Stop Weltman Weinberg & Reis Harassment

Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (commonly abbreviated WWR) is one of the largest debt collection law firms in the United States, founded in 1930 and headquartered in Independence, Ohio. The firm represents major banks, credit card issuers, auto lenders, healthcare systems, and securitized student loan buyers in pre-litigation demand, civil collection lawsuits, and post-judgment enforcement across 46 states.

This page covers who WWR is, which phone numbers they use, your FDCPA rights, documented complaint and litigation patterns, and your options if you have received a letter, phone call, or Summons from the firm.

Who Is Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA?

Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA is a creditors’ rights and debt collection law firm incorporated in Ohio in 1930, operating seven regional offices across Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Florida.

WWR collects on behalf of institutional creditors, including Capital One, Discover, Citibank, Huntington National Bank, Progressive Insurance, Navient Credit Finance, and the National Collegiate Student Loan Trust, as well as healthcare systems, credit unions, and commercial lenders.

Under Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995), attorneys who regularly use litigation to collect consumer debts qualify as debt collectors under the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. sections 1692 et seq., and are bound by all of its requirements and prohibitions.

Firm Details

Who Is Calling From These Numbers?

Weltman, Weinberg & Reis uses multiple phone numbers across its regional offices. If you received a call from any of the numbers below, it originated from WWR or one of its branch locations.

Before calling any of these numbers back, call Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC at 877-700-5790 to understand your rights first.

Your Legal Rights Under the FDCPA

The FDCPA grants you four enforceable rights the moment Weltman, Weinberg & Reis contacts you, and a successful claim under 15 U.S.C. section 1692k entitles you to actual damages, up to $1,000 in statutory damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs paid by the collector.

Right to Debt Verification (15 U.S.C. section 1692g)

Within five days of first contact, WWR must send you a written notice stating the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor, and your right to dispute it. If you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of receiving that notice, WWR must stop all collection activity until it provides written verification of the debt.

Multiple federal class actions against WWR, including Witt v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (S.D.N.Y.), have alleged that the firm sent collection letters that failed to clearly disclose whether the stated balance was accruing new interest and fees, making it impossible for consumers to verify the amount claimed.

Protection Against False or Misleading Representations (15 U.S.C. section 1692e)

Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692e, WWR may not use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation in connection with collecting a debt. In CFPB v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (N.D. Ohio, Case No. 1:17-cv-00817), the CFPB alleged that WWR sent millions of collection letters implying licensed attorneys had personally reviewed each account when no such individualized review occurred.

The court ultimately ruled in WWR’s favor in 2018, finding its screening processes constituted substantial attorney involvement, but the case established a detailed public record of how the firm’s mass letter-generation process operated. Separately, in Gibbons v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (E.D. Pa.), consumers alleged that collection letters on firm letterhead falsely implied attorney review without meaningful individual involvement, a section 1692e claim the court declined to dismiss at the pleadings stage.

Protection Against Harassment (15 U.S.C. section 1692d)

Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692d, WWR may not engage in conduct whose natural consequence is to harass, oppress, or abuse you. This prohibition covers repeated calls intended to annoy, calls to relatives or third parties about your debt without your consent (prohibited separately under 15 U.S.C. section 1692c(b)), and the use of threatening language.

In Walton v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (E.D.N.Y., Case No. 2:17-cv-06516), a consumer alleged that WWR contacted third parties, specifically the plaintiff’s relatives, about the debt in violation of section 1692c(b), in addition to multiple section 1692e balance disclosure violations.

Your Right to Stop Contact (15 U.S.C. section 1692c)

Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692c(c), a written cease-and-desist notice to WWR requires the firm to stop all communication except to confirm it will stop, notify you of specific intended legal action, or invoke a stated remedy.

Send the letter by certified mail with a return receipt to WWR’s headquarters: 5990 W Creek Rd, Suite 200, Independence, OH 44131. Each contact WWR makes after confirmed delivery of a cease-and-desist is a separate FDCPA violation. Sending this letter does not eliminate the underlying debt or stop a pending lawsuit.

