Unwanted Calls from 866-529-9848?
Here's what you need to know:
Company Name: Merrick Bank Call
Description: Looking for payment on credit cards, recreation vehicle loans, or another bank debt
Call Type: First-Party Creditor
Stop Calls: Send a cease-and-desist letter, dispute the debt on your credit report
About Merrick Bank
Merrick Bank is a Utah-based FDIC-insured industrial loan bank and the largest subsidiary of the privately-held CardWorks, Inc. The company is the 19th largest U.S. credit card issuer, with approximately 3 million customers and $9.11 billion in total assets. Merrick Bank primarily issues credit cards to the subprime market, with the average FICO score of its borrowers at approximately 615.
The company is also a top-five recreation lender for boats, RVs and powersports vehicles.
In January 2025, parent company CardWorks acquired Ally Financial’s credit card business, adding 1.3 million Ally and Ollo cardholders to its customer base.
Phone Numbers
483,865 calls have been reported to RoboKiller’s call-blocking app from this number alone. The number is currently blacklisted on Nomorobo. ShouldIAnswer reports 60 negative reviews and RealCall AI reports this number as having a “very high” risk.
What Are People Saying About the Calls?
“They call at least 10 times a day if not more. Never have ordered from them. I called the customer service and asked them to stop calling and they have the wrong number! they STILL call!” — EveryCaller
Noble O. v. Merrick Bank (2018, Seattle): A federal lawsuit alleging harassment in the form of robocalls that continued even after the plaintiff requested they stop.
Why Is Merrick Bank Calling Me?
The reason for the call depends on whether or not you have an account with Merrick Bank. Here are the most common reasons that Merrick Bank is calling you:
You missed a payment
The most common reason for a collection call is because you missed a payment on a credit card or recreation loan. Merrick Bank services credit cards to people with lower credit scores and as such, people with these cards are more likely to miss payments. One missed payment is all it takes to start up the automated dialing.
You have an overdue recreation vehicle loan
Merrick Bank also calls people who are past due on a recreation vehicle loan, like a boat, RV or powersports vehicle. In January 2025, parent company CardWorks acquired Ally Financial’s credit card portfolio. If you have an Ollo or Ally credit card, you may have recently become a Merrick Bank customer.
They have the wrong number
A lot of reports online say that the bank has the wrong number. Here is a real example from 800notes:
“Calls all the time. I understand it is from Merrick Bank. I have never had dealings with that bank. Never heard of them until they started calling (but not leaving a message) and I looked up the number.”
Another example comes from ShouldIAnswer:
“This is someone saying they are calling on behalf of merrick bank credit card. I have never had 1 which I informed them and they continously call me early every single morning.”
What Are Consumers Actually Experiencing?
Robocalls and automated dialing
YouMail has actual voicemail recordings from 866-529-9848. Here are two real examples of automated dialing technology:
Example 1: YouMail automated loop: “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?” “Hello?”
Example 2: YouMail automated transfer: “Hello, I have a call for you. Please hold while I transfer you.”
Why is this a big deal? Phone calls from collection agencies are used to get you to operate on their terms. They are verbal so there’s no paper trail, and they offer endless opportunities for the caller to coerce you into saying something they can use against you later. Every time you pick up the phone, you’re engaging in a conversation without evidence.
Daily harassment
The number of calls people are reporting is astounding. Here are a few examples:
EveryCaller: “Calling me 4 to 6 times per day.”
EveryCaller: “Too much calling. Over a year now.”
ShouldIAnswer: “Merrick Bank collections. Even if you make payments to them, the next day they will call and demand payment again!”
This consumer on 800notes reported a late-night call:
“Called me after 9:30pm. I am recovering from surgery and was sound asleep. I didn’t answer as I didn’t know the number. They didn’t leave a message.”
This is important because the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) has very specific restrictions on when and how often a debt collector can call. According to the FDCPA, a debt collector cannot call before 8am or after 9pm in the consumer’s time zone.
What Are My Rights?
Now that we know why Merrick Bank is calling and what people are experiencing, let’s dive into your rights as a consumer.
The FDCPA says you have the right to send a cease-and-desist letter demanding that a debt collector stop calling you. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) says you have the right to dispute any account on your credit report and force the reporting entity to verify the information with documentation.
If you dispute something on your credit report, the credit reporting agency has 30 days to respond with documentation verifying the account. If they can’t, the account has to come off your report. The reason this works is that creditors who have millions of customers and rotate portfolios struggle to verify information within the allotted time period.
But, there is a big caveat. When you dispute an account, the creditor has the right to respond with documentation and continue to report the account. So why does the dispute process work?
Merrick Bank’s arbitration clause has kept most class actions at bay despite nearly half a million reported calls from this phone number. But credit report disputes are governed by a completely different set of rules. So, when you dispute an account on your credit report, the arbitration clause cannot apply.
Don’t engage by phone
Don’t call them back. Don’t answer their calls. Don’t give them any information over the phone. Every phone call is an opportunity for the caller to get information or to restart a clock on your debt. The only communication that protects you is written communication.
Keep a record of the calls
Make a note of every time they call, including the date, time, duration and any other notes about the call. Take a screenshot of your call log. Save any voicemails they leave. If Merrick Bank is calling you too much or calling at odd hours, this can become evidence if you decide to sue.
Make them prove the debt on your credit report
The best way to deal with unwanted calls from a collection agency is to challenge the underlying debt on your credit report. If you dispute the debt and the creditor cannot verify it within 30 days, they have to stop reporting it.
If you are getting calls from Merrick Bank, this is the best strategy. It’s a much better strategy than calling them back or answering their calls. But, it is a nuanced strategy that requires some knowledge of consumer protection laws.
How to Protect Yourself Going Forward
While we are happy to help you with calls from Merrick Bank, there are a few things you should do to protect yourself going forward.
Monitor your credit report
If you get calls from a collection agency, it’s a good idea to monitor your credit report. You can request a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies once a year.
Don’t ignore the problem
It’s tempting to ignore collection calls and hope they go away. But, if you do, you may end up with unexpected surprises on your credit report.
Make payments on time
The best way to protect yourself from collection calls is to make your payments on time. Set up payment reminders or automatic payments to ensure you never miss a payment.
When you consider a credit card, make sure you read and understand the contract
Merrick Bank’s customer agreement includes a mandatory arbitration clause and class action waiver, which is typical among subprime credit card issuers. Before you sign up for a credit card, make sure you understand the terms.
Merrick Bank’s Better Business Bureau profile shows 1,448 complaints. While many of them are about phone harassment, many others are about customer service. If you are considering a Merrick Bank credit card, it’s a good idea to check out the complaints first.
In conclusion, if you are getting calls from Merrick Bank, there are a few things you can do to make them stop.
First, don’t engage by phone. Second, make a record of the calls. Finally, challenge the underlying debt on your credit report. We specialize in helping people deal with unwanted collection calls and debt on their credit report.
Contact us today at FightCollections.com to find out how we can help!
