At a glance PRA Group Canada Inc. is a debt purchaser and collection agency based in London, Ontario.
PRA Group Canada doesn't collect debts on behalf of creditors. It buys unpaid debts outright from banks, credit card companies, and other lenders, then contacts you to arrange repayment.
If PRA Group Canada contacts you, ask for written verification of the debt before you share personal details or make a payment.
Always verify the debt is real. You have the option to dispute a debt or complain to your consumer protection office if a debt collector breaks the rules.
What is PRA Group Canada?
PRA Group Canada Inc. is a debt buyer and collection agency. A regular collection agency chases debts on behalf of a creditor and earns a commission. PRA Group Canada works differently.
It buys unpaid debts outright from banks, credit card companies, and other lenders at a discount. Once PRA Group Canada owns the debt, it contacts you to arrange repayment.
PRA Group Canada is a subsidiary of PRA Group, Inc., a US-based company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange (PRAA).
Contact PRA Group Canada
1-866-903-1741
Contact this debt collection agency to verify details, dispute the debt or resolve your account.
Visit agency websiteWhy is PRA Group Canada calling me?
PRA Group Canada is calling because it bought your debt from the original creditor. The original creditor gave up on collecting the account and sold it.
PRA Group Canada also uses other collection agencies to contact people on its behalf. These sub-agents are:
- Action Collections & Receivables Management
- Affinity Credit Solutions
- Debt Control Agency Inc
- Phillips & Cohen Associates (Canada) Ltd.
- TPH Legal Services
- Veritas Alliance Inc.
If any of those companies contact you about a PRA Group account, the same rules apply.
Source: PRA Group Canada
Don't confirm anything over the phone. Ask for written verification first. PRA Group Canada will ask you to verify your identity before discussing the account, but you aren't required to do that over the phone.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Who does PRA Group Canada collect for?
PRA Group Canada buys defaulted consumer debts. It doesn't collect on behalf of a creditor. It owns the debt. The original creditors are typically banks, credit card issuers, telecommunications companies and consumer lenders.
Debt type | Consumer-reported examples |
|---|---|
Consumer lending | EasyFinancial |
Credit cards | Citi Financial Services |
Banking | TD Canada Trust |
Telecommunications | Not specified in consumer reports |
Note: the companies listed above are gathered from user-submitted entries, consumer reports, online discussions, and public records. They do not represent confirmed contractual relationships with PRA Group Canada.
Because PRA Group Canada buys debt portfolios, the original creditor on your account depends on which portfolio PRA Group Canada purchased.
Companies that use PRA Group Canada for debt collection
Submitted by consumers. We try to verify these reports but cannot always confirm them.
Know another company PRA Group Canada collects for?
PRA Group Canada phone numbers
These numbers are commonly associated with PRA Group Canada:
| Phone number | Type |
|---|---|
| Main | |
| Local Office | |
| Local Office | |
| User Reported |
Some numbers are submitted by users. We call to verify each one and recheck periodically, but numbers can change.
Got a call from a number not shown here?
If you receive a call from a different number claiming to be PRA Group Canada, verify the debt in writing and confirm the details before paying.
Is PRA Group Canada legitimate?
Yes. PRA Group Canada Inc. is a legitimate debt buyer and collection agency.
PRA Group Canada is a member of the Canadian Society of Collection Agencies (CSCA), the Credit Association of Greater Toronto, and the Receivables Management Association of Canada (RMA).
Will PRA Group Canada affect my credit score?
A collection account from PRA Group Canada will severely damage your credit score once it's reported to Equifax or TransUnion.
It stays on your credit report for 6 years from the date of your first missed payment. Paying it won't remove the mark from your credit file but updates the status to paid, which looks better to future lenders.
Check your own report to see whether PRA Group Canada has reported the account and whether the information is correct.
What to do if PRA Group Canada calls you (step by step)
Step 1: Ask for written verification. Get the original creditor's name, amount, account number and the date of last activity. Don't confirm anything until you've reviewed it in writing.
Step 2: Don't share personal details. No address, date of birth or banking information until you've confirmed the debt is yours.
Step 3: Check your credit report to see what the agency has reported about you. Get your free credit score and report with Borrowell.
Step 4: Dispute the debt in writing if it's wrong. Keep copies of everything you send.
Step 5: Check the statute of limitations in your province before you pay or acknowledge the debt in writing.
Step 6: Settle if the debt is correct. The agency might accept a one-time lump sum for less than the full balance. Get any agreement in writing before you pay.
Step 7: Pay by a traceable method like online banking, e-Transfer, or card. Get a receipt.
Step 8: Talk to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee or non-profit credit counselling service if you can't pay.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Not in Ontario, Alberta, BC, Nunavut or the NWT? Find a trustee in your province
Your rights when CBV Collections contacts you
Debt collection rules vary by province, but consumer protection legislation across Canada prohibits debt collectors from harassing, threatening, or intimidating you.
