If you have received a call, letter, or credit report entry from Diversified Consultants, you are dealing with one of the largest telecom-focused debt collection agencies in the United States. Diversified Consultants, Inc., commonly known as DCI or DCI Collect, is a third-party collection agency headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida that specializes almost exclusively in recovering unpaid balances from telecommunications, cable, satellite, internet, and utility accounts.
If you see "Diversified Cons," "DCI Collections," or "DCI Collect" on your credit report or caller ID, this is the company behind it. Understanding who they are, what debts they collect, and what your rights are can help you navigate the situation effectively.
Company Overview
Diversified Consultants, Inc. was founded in 1992 and incorporated in 1993. The company is headquartered at 10550 Deerwood Park Boulevard, Suite 309, Jacksonville, Florida 32256. DCI is a women-owned business, certified through the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and is owned by Charlotte Zehnder.
The company operates multiple call center locations across the country. In addition to the Jacksonville headquarters, DCI has maintained offices in Portland, Oregon (7575 SW Mohawk St., Tualatin, OR 97062) and Louisville, Kentucky (5120 Interchange Way, Louisville, KY 40229). At its peak, the company has employed over 1,000 people and generated annual revenue exceeding $60 million.
DCI holds several technology and security certifications, including PCI compliance for payment card data security, ISO 27001 certification for information security management, and SSAE 16 compliance for service organization controls. The company has also been recognized as a "Best Call Center to Work For" for multiple consecutive years.
Contact Information
Main phone: (800) 771-5361
Secondary phone: (904) 247-5500
Email: info@dcicollect.com
Physical address: 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd., Suite 309, Jacksonville, FL 32256
Website: dcicollect.com
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Telecom Industry Focus
What sets Diversified Consultants apart from most collection agencies is their near-exclusive focus on the telecommunications industry. While many agencies collect across a wide range of debt types, DCI has built its entire operation around recovering unpaid balances from telecom, cable, satellite, internet, and utility providers.
The companies that DCI has collected on behalf of include some of the largest names in telecommunications. Reported clients have included AT&T, Charter Communications (Spectrum), Comcast (Xfinity), DIRECTV, Dish Network, Sprint (now part of T-Mobile), and T-Mobile, among others. When these telecom companies are unable to collect unpaid balances through their own internal efforts, they may charge off the account and assign it to DCI for recovery.
The types of debts DCI typically pursues include unpaid monthly service charges for wireless, cable, or internet service, early termination fees from contracts that were canceled before the end of the agreed term, unreturned equipment charges for modems, routers, cable boxes, or other hardware, final account balances that accumulated after service was disconnected, and past-due utility bills.
If DCI has contacted you, the debt is most likely related to one of these categories. Identifying the original creditor and the specific charges is the first step in determining whether the balance is accurate and whether you actually owe it.
Services
DCI provides a full range of collection services, not just for its own direct collection efforts but also for its telecom clients. Their service offerings include first-party collections, where DCI representatives contact consumers early in the delinquency cycle on behalf of the original creditor, often before the account has been charged off. They also provide early-stage or pre-collection services designed to recover balances before they reach third-party status. Third-party collections represent DCI's core business, where they pursue charged-off accounts that the original creditor has been unable to collect. DCI also offers legal collection services and call center services for clients who need outsourced customer contact capabilities.
The company emphasizes technology-driven collection strategies, using multi-channel communication that includes phone calls, letters, and digital self-service payment options. Their investment in compliance technology and call monitoring is part of what has allowed them to maintain certifications like ISO 27001 and PCI compliance.
For a broader understanding of how third-party collection works and what it means when your account is assigned to an agency like DCI, ACB's article on what is the difference between a creditor and a collector explains the distinction and how it affects your rights.
Consumer Complaints
Diversified Consultants has generated a significant number of consumer complaints over the years. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint database contains numerous entries related to DCI, and the Better Business Bureau has recorded hundreds of complaints. As of various reporting periods, the BBB has logged over 900 closed complaints against the company.
Common issues reported by consumers include being contacted about debts they do not believe they owe, being called about accounts from telecom companies they have never done business with, persistent and repeated phone calls including calls to wrong numbers, difficulty reaching a representative to resolve disputes, and accounts appearing on credit reports without prior notice.
One notable incident involved DCI making over 150 robocalls to a 17-year-old student who had no debt. This type of complaint highlights the importance of verifying that the debt is actually yours before engaging with the collector.
