California Business Bureau

1. Don't pay or agree to anything on the first call

   Get the company's name, mailing address and the account number they're using. In many states a payment, or even a promise to pay, can restart the clock on an old debt.

2. Watch the mail for a validation notice

   Within five days of first contacting you, California Business Bureau has to send a notice showing the amount, the creditor and a dispute deadline at least 30 days out. If you never got one, that is worth noting in writing.

3. Dispute in writing before that deadline

   Ask them to prove the debt. Once they receive a written dispute in time, they must stop collecting until they mail you verification. Write the letter here, then send it by certified mail.

4. Check your credit reports

   Get all three free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If a collection account is wrong, dispute it with the credit bureau as well as the collector.

5. Never ignore court papers

   If you're served with a lawsuit, file a response by the deadline on the summons. If you don't, the collector usually wins by default and can then ask to garnish wages. What to do if you're sued.

1. Collecting a debt the person says they don't owe37% · 21
2. Missing or unclear written notice about the debt30% · 17
3. Threatened or took negative or legal action14% · 8
4. False or misleading statements14% · 8
5. Calling too often or after being told to stop5.3% · 3

The specific problems

The single most common complaint is “debt is not yours” (28%). If that matches your situation, a written dispute is the first step: it pauses collection until they verify the debt.

1. Medical debt91%
2. Other debt4.4%
3. Credit card debt4.4%

Based on complaints where the person named the debt type.

1. California84%
2. Texas3.5%
3. Tennessee3.5%
4. Connecticut1.8%
5. Maryland1.8%
6. Washington1.8%
7. South Dakota1.8%
8. Massachusetts1.8%

State laws add to the federal rules, and some states require collectors to hold a license. Pick your state above for its time limits and license lookup.

Closed with an explanation only

100%

Fixed something, no money back

0%

Money back or debt reduced

0%

Answered on time

65%

California Business Bureau gives some kind of relief in 0% of complaints, less often than the average collector (23%). A complaint alone may not fix things; a written dispute protects your rights either way. "Relief" usually means correcting a credit report, stopping collection or closing the account.

In its public replies to complaints, California Business Bureau has said it disputes the facts (16% of complaints); believes it acted appropriately (2% of complaints).

Use the phone number and mailing address printed on the letter California Business Bureau sent you, and send disputes to that address. We don't list phone numbers because scammers often call pretending to be real collectors, and caller ID can be faked.

Not sure the caller is really California Business Bureau? Ask for a written validation notice, then call the number on the company's own website or on your original account statements. A real collector won't demand payment by gift card, wire transfer or crypto.

A collector can't report a debt to the credit bureaus until it has contacted you about it. If California Business Bureau shows up on your report:

• Check the details. The amount, the original creditor and the date of first delinquency should match your records.
• Dispute errors with each bureau. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion must investigate, usually within 30 days.
• Know the seven-year limit. It runs from when the original account first went delinquent. Paying doesn't reset it, and a collector can't legally "re-age" it.
• Disputed debts must be marked. If you dispute with California Business Bureau, it must report the debt as disputed.

Collections, credit scores and pay for delete, explained

• Fidelity Properties20 / yr
• Sa-Vit Enterprises13 / yr
• Out Tech27 / yr
• AAA Collections19 / yr
• APEX Asset Management21 / yr
• Armada19 / yr