Berlin-Wheeler: Who They Are and Your Rights

Type

Collection agency

Also known as

Berlin-Wheeler, Inc.; Berlin-Wheeler, Inc. (Kansas)

Headquarters

Topeka, KS

Phone numbers it lists

(785) 271-1000, (800) 888-7243

Website

berlinwheeler.com

105 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about Berlin-Wheeler, Inc. (Kansas) from November 13, 2023 to November 12, 2026. A complaint is a consumer's account, not a finding that the company broke the law. Read the complaints in the CFPB database.

Who Is Berlin-Wheeler?

Berlin-Wheeler, Inc. is a collection agency at 2942A SW Wanamaker Drive in Topeka, Kansas. Its website uses the tagline "Professional collections since 1951" and says it has helped companies with delinquent accounts since that year. The company describes itself as "more than just a collection agency" and offers clients early-stage (30 to 180 days past due) collections, first-party and third-party programs, and legal assessment and litigation options. Its site references compliance with the FDCPA, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and HIPAA.

Why Berlin-Wheeler May Be Contacting You

Berlin-Wheeler does not list its clients or industries on its website. Its HIPAA reference suggests that at least some accounts involve medical information, but we could not confirm a client list. Two of its programs affect how a contact may look:

• First-party programs may involve contact on the creditor's behalf before an account is formally sent to collections.
• Third-party collection means the account has been placed with Berlin-Wheeler as a collection agency, and its letters should say it is a debt collector.

It also mentions litigation as an option, so a client may authorize a lawsuit on some accounts.

How to Check a Debt Berlin-Wheeler Says You Owe

• Use the validation notice. On a third-party account, Berlin-Wheeler must send a notice naming the creditor, itemizing the balance and giving you a dispute deadline (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
• Dispute in writing before the deadline. Ask for the original creditor's records: the agreement, the billing history and the date of the last payment. Collection must stop until Berlin-Wheeler sends verification.
• Ask about ownership. Find out whether the creditor still owns the account, and whether a lawsuit has been authorized.
• Check the balance against your records. If a 30-to-180-day account is involved, the creditor may still be able to correct billing errors or set up a plan directly.
• If you are sued in Texas, respond by the answer deadline and check whether the claim is too old: Texas generally allows four years to sue on a consumer debt (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers may not sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). Kansas and other states have their own limitation periods.

What Berlin-Wheeler Can and Can't Do

When Berlin-Wheeler collects debts owed to its clients as a third-party agency, it is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Some concrete rules:

• It may not threaten a lawsuit unless a lawsuit is actually intended (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(5)).
• It may not tell your employer, family or friends about the debt, apart from limited contacts to locate you.
• It may not call more than seven times in seven days about a debt without a presumption of a violation (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).
• Texas does not permit wage garnishment for ordinary consumer debts (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28).

We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against Berlin-Wheeler. If you want a lawyer to review how it contacted you, see our Texas FDCPA attorneys page.

We Sue Debt Collectors That Break the FDCPA

Texas Debt Law files Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuits against debt collectors in federal court for consumers in Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia and Colorado. If Berlin-Wheeler or anyone collecting for it harassed you, misstated what you owe, threatened action it could not take, or told others about your debt, you may have a claim. A court can order a collector that violated the FDCPA to pay your actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional statutory damages, and your attorney's fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1692k(a)). An FDCPA claim generally must be filed within one year of the violation (§ 1692k(d)), so keep your letters, call logs, voicemails and screenshots, and talk to us early. Texas residents may also have claims under the Texas Debt Collection Act. Learn more from our FDCPA attorneys.

Free FDCPA Case Review(214) 851-2250

Or start your free case evaluation online. No lawyer can promise a result; every claim depends on its facts and proof.

Sources

• Berlin-Wheeler: home page
• CFPB enforcement actions search
• CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: Berlin-Wheeler, Inc. (Kansas), debt collection

This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that Berlin-Wheeler has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.