At a glance Vanguard Collection Agencies Ltd. is a Canadian debt collection agency based in Edmonton, Alberta. They have been in business since 1958.
Vanguard collects both consumer and commercial debts on behalf of creditors across Canada.
If Vanguard Collection Agencies contacts you, don't confirm any personal details over the phone. Ask for written verification of the debt first.
What is Vanguard Collection Agencies?
Vanguard Collection Agencies Ltd. is a debt collection agency that recovers unpaid debts on behalf of creditors. The company also offers credit reporting, legal debt recovery and judgment enforcement.
Vanguard Collection Agencies is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, with offices in Calgary and Burnaby, British Columbia.
The company has been in business since 1958 and operates across all provinces and territories.
Contact Vanguard Collection Agencies
1-780-486-1011
Contact this debt collection agency to verify details, dispute the debt or resolve your account.
Visit agency websiteWhy is Vanguard Collection Agencies calling me?
If Vanguard Collection Agencies is calling, a creditor has sent your unpaid account to them for collection.
The call could also be about an old debt you've forgotten, an account sent to Vanguard Collection Agencies by mistake, or a scam using their name. Vanguard Collection Agencies handles both consumer and commercial debt.
Ask for written proof of the debt before you confirm any personal details or agree to pay.
Who does Vanguard Collection Agencies collect for?
Vanguard Collection Agencies collects debts for creditors across retail, financial services, medical, daycare, landlord, education and government sectors.
The company doesn't publicly name its clients, but says it serves businesses of all sizes, from corner stores to large corporations.
Source: Vanguard Collection Agencies – LinkedIn
Vanguard Collection Agencies focuses on commercial debt collection. If you're a business owner and Vanguard Collection Agencies is contacting you about an unpaid invoice, the same rules apply.
Ask for written proof of the debt and check your credit report with Equifax or TransUnion before responding.
Know a company Vanguard Collection Agencies collects for?
Vanguard Collection Agencies phone numbers
These numbers are commonly associated with Vanguard Collection Agencies:
| Phone number | Type |
|---|---|
| Main | |
| User Reported | |
| 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 Vanguard Collection Agencies, verify the debt in writing and confirm the details before paying.
Is Vanguard Collection Agencies legitimate?
Yes. Vanguard Collection Agencies Ltd. has been operating since 1958. The BBB opened its file on Vanguard Collection Agencies in 1962. and holds an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau.
Source: BBB – Vanguard Collection Agencies Ltd.
Some scammers pose as collection agencies. If someone claims to be from Vanguard Collection Agencies, ask for written proof of the debt before paying.
Will Vanguard Collection Agencies affect my credit score?
A collection account from Vanguard Collection Agencies 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, known as the date of first delinquency. Paying it won't remove the mark from your credit file but updates the status to paid, which looks better to future lenders.
Source: Equifax Canada – How long does information stay on my credit report
Check your own report to see whether Vanguard Collection Agencies has reported the account and whether the information is correct.
What to do if Vanguard Collection Agencies 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 Vanguard Collection Agencies 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. Sometimes, Vanguard Collection Agencies 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: Get help if you can't pay. Talk to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee or non-profit credit counsellor.
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
What if the debt is old?
Every province has a time limit on how long a collection agency like Vanguard Collection Agencies can sue you for an unpaid debt. In most provinces the limit is 2 years from your last payment or written acknowledgment of the debt. It's 3 years in Quebec and 6 years in the territories, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.
| 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, Vanguard Collection Agencies 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 Vanguard Collection Agencies
Send Vanguard Collection Agencies 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 Vanguard Collection Agencies 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 Vanguard Collection Agencies
In Canada, debt collection is regulated province by province, not federally. The rules ban harassment, calling outside set hours, discussing your debt with your family or employer, and threatening legal action they have no intention of taking.
Source: Government of Canada (FCAC) – Debt collection: know your rights
If you think that Vanguard Collection Agencies 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.
Vanguard Collection Agencies locations
Locations that Vanguard Collection Agencies 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
Vanguard Collection Agencies Ltd.
Also known as
Vanguard
Common variations
People sometimes search for this agency under slightly different names or misspellings. These are the most common variations we see.
Vanguard Collections
Frequently asked questions
Vanguard Collection Agencies can garnish your wages, but only with a court order. The collection agency has to file a lawsuit, win a judgment, and then apply for a garnishment order.
Yes. Ask Vanguard Collection Agencies about a lump-sum settlement for less than the full amount or a monthly payment plan. Get any agreement in writing before you pay.
A settlement appears as "settled" instead of "paid in full" on your credit report, but it still closes the account.
The debt doesn't go away. Vanguard Collection Agencies can keep contacting you, suggest legal action, pursue court claims, enforce judgments, and collect.
If a court issues a judgment, it can garnish wages or freeze bank accounts.
Yes. Vanguard Collection Agencies collects both consumer and commercial debt. Commercial debt collection is their primary business.
In most provinces, commercial debt collection is not subject to the same licensing requirements as consumer debt collection.
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.