditor instructions.
5. What should I do if I donât recognize the debt CRM is mentioning?
You can formally request a debt validation package, which should include documentation linking you directly to the alleged account before you make any payment.
6. Does Critical Resolution Mediation report to credit bureaus?
If the account is active or unresolved, CRM may be involved in credit reporting actions through the original creditor or servicing agreement, depending on the account type.
7. Can I negotiate a payment plan directly with Critical Resolution Mediation?
Yes, CRM typically handles structured payment arrangements or settlement plans, often based on your financial situation and account eligibility.
8. What happens if I ignore calls or letters from Critical Resolution Mediation?
Ignoring them may lead to continued collection attempts or escalation back to the original creditor, depending on how the account is assigned.
9. How do I dispute an account handled by Critical Resolution Mediation?
You can submit a formal written dispute within the validation period, requesting proof of ownership, balance accuracy, and authorization to collect.
10. Will Critical Resolution Mediation accept a lower settlement if I pay immediately?
In some cases, CRM may consider time-sensitive settlement discounts, especially if the account is in early mediation stages or nearing charge-off resolution.