They cannot make false or misleading statements, use profane or coercive language, or apply unreasonable pressure. They cannot continue contacting you at work after you've told them not to.
Every time a debt collector contacts you, they must identify themselves.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Debt collection: know your rights
Red flags: how to spot a scam
Scammers sometimes impersonate debt collectors, including real companies like CBV.
A scammer typically refuses to name the original creditor, threatens arrest, jail, or deportation, demands payment by e-transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, and refuses to send anything in writing.
Verify the debt using contact details from the official website before paying.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
What if the debt is old?
Every province has a time limit on how long a collection agency like PRA Group Canada can sue you for an unpaid debt.
| Province / Territory | Limitation period |
|---|---|
| Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia | 2 years |
| Quebec | 3 years |
| Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon | 6 years |
Once the limitation period expires, PRA Group Canada can still sue you, but you can raise the expired limitation period as a complete defence. The defence isn't automatic. You have to file a defence in court and plead the expired limitation period. If you don't, the court will grant default judgment as if the limitation didn't apply.
Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing restarts the limitation period, but only if it hasn't already expired.
These limitation periods apply to most consumer debts like credit cards, lines of credit, and personal loans. Different rules may apply to government debts, court judgments, or secured debts like mortgages.
For more information, read our guide about debt statute of limitations.
How to stop calls from PRA Group Canada
Send PRA Group Canada a cease and desist letter. Once they receive it, they have to stop phoning. The debt doesn't go away, and they can still take legal action.
Use our cease and desist letter templates
Provincial law doesn't give you this right in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island or the Yukon.
However, if the debt's on a loan, line of credit, or credit card, send the letter by registered mail under federal law. If PRA Group Canada is physically based in Ontario, use Ontario's law instead.
Read more: How to stop collection calls in Canada.
How to file a complaint about PRA Group Canada
If you think that PRA Group Canada is breaking any debt collection rules, contact the consumer protection authority in your province.
Before filing, document the dates and times of contact, the phone number used, what was said, and copies of any emails, letters or texts.
For contact details and links to your provincial office, visit the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Consumer Affairs Offices directory.
Accreditations
PRA Group Canada locations
Locations that PRA Group Canada operate in:
Provinces served
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Legal Name
PRA Group Canada Inc.
Also known as
Preferred Credit Resources Limited (merger)
CCL Financial Inc. (merger)
Aktiv Kapital Canada Ltd.
Common variations
People sometimes search for this agency under slightly different names or misspellings. These are the most common variations we see.
PRA
PRA Canada
Groupe PRA Canada
FAQs
A regular collection agency collects debts on behalf of a creditor and earns a commission. PRA Group Canada is a debt buyer. It buys unpaid debts from the original creditor at a discount, then owns the debt outright. When PRA Group Canada contacts you, it's collecting for itself.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Not without a court order. PRA Group Canada would have to sue you, win a judgment, and then apply for a garnishment order. If you're contacted about a wage garnishment without any court involvement, that's a violation of debt collection rules.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
In Ontario, PRA Group Canada can contact your employer once to confirm your employment status. PRA Group Canada can contact a family member, neighbour, or acquaintance to get your address or phone number, but can't discuss the details of the debt. But rules vary by province.
Source: Government of Ontario – Stop collection agency calls
No. In Ontario, collection agencies can call between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. No calls are allowed on statutory holidays.
In Alberta, collection agencies can call between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. any day of the week.
Source: Government of Ontario – Stop collection agency calls and Government of Alberta – Collection and Debt Repayment Practices Regulation, s.12(1)(g)
Six years from the date of the first delinquency on the account. PRA Group Canada reports to both Equifax and TransUnion. Unfortunately, paying the collection doesn't remove it early. However, it updates the status to paid, and the impact on your score lessens over time.
Source: Equifax Canada – How long does information stay on my credit report?
Yes. PRA Group Canada bought your debt at a discount, so it has room to accept less than the full amount. PRA Group Canada's own website advertises lump sum payments and flexible repayment plans.
Get any settlement agreement in writing before you pay. Make sure the agreement states the amount, the payment terms, and that the debt will be reported to the credit bureaus as settled or paid in full.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Dealing with a debt collector
Pull your credit report from Equifax or TransUnion and identify the PRA Group Canada entry. If the information is wrong, file a dispute directly with the credit bureau. You can also contact PRA Group Canada to dispute the account. Keep copies of all correspondence.
If a collection agency is breaking the rules, file a complaint with the consumer protection office in your province.
Other collection agencies in Canada
Joe launched CollectionAgencies.ca in 2025. He has worked in Canadian personal finance since 2023. He maintains the directory, researches collection agencies across Canada and manages the site's editorial content. Agency listings are sourced from provincial licensing records and legislation.