Midland Credit Management

Midland Credit Management, or MCM, buys and services accounts that lenders have charged off. It says so on its own website (MCM company site, opens in a new tab), where it describes itself as a subsidiary of Encore Capital Group, a public company.

Many accounts are owned by its affiliate Midland Funding LLC, and MCM services them. If you see Midland Funding on your credit report (MCM company site, opens in a new tab), Midland Funding owns the account. The same family (MCM company site, opens in a new tab) includes Atlantic Credit & Finance and Asset Acceptance.

Midland is a real company, and its messages carry the notice that they come from a debt collector. Scammers can still borrow its name, so share no personal or financial details until you have the written validation information (FTC, opens in a new tab).

Its record is public. In 2015 the CFPB found the group had used robo-signed court filings (CFPB, opens in a new tab) and sued on debts past the statute of limitations. In 2020 a court entered a $15 million penalty (CFPB, opens in a new tab) for breaking that order. Your own account still needs checking on its facts.

Usually because an account you had with another company went unpaid and was sold. Midland's FAQ says a lender may close an account after at least 180 days (MCM company site, opens in a new tab) without payment, and many lenders then sell it. The first letter should name the original creditor, and Midland says some original creditor documents are viewable online.

Compare the original creditor and the balance on Midland's validation notice (CFPB, opens in a new tab) with your old statements, and with any documents on its site, before you pay or promise anything.

Midland's messages say they come from a debt collector, so the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Regulation F apply to every letter and call. Three rights do most of the work:

Not until the basics check out: the debt is yours, the amount matches, and it is not too old to be enforced in court. Midland's own FAQ adds two points worth knowing before you decide, one about its website and one about hardship.

Midland does sue. Its FAQ says it will not sue while you are actively making payments, but otherwise it may sue (MCM company site, opens in a new tab), seek a judgment, and enforce it through garnishment or liens where the law allows. It also says it will tell you once a debt is too old to sue on.

If you are served, respond. Responding does not mean you agree you owe the debt (CFPB (CFPB, opens in a new tab)).

Often, yes. Midland's FAQ says it periodically offers discounts and may work with you by forgiving a portion of your balance (MCM company site, opens in a new tab). How much less depends on the account, and nothing is certain.

As a rule, the CFPB says you generally cannot have accurate negative information removed (CFPB, opens in a new tab); most of it stays for seven years. Midland states its own credit reporting policy (MCM company site, opens in a new tab) instead:

A Midland account can be enrolled in our program when your unsecured debt adds up to $10,000 or more. We would ask Midland to validate it, then negotiate it together with your other accounts, and you approve every settlement before a dollar moves1.

If Midland has sued you, take the case to an attorney or legal aid. We do not give legal advice, and settling does not by itself end a lawsuit.