Terrible
I cannot recommend Debt Collectors International based on my experience.
When I retained DCI, I had already handled the underlying litigation myself. I obtained the judgment, obtained the execution, and even provided DCI with the results of a trace report.
During my initial discussions with sales representative Armani Abreu, I specifically asked whether attorney's fees would be passed on to the debtor. The discussion focused on a $150 placement fee and approximately $950 in attorney's fees. At no point during those conversations was I told verbally that DCI would retain 50% of my recovery if the matter was referred to counsel. That was never explained as part of my decision to hire the company.
Likewise, no one suggested that collecting the judgment would likely take years or that a full recovery would be unlikely. In fact, after I finally recovered my judgment more than three and a half years later, DCI's representative Alex Head defended its handling of the matter by telling me that payment in full in cases like mine (where there is an execution and a property on which a lien can be placed and foreclosure options available) is actually "rare." Had those expectations been communicated at the outset, they would have been highly relevant to my decision.
Communication throughout the process was frustrating. I repeatedly had to follow up for updates and was never permitted to communicate directly with the attorney handling my matter directly until after the case had already concluded; all communication was funneled through DCI.
Further disappointment came after the settlement was finalized. Only then was I informed that I would be responsible for completing the remaining post-judgment filing in Massachusetts because the attorney handling the collection was not admitted there. This issue was never discussed with me during the settlement negotiations, nor was it disclosed before I accepted the settlement. I hired DCI because I expected them to coordinate the legal work necessary to collect and conclude my judgment--not to leave the final step to me after more than three and a half years and after retaining half of the recovery.
My experience was one of poor communication, inadequate disclosure of important aspects of the representation, and unrealistic expectations regarding the services that would actually be provided.
I felt blindsided. Had I understood that half of my recovery would go to DCI and the attorneys, I would have seriously reconsidered whether to proceed or explored other options. When I objected to the fees, I was threatened with a libel suit for making this public. They have an F rating and are not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.