Documented Consumer Complaints

Consumers have filed complaints against Weltman, Weinberg & Reis with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the (CFPB), and in multiple federal class action filings tracked at ClassAction.org. The BBB records 54 complaints closed in the past three years, with the firm carrying no BBB accreditation. Three patterns recur across platforms:

Continued Garnishments After Payment or Bankruptcy Discharge: BBB complaints document consumers whose wages or bank accounts remained frozen after debts were paid in full or after federal bankruptcy discharge orders entered, a pattern that may constitute collection of a non-existent debt in violation of 15 U.S.C. section 1692f and of federal bankruptcy law. The Pistone v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA federal class action (D.N.J., Case No. 3:21-cv-12405) directly addresses WWR’s filing of a state court collection action more than eight years after a consumer’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge.

Pursuing the Wrong Consumer: BBB complaint filings document instances where WWR sent collection letters or filed lawsuits against individuals who did not owe the debt, either through data-matching errors or mistaken identity. Pursuing a consumer for a debt they do not owe constitutes a false representation of the character or legal status of a debt under 15 U.S.C. section 1692e(2).

Misleading Balance Disclosures in Collection Letters: In Loveland v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (W.D. Wis., Case No. 2:13-cv-01148) and Witt v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (S.D.N.Y.), separate class actions alleged that WWR’s collection notices failed to clearly disclose whether the stated balance was subject to accruing interest or fees, making it impossible for consumers to exercise their section 1692g verification rights meaningfully.

To file a complaint against Weltman, Weinberg & Reis, contact the CFPB, the FTC, or your state attorney general. If you live in Ohio, file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

If Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Has Filed a Lawsuit Against You

A default judgment against you is automatic if you do not file a written Answer with the court by the deadline in your Summons, and that judgment authorizes WWR to garnish up to 25% of your disposable wages, freeze your bank accounts, and place liens on real property you own. Follow these four steps immediately:

Step 1. Confirm the service date. Your response deadline runs from the date you were officially served with the Summons and Complaint, not the date you received a phone call or letter. Most states allow 20 to 30 days from the date of service. Check your Summons for the exact deadline in your jurisdiction.

Step 2. File a written Answer before the deadline. Filing an Answer with the court clerk before the deadline stops the default judgment clock. The Answer must admit or deny each numbered allegation in the Complaint. Even a general denial preserves your right to contest the debt, challenge the chain of title through the debt-buyer chain, and raise an expired statute of limitations as an affirmative defense.

Step 3. Understand the consequences of a default judgment. Once a default judgment enters, WWR can execute it without further notice. Wage garnishment directives go to your employer; bank levies freeze your accounts. Vacating a default judgment requires demonstrating excusable neglect and a meritorious defense, which is significantly harder than filing a timely Answer.

Step 4. Assert available defenses. Common defenses against WWR lawsuits include an expired statute of limitations on the underlying debt, prior discharge in bankruptcy, lack of standing to sue when the debt has passed through multiple buyers without complete documentation, improper service of process, and inaccurate debt amounts. If WWR is suing on a student loan debt, confirm whether that debt was included in any prior bankruptcy filing before responding.

If Weltman, Weinberg & Reis has served you with a lawsuit or you have discovered a judgment you were unaware of, call Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC at 877-700-5790 or submit a free case review request immediately.

Payments, Settlements, and Resolution Options

Weltman, Weinberg & Reis regularly accepts less than the full claimed balance on charged-off consumer debt, and your negotiating leverage increases substantially once you have filed a formal Answer requiring the firm to litigate each case individually rather than obtain an uncontested default.

Online payment portal. WWR operates an online payment portal at wwrepay.com. Before using it, obtain a written settlement agreement confirming the exact terms. Do not pay online based solely on the balance displayed in the portal without a signed confirmation that payment satisfies the debt in full.

Lump-sum settlement. A single lump-sum payment typically produces a larger percentage reduction than a payment plan, particularly on older or charged-off balances. Obtain a signed written settlement agreement before transferring any funds. Use a traceable payment method. Do not provide checking account or debit card numbers by phone.

Structured payment plan. WWR may agree to installment payments. Any payment arrangement must specify the total balance, each installment amount, due dates, and what constitutes default. Confirm the arrangement in writing before making the first payment.

Litigation settlement. If a lawsuit has been filed, any settlement must include a written stipulation stating payment satisfies the debt in full and that WWR will dismiss the case with prejudice before you transfer funds. “Dismissed with prejudice” prevents refiling the same claim.

