McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff

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, McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff 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 owe55% · 172
2. False or misleading statements16% · 50
3. Missing or unclear written notice about the debt13% · 39
4. Calling too often or after being told to stop8.7% · 27
5. Problems with texts, emails or social media messages3.5% · 11
6. Threatened or took negative or legal action2.6% · 8
7. Contacting or threatening to contact other people1.3% · 4

The specific problems

The single most common complaint is “debt is not yours” (34%). If that matches your situation, a written dispute is the first step: it pauses collection until they verify the debt.

1. Phone, cable and internet debt61%
2. Credit card debt19%
3. Other debt18%
4. Auto loan debt2.3%
5. Mortgage debt0.4%
6. Medical debt0.4%

Based on complaints where the person named the debt type.

1. California10%
2. Texas10%
3. Florida9.0%
4. New York6.4%
5. Pennsylvania5.1%
6. Arizona5.1%
7. Ohio4.8%
8. Virginia4.5%
9. Georgia4.5%
10. Illinois4.2%

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

77%

Fixed something, no money back

23%

Money back or debt reduced

0%

Answered on time

100%

McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff gives some kind of relief in 23% of complaints, close to the average collector (23%). "Relief" usually means correcting a credit report, stopping collection or closing the account.

In its public replies to complaints, McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff has said it believes it acted appropriately (13% of complaints).

Use the phone number and mailing address printed on the letter McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff 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.

Official website: mbandw.com

Not sure the caller is really McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff? 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.

What it is

Collection agency

Mostly collects

telecom/utility

Headquarters

Cleveland, OH

In the CFPB database since

2013

Cleveland, Ohio receivables management agency whose CFPB complaints mostly involve telecommunications accounts.

A collector can't report a debt to the credit bureaus until it has contacted you about it. If McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff 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 McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, it must report the debt as disputed.

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