You’re sitting at dinner, your phone buzzes, and you see a Chicago area code or a name like "Harris & Harris, Ltd." pop up. Maybe you ignore it. Then a letter arrives in the mail, looking official but also kinda threatening, talking about a medical bill or a city utility charge you don't even remember. Your first instinct? "This has to be a scam."
Honestly, it's a fair guess. We live in an era where "your Social Security number has been compromised" robocalls happen six times a day. But when it comes to the question of is Harris and Harris legit, the answer is a firm, albeit frustrating, yes. They are a real company. They aren't some guy in a basement trying to buy gift cards with your data.
But "legit" doesn't mean "fun to deal with." It also doesn't mean they're always right.
Who Exactly Are These People?
Harris & Harris, Ltd. is a massive debt collection agency based out of Chicago. They've been around since 1968. That’s over 55 years of chasing down nickels and dimes. They aren't a fly-by-night operation; they are a high-volume "accounts receivable management" firm.
They don't just collect for anybody. They have a niche. If you’re hearing from them, it’s usually because of one of three things:
- Healthcare: An old hospital bill or a doctor's visit fee that insurance didn't fully cover.
- Utilities: An unpaid gas, water, or electric bill from a previous apartment.
- Government: This is the big one. Toll violations, parking tickets, court fines, or even delinquent taxes.
They work for the big guys. Think municipal governments, major hospital networks, and massive utility conglomerates. They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which sounds impressive until you look at the actual user reviews.
The Gap Between Rating and Reality
It’s weird, right? A company has an A+ BBB rating but a 1.1-star user score.
The A+ comes from the fact that they respond to complaints. They have a system. You complain to the BBB, their legal team or a manager types up a response, and the BBB checks a box. Done.
The 1.1-star rating? That’s from real people like you. People who say they were harassed, people who claim they already paid the bill, and people who say Harris & Harris won't stop calling their workplace. As of early 2026, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has logged thousands of complaints against them. We're talking issues ranging from "failing to validate debt" to "calling multiple times a day from different numbers."
Are They a Scam? (The Red Flags to Watch For)
While the company is real, scammers often "spoof" real companies. This is where it gets tricky. A scammer might call you pretending to be Harris & Harris.
How do you tell the difference?
Basically, a real collector from Harris & Harris will already have your info. They won't ask for your full Social Security number over the phone just to "identify" you. They won't ask you to pay via Bitcoin, Zelle, or a prepaid Visa card. If they start threatening you with immediate arrest by the "local sheriff," hang up. Debt collectors in the U.S. cannot put you in jail for a civil debt.
The "Debt Validation" Power Move
If you're asking is Harris and Harris legit because you don't recognize the debt, you need to use the law. Specifically, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
You have a 30-day window from the first time they contact you. Use it. You should send what’s called a "Debt Validation Letter." This isn't you being difficult; it's you demanding they prove you actually owe the money.
Legally, they have to provide:
- The amount of the debt.
- The name of the original creditor (like the hospital or the city).
- A statement that unless you dispute it, they’ll assume it’s valid.
- Proof that they actually have the right to collect it.
Don't do this over the phone. Phones are for "he said, she said." Send it via certified mail with a return receipt. It costs a few bucks, but it’s your paper trail. If they can’t prove the debt is yours—which happens more often than you’d think when data gets passed between companies—they have to stop contacting you and remove it from your credit report.
Dealing with the Credit Report Headache
If you see "HARRIS & HARRIS" or "H&H" on your credit report, your score probably took a hit. It’s annoying. Even if you pay it off, the collection entry can stay on your report for seven years from the date the original account went delinquent.
However, there are ways to fix this.
First, check if the info is even right. Did they get the date wrong? Is the balance slightly off? If there’s even a small error, you can dispute it with the credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). They have 30 days to investigate. If Harris & Harris doesn't respond with proof, the bureau has to delete it.
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The "Pay for Delete" Strategy
Kinda a "pro tip" here: if the debt is yours and you want it off your report, you can try a "Pay for Delete" agreement. You basically say, "I'll pay this balance in full (or a settled amount) if you agree to remove the collection entry from my credit report entirely."
Get it in writing. If they just say "we'll mark it as paid," your score might not actually go up much. A "paid collection" still shows you had a collection. You want the whole thing gone.
What Happens if You Just Ignore Them?
Bad idea.
Seriously. People think if they ignore the calls, the debt will just vanish. It won't. Harris & Harris is known for being persistent. If the debt is large enough, they can—and sometimes do—file a lawsuit.
If they sue you and you don't show up to court (which happens to a lot of people), they get a "default judgment." This gives them scary powers. They could garnish your wages or put a lien on your property.
Also, if the debt is for government stuff like tolls or taxes, they have even more leverage. In some states, unpaid tolls can lead to your vehicle registration being blocked. You don't want to find that out when you're trying to renew your tags.
Handling the Harassment
If they're calling you ten times a day or calling you at 6:00 AM, they're breaking the law. The FDCPA says they can't:
- Call before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM.
- Use profane or abusive language.
- Call you at work if you've told them your employer doesn't allow it.
- Lie about who they are or what the consequences of not paying are.
If they do any of this, keep a log. Date, time, who you talked to, what they said. You can actually sue a debt collector for FDCPA violations and potentially win up to $1,000 plus attorney fees. Sometimes, just mentioning that you're documenting their FDCPA violations is enough to make them suddenly very polite.
Actionable Next Steps
If Harris & Harris has reached out to you, don't panic, but don't sit on your hands either. Here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Check your credit report immediately. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com. It's free. Look for "Harris & Harris" and see what the "date of first delinquency" is. If it’s over seven years old, it shouldn't be there at all.
- Request a Validation Notice. If they haven't sent you a letter in the mail within five days of calling you, they're already in hot water. Demand one.
- Stop the phone calls. You have the legal right to tell them to only communicate with you via mail. Do this in writing. It stops the annoying buzzing and creates a written record of everything they say.
- Verify the original creditor. Contact the hospital or the city directly. Ask them if they actually sold your debt to Harris & Harris or if they just hired them to collect it. Sometimes you can still pay the original creditor and bypass the agency entirely.
- Negotiate if it's yours. If the debt is valid, don't feel like you have to pay the full amount. Start at 30% and see where they go. They bought that debt for pennies; any profit is a win for them.
The bottom line is that while Harris and Harris is a legitimate business, they are a business built on your stress. Knowledge is the only thing that levels the playing field. Use it.