Marshall Freeman Collections Pty Ltd has paid $59,400 in penalties following the issuance of three infringement notices by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) related to its debt collection practices.

The ACCC's concerns stemmed from the company's actions between July 2024 and June 2025, during which it allegedly unduly harassed consumers by persistently demanding payments without adequately addressing their requests for information or disputes regarding the debts.

Additionally, the ACCC claimed that Marshall Freeman sent misleading letters to consumers, falsely stating that they had received instructions from creditors to initiate legal proceedings for debt recovery, despite no such instructions existing.

ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward emphasized the unacceptability of harassment by debt collectors, particularly towards vulnerable consumers, and highlighted the misleading nature of the letters sent by Marshall Freeman as a breach of Australian Consumer Law.

In a court-enforceable undertaking, Marshall Freeman acknowledged its conduct likely breached consumer law and committed to enhancing its debt collection processes and consumer dispute handling. The company also agreed to implement a compliance program and update its debt collection practices.

The ACCC encourages all debt collection businesses to adhere to the guidelines set forth by the ACCC and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) regarding debt collection.