It is worth noting that the BBB has reported Diversified Consultants as no longer being in operation. However, consumers have continued to report seeing DCI entries on their credit reports. If DCI is no longer actively collecting but the account still appears on your credit report, you may be able to dispute the entry with the credit bureaus, since a collection agency that is no longer in business generally cannot verify disputed information.
Current Operational Status
There has been some confusion about whether Diversified Consultants is still actively operating. The BBB has listed the company as no longer in business, yet consumers continue to report contact from the company and credit report entries bearing the DCI name. This discrepancy may reflect a transition in the company's operations, a change in ownership or structure, or legacy accounts that remain in the credit reporting system from before the company scaled back operations.
If you see a DCI entry on your credit report and the company is no longer actively collecting, this creates an important opportunity. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, information on your credit report must be accurate and verifiable. If the collection agency that reported the account can no longer verify the debt because they are not operational, the credit bureau is required to remove the entry upon your dispute.
You can file disputes online with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, or by mail. Include a statement that the collection agency appears to no longer be in operation and request that the bureau verify the account or remove it.
ACB's article on how long does a collection stay on my credit report explains the seven-year reporting timeline and what happens when collection accounts age out.
What to Do If DCI Contacts You
Identify the Original Creditor
Because DCI collects almost exclusively for telecom companies, the first step is identifying which provider the debt originated with. Check your records for any past accounts with wireless carriers, cable companies, internet providers, or satellite services. If you have never had an account with the company DCI identifies as the original creditor, that is a strong basis for a dispute.
Request Validation
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have the right to request written validation of the debt within 30 days of DCI's first contact. The validation must include the amount owed, the name of the original creditor, and your right to dispute. If DCI cannot validate the debt, they must stop collection activity and remove any credit reporting associated with the account. ACB's article on what is a validation notice and why do I need one explains this process in detail.
Check for Common Errors
Telecom debt collection is particularly prone to certain types of errors. Accounts are sometimes assigned to the wrong person because of a shared name, former address, or phone number. Equipment charges may appear even after you returned the hardware if the provider's records were not updated. Early termination fees may be invalid if you canceled within an allowed period or if the provider changed the terms of your contract. And account balances sometimes include charges that accrued after you already canceled the service.
If any of these situations apply to you, dispute the debt in writing with DCI and contact the original telecom provider directly to resolve the underlying account issue.
Contact the Original Provider
In many cases, the fastest resolution comes from contacting the original telecom company directly rather than negotiating with DCI. If you returned equipment that you are being charged for, the provider can update their records and instruct DCI to close the account. If you disputed charges while you were still a customer and the dispute was never resolved, the provider may be able to correct the balance. Having documentation like return receipts, cancellation confirmations, or account statements strengthens your position.
Negotiate or Pay If Valid
If the debt is legitimate and you owe the balance, resolving it stops the collection activity and prevents further credit damage. DCI may accept a settlement for less than the full amount, particularly on older accounts. Get any agreement in writing before sending payment. ACB's article on how to pay a debt collection agency covers the payment and settlement process, including how to protect yourself during negotiations.
How DCI Compares to ACB
Diversified Consultants and Advanced Collection Bureau operate in entirely different segments of the collection industry. DCI is a telecom-focused agency built around recovering unpaid wireless, cable, internet, and utility balances. ACB specializes in residential rent recovery, medical debt, and small business collections, serving landlords, property managers, healthcare providers, and small businesses nationwide.
ACB differentiates itself with twice-monthly credit bureau reporting, a strict policy of never charging interest on debts in its care, contingency-only pricing, and a compliance-first approach that protects both the creditor's brand and the consumer's rights. For businesses evaluating collection partners, ACB's article on the pros and cons of contingency-only collection agencies provides a useful comparison framework.
Filing a Complaint
If you believe Diversified Consultants has violated your rights under the FDCPA, you can file a complaint with the following agencies.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints online and by phone at (855) 411-2372.
The Federal Trade Commission accepts fraud and consumer protection complaints.
The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division handles complaints about businesses operating in Florida and can be reached at (866) 966-7226.
You can also contact DCI directly at info@dcicollect.com or (800) 771-5361 to dispute a debt or request validation.
If you are dealing with a debt and need a collection partner that specializes in residential and medical debt recovery, contact Advanced Collection Bureau at (321) 633-4999 or visit advancedcb.com.
