Cavalry is reporting a debt that's wrong?

Who Cavalry is

Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC says it was founded in 2002 and describes itself as a leader in the acquisition and management of non-performing consumer loan portfolios. In plain terms, Cavalry is a debt buyer and collector. Banks and other lenders charge off accounts they no longer expect to collect and sell them, usually at a discount. Cavalry buys those accounts and tries to collect them.

“Cavalry” is a family of companies, not one. Cavalry’s website lists four affiliated entities, each with its own license numbers: Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC; Cavalry SPV I, LLC; Cavalry SPV II, LLC; and Cavalry Investments, LLC. That is why a consumer may see “Cavalry SPV I” on a credit report or court paper and “Cavalry Portfolio Services” on a collection letter. Sorting out which entity owns the account and which one reported it matters when deciding who is responsible for an error.

How Cavalry says it reports

Cavalry states on its website that it is a data furnisher and provides information to the credit reporting agencies, and that if an account is eligible to be reported, it may report it. Its stated policy is that when an account is paid in full or resolved for less than the full balance, Cavalry will request deletion of its tradeline on or about 30 days after the final payment posts.

That policy gives you a benchmark. A Cavalry collection that still shows a balance long after you paid or settled, or a tradeline that was never deleted, is worth checking.

Reporting errors Cavalry accounts can cause

Information can get lost when debts are sold. Common problems include:

• Debts that aren’t yours. A mixed file or an account opened by an identity thief becomes a Cavalry collection under your name.
• Wrong balances. A balance higher than the original creditor’s charge-off may include interest or fees that were not authorized.
• Paid or settled debts. You resolved the account, but Cavalry’s tradeline still appears or still shows a balance.
• Bankruptcy-discharged debts. A debt discharged in bankruptcy should not be reported as currently owed.
• Re-aged debts. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, a collection account generally cannot be reported more than seven years after the 180-day period following the original delinquency. A newer delinquency date keeps an old debt on your report too long.
• Duplicates. The original creditor still reports a balance after selling the account, so one debt is counted twice.
• No dispute notation. You told Cavalry the debt is disputed, and it keeps reporting without saying so.

How to dispute a Cavalry account

1. Pull all three reports. Get them from AnnualCreditReport.com and save dated copies. Write down which Cavalry entity is named and the original creditor listed.
2. Dispute with each credit bureau that shows the account. Use the official channels for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Explain exactly what is wrong and attach proof, such as a bankruptcy discharge, proof of payment or settlement, an FTC identity theft report, or statements showing the real delinquency date.
3. Also dispute in writing with Cavalry. Use the contact options on Cavalry’s official website, send it in a way you can prove, and keep a copy. If you dispute within 30 days of Cavalry’s first collection notice, the FDCPA requires it to stop collecting until it provides verification (15 U.S.C. § 1692g).
4. Keep everything. Save results letters, confirmations and later reports.

Why both? The FCRA’s private claim against a furnisher like Cavalry, 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(b), arises only after you dispute with a credit bureau and the bureau notifies the furnisher. A dispute sent only to Cavalry does not trigger that claim. The direct dispute still matters: it creates a record, and a debt collector that keeps reporting a debt it knows is disputed without saying so can violate the FDCPA.

Your rights

• Furnisher investigation (§ 1681s-2(b)). After a bureau forwards your dispute, Cavalry must reasonably investigate, review the information provided, and correct, delete or block anything inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable.
• Bureau duties (§§ 1681e(b), 1681i). Equifax, Experian and TransUnion must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy and reasonably reinvestigate your dispute. A bureau that simply repeats Cavalry’s answer may be liable on its own.
• Reporting limits (§ 1681c). Collections generally age off seven years after the 180-day period following the original delinquency, regardless of how many times the debt is sold.
• FDCPA protections. A debt collector may not misrepresent the amount of a debt (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(2)) or communicate credit information it knows or should know is false, including failing to communicate that a disputed debt is disputed (§ 1692e(8)).

What you may recover

For negligent FCRA violations, you may recover actual damages, including credit denials, higher interest and emotional distress, plus attorney’s fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1681o). For willful violations, you may recover actual damages or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, punitive damages, and fees and costs (§ 1681n). Under the FDCPA, you may recover actual damages, statutory damages of up to $1,000 per action, and attorney’s fees (15 U.S.C. § 1692k).

FCRA Attorneys handles these cases on contingency. There is no fee unless we win.

Get a free case review before your deadline

FDCPA claims must be filed within one year of the violation. FCRA claims generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation and no later than five years after it occurred. If Cavalry is reporting a debt that isn’t yours, the wrong balance, or a debt that should be gone, gather your credit reports and dispute records and request a free case review. FCRA Attorneys has offices in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta, and files FCRA cases in federal court nationwide, directly or with local counsel.

Questions about suing Cavalry SPV I / Cavalry Portfolio Services

Can I sue Cavalry over my credit report?

Possibly. If you dispute a Cavalry account with a credit bureau and Cavalry fails to reasonably investigate or keeps reporting inaccurate information, you may have a claim under 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(b). Because Cavalry collects debts, false credit reporting can also violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

What is the difference between Cavalry SPV I and Cavalry Portfolio Services?

They are affiliated companies. Cavalry's website lists Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC, Cavalry SPV I, LLC, Cavalry SPV II, LLC and Cavalry Investments, LLC, each with its own state license numbers. Which entity is responsible for your credit reporting depends on the account, so keep every letter and report that names a Cavalry company.

I paid Cavalry. Why is the account still on my report?

Cavalry's published policy is to request deletion of the tradeline about 30 days after the final payment posts when an account is paid in full or settled. If it is still there well after that, or still shows a balance, dispute it with the bureaus and keep your proof of payment.

How long do I have to act?

An FCRA claim generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation and no later than five years after it occurred (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). An FDCPA claim must be filed within one year of the violation (15 U.S.C. § 1692k(d)).

Related reading

• How to Dispute Credit Report Errors With Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
• An Account on My Credit Report Is Not Mine: What Now?
• Charged-Off Account Still Showing a Balance? When It's Accurate and When It's Not
• Examples of FCRA Violations, Matched to the Section of the Law They Break

Sources

• Cavalry: About Cavalry (founded 2002; acquisition and management of non-performing consumer loan portfolios)
• Cavalry: FAQ (credit reporting and tradeline deletion policy)
• Cavalry: official website (affiliated entities and license numbers)

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.