Aro Inc is a debt collection agency in Canada that helps creditors recover unpaid debt from customers.

If they contact you, they might be attempting to recover an outstanding debt on your account.

We’ve prepared this guide so you know what to expect from Aro Inc and what to do if they call you.

Is Aro collections legit?

Aro Inc is a legitimate collection agency that operates nationally across Canada. They have locations in Montreal, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec and are licensed in all Canadian provinces and territories.

They provide debt collection services for various industries, including financial, government services, telecommunications, utilities and universities.

How to verify Aro Inc is legitimately calling you

You can contact Aro Inc through their website. An Aro Inc collections phone number for your province can be found here.

If you want to make sure a debt collector is legitimate, contact a local consumer affairs office or the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed. Then look up the phone number yourself and call the collection agency directly.

You can also check the public records section of your credit report to look for any information about the debt collector.

Who does Aro Inc collect for?

Aro Inc collects debts for a variety of organizations, including the government, Ontario student loans and parking enforcement companies. Aro might be the agency managing your account if you have a student loan in collections in Canada.

Why is Aro Inc calling me?

If you receive calls from Aro Inc, you likely owe an unpaid debt.

When a debt is 120-180 days⁠ overdue, the creditor sends the account to a collection agency. You should receive a written notice informing you that your account has been passed to a collection agency.

The debt collection process in Canada

A debt collector will then pursue you directly for the money. Debt collectors will keep calling, texting and emailing until the account is paid. If you think there has been a mistake or you have paid, contact them immediately to resolve the issue.

If a Collection Agency Contacts You in Canada - Dos and Don'ts

When can Aro Inc call me?

Depending on your province or territory in Canada, a debt collector can only contact you at certain times of the day.

Monday to Saturday Sunday
Alberta 7am – 10pm 1pm – 5pm
British Columbia 7am – 9pm 1pm – 5pm
Manitoba 7am – 9pm Not allowed
New Brunswick 7am – 9pm 1pm – 5pm
Newfoundland and Labrador 8am-10pm 1pm – 5pm
Northwest Territories 7am – 9pm 1pm – 5pm
Nova Scotia 8am-9pm Not allowed
Nunavut 9am-7pm 1pm – 5pm
Ontario 7am – 9pm 1pm – 5pm
Prince Edward Island 8am-9pm Not allowed
Quebec 8am-8pm Not allowed
Saskatchewan 8am-9pm Not allowed
Yukon 7am-9pm Not allowed

If debt collectors are calling at inconvenient times and you would rather communicate in writing, you can send a written request to Aro Inc to stop phone calls and write to you instead. Make sure you provide a mailing address and telephone number in your letter or email.

What can collection agencies like Aro Inc do?

When you owe money to Aro Inc, they will attempt to contact you in various ways. Expect to receive phone calls, voice mail, letters and emails from them.

They might also try to contact your employer, neighbours, and acquaintances to get your contact information if they don’t have it already. They can also contact that person if they have guaranteed the debt.

Can a collection agency like Aro Inc take me to court?

If you ignore Aro Inc, they will notify you in writing that they are taking you to court. If they successfully obtain a court order, they can apply a garnishee order which allows them to garnish your wages or bank account.

Creditors can ask the court to serve a wage garnishment order on your employer or bank.

Sometimes, they can take additional measures to make you pay, such as placing a lien on your house.

In response, you may dispute the claim, pay the debt or use a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT) to resolve this action.

Debt collection agencies can only take legal action for a certain number of years, starting from your last payment or when you last acknowledged the debt.

The clock restarts if you make a payment or acknowledge the debt in writing.

This is called a statute of limitations, and the time limit depends on where you live:

  • Alberta: 2 years
  • British Columbia: 2 years
  • Manitoba: 6 years
  • New Brunswick: 6 years
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 2 years
  • Nova Scotia: 6 years
  • Ontario: 2 years
  • Prince Edward Island: 6 years
  • Quebec: 3 years
  • Saskatchewan: 2 years
  • Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories: 6 years

If you acknowledge that you owe money to Aro Inc or make a payment towards the debt, the time is reset, giving the collection agency more time to take legal action against you.

The Statute of Limitations on Debt in Canada

Can Aro Inc garnish my wages?

Aro Inc can only garnish your wages if they take you to court and win. How much they can take depends on the amount owed, your income and your province/territory.

Can a debt collection agency damage my credit score?

If you ignore contact from Aro Inc, negative information is sent to the credit bureaus and added to your credit report, making it more difficult to get credit in the future.

Accounts in collections appear on your credit report for six years, and your credit score will take a massive hit.

In Canada, accounts in collections appear on your credit report for 6 years.

If you make full payment within ten days of receiving the initial collection notice, you will likely avoid any damage to your credit.

What are my rights when dealing with a debt collector like Aro Inc?

To protect consumers, a debt collector must follow a code of conduct:

  • Whenever a debt collector contacts you, they must identify themselves and provide the company name.
  • They cannot give misleading information or false information to collect a debt.
  • Debt collectors may not harass, threaten or intimidate you.
  • Debt collectors may not use threatening, profane, intimidating or threatening language.
  • Debt collectors may not apply undue, excessive or unreasonable pressure.

ARO collections complaints

If you feel your rights have been violated, complain to the consumer affairs office in your province or territory.

How to get Aro Inc to stop calling

Paying Aro will stop all collection actions. You can pay the debt in full or arrange a payment plan based on what you can afford.

If you’re unsure whether you owe money, ask for more information in writing. Don’t answer any questions or acknowledge that you owe the debt until you are sure you do.

If you cannot make the payments or don’t want to deal with collections alone, get help from a Licensed Insolvency Trustee. They offer free financial advice and can stop Aro Inc from taking legal action.

A Licensed Insolvency Trustee can also help you find a solution to your debts, either through a consumer proposal, credit counselling, debt consolidation, bankruptcy or something else.

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