Bankruptcy. If WWR has obtained or is close to obtaining a judgment, a bankruptcy filing triggers an automatic stay that halts all collection activity, garnishments, and bank levies. If you have previously filed bankruptcy and WWR is attempting to collect a debt that was discharged, consult an attorney about a motion for sanctions in the bankruptcy court in addition to any FDCPA claim.

Note on credit reporting: There is a material difference between “paid in full” and “settled for less than the full amount” on your credit report. A settlement for less than the full balance may remain as a negative entry for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency under the FCRA, 15 U.S.C. section 1681c, even after the balance is resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Weltman, Weinberg & Reis a legitimate company?

Yes. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA is a licensed law firm founded in 1930 and operating across multiple states. The firm holds an A+ rating from the BBB of Akron but is not BBB accredited and carries a low consumer review score on the BBB platform. Legitimacy does not mean every claim the firm asserts against you is valid, accurately calculated, or filed within the applicable statute of limitations. You retain the right under 15 U.S.C. section 1692g to demand written verification of any debt they claim you owe.

Why is Weltman, Weinberg & Reis contacting me?

WWR is contacting you because a creditor, such as Capital One, Discover, Citibank, Huntington National Bank, a healthcare system, or a student loan entity, has placed your account with the firm for pre-litigation demand or civil litigation. The firm’s contact is a formal pre-lawsuit step and frequently precedes a civil collection action filed in your state court.

How do I request verification of the debt?

Send a written debt validation letter to WWR by certified mail with return receipt within 30 days of their first written contact. Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692g(b), all collection activity must stop until WWR provides you with written verification of the debt. Keep a copy of your letter and the delivery confirmation as proof of the date sent. If WWR files a lawsuit or continues calling after receiving your written dispute, each contact is an independent FDCPA violation.

How do I stop Weltman, Weinberg & Reis from calling me?

Send a written cease-and-desist letter by certified mail to WWR’s headquarters at 5990 W Creek Rd, Suite 200, Independence, OH 44131. Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692c(c), WWR must stop all contact after receipt, except to confirm it will stop, notify you of specific intended legal action, or invoke a stated remedy. Each call or letter received after confirmed delivery is a separate FDCPA violation worth up to $1,000 in statutory damages.

What is the statute of limitations on debt WWR is collecting?

The limitation period varies by state and debt type. Ohio’s statute of limitations on written contracts is six years. If WWR files a lawsuit after the applicable period has expired, you must raise the expired statute of limitations as an affirmative defense in your written Answer or the defense is waived. Find your state’s deadline at consumerlawfirmcenter.com/statute-of-limitations-on-debt-by-state/.

What happens if I ignore a lawsuit from Weltman, Weinberg & Reis?

The court enters a default judgment against you automatically if you miss the Answer deadline. That judgment authorizes WWR to garnish up to 25% of your disposable wages, levy your bank accounts, and place liens on property you own. Vacating a default judgment is difficult and requires demonstrating excusable neglect and a meritorious defense. Call 877-700-5790 immediately if you have received a Summons.

Can WWR collect on a debt I discharged in bankruptcy?

No. A federal bankruptcy discharge order prohibits all collection activity on discharged debts. Continuing to collect after discharge violates both the FDCPA and the federal bankruptcy discharge injunction under 11 U.S.C. section 524. If WWR has filed a lawsuit or continued garnishments on a debt included in your bankruptcy, you may have both an FDCPA claim and grounds for a contempt motion in the bankruptcy court. In Pistone v. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA (D.N.J., Case No. 3:21-cv-12405), the firm was sued for filing a state court collection action more than eight years after a Chapter 7 discharge.

Can Weltman, Weinberg & Reis report the debt to the credit bureaus?

Yes. WWR or the creditor it represents may report the delinquent account to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Under the FCRA, 15 U.S.C. section 1681c, a debt can remain on your credit report for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency. If the information reported is inaccurate, you have the right under the FCRA to dispute it with each bureau directly.

Where do I file a complaint against Weltman, Weinberg & Reis?

File with the CFPB, the FTC, the BBB, or your state attorney general. Under 15 U.S.C. section 1692k, you may also sue WWR directly in federal court within one year of the violation for actual damages, up to $1,000 in statutory damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs paid by WWR.

Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC maintains a comprehensive directory of collection attorneys and a full list of collection agencies in the United States to help consumers identify who is contacting them and understand their rights.