Send a member to collections
Refer a member's unpaid balance to a collections agency through MyGreek, what it costs your chapter, and what changes for the member and for you afterwards.
When a member won't pay, chapter admins can send their unpaid balance to a collections agency through MyGreek. You do it on the web, from the member's page. Read the terms first: the agency's fee is owed on the balance you refer, even if the member later pays you directly.
Before you start
- Only chapter admins can send a member to collections.
- Make sure every payment the member made outside MyGreek is recorded as a credit, and every charge amount is right. You can't lower the balance with an adjustment after the referral. See Fix a member's balance.
- Have the member's date of birth if you want the debt reported to credit bureaus. It's optional.
Steps
- Open the member's page.
- Select Actions, then Send to Collections.
- Review Charges Owed: each unpaid charge and the Total.
- Read the Collections Terms (see below).
- Under Credit Reporting (Optional), enter the member's Date of Birth if you want credit reporting. If the member's profile has no date of birth yet, this one is saved to it.
- Check Member Terms Acceptance. It shows when, from where and on what device the member accepted MyGreek's member terms, or "No member terms acceptance on file."
- Check I understand and acknowledge the collections terms above.
- Select Send to Collections.
You'll see "Member has been sent to collections." MyGreek staff get the referral with the member's contact details and balance and pass it to the agency.
Collections terms and fees
The dialog shows these terms, with the dollar amounts worked out for the member's total:
- 35% fee if collected in the first 6 months.
- 30-45 days: reported to national credit history until paid.
- After 6 months: transferred to an outside attorney, and the fee increases to 50%.
- After 9 months: remains on credit history for potential re-work.
Credit reporting only happens if you give a date of birth. The dialog notes that it "increases collection rates" and is "optional but recommended."
If the member pays outside of collections, your chapter is still liable for the collections fee. The agency takes its percentage of the outstanding balance at the time of referral, no matter how or when the money is collected.
What changes for the member
- Their profile shows an In Collections chip and "Sent to collections on [date] by [admin]". The Members list and the Aging and Balances reports mark them with an icon, "This member is in collections". The mobile app shows In Collections on their profile too.
- When they sign in to MyGreek on the web, their balance page shows: "Your account has been referred to collections. Please contact your chapter for more information."
- MyGreek doesn't email or text the member when you refer them.
- They can still pay their balance in MyGreek.
- MyGreek doesn't stop payment reminders or late fees for a member in collections.
What you can't do while a member is in collections
The balance you referred can't be lowered without a payment, so these are blocked:
- Adjust a charge ("Cannot adjust charges for a member in collections").
- Reverse a late fee.
- Archive a charge that still has money owed on it.
- Charge the member ("Cannot charge a member in collections"). Bulk charges skip them with "[number] member(s) were skipped because they are in collections."
You can still give Credits, and members can still pay.
If the member pays you directly
Record what they paid as a Credit on their charges. See Record a cash, check or Venmo payment.
MyGreek staff are emailed automatically whenever a member in collections pays in MyGreek, gets a credit, or has a payment returned, so they can update the agency. Your chapter still owes the collections fee on the balance you referred.
Take a member out of collections
There's no button to remove a member from collections. Email support@mygreek.us with the member's name and why. Staff work it out with the agency, including the fee, and then clear the flag.
Common questions
Can I undo a referral I just sent by mistake?
Email support@mygreek.us right away. There's no undo in the app.
Why can't I see Send to Collections?
It's only in the Actions menu for chapter admins, and it's hidden for a member who's already in collections.
The member paid in full. Do we still owe the fee?
Yes. The fee is based on the balance when you referred them, however it's paid. Email support@mygreek.us with any questions about what your chapter owes.
Related
Returns & disputes
What happens when a member's bank sends back a bank payment (an ACH return) or a member disputes a card payment, what it costs your chapter, and what to do.
Overview
When members' payments reach your chapter's bank account, why a payout can differ from what members paid, and what each payout status means.