Collection Bureau of America: Who They Are and Your Rights

Type

Collection agency

Also known as

Collection Bureau of America Ltd.; CBA

Headquarters

Hayward, CA

Collects

utility bills, municipal charges, medical bills, cable TV bills, bottled water service bills, commercial accounts

Phone numbers it lists

(888) 306-2045, (888) 454-0313

Website

collectionbureauofamerica.com

260 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about Collection Bureau of America Ltd. 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 Collection Bureau of America?

Collection Bureau of America (CBA) is an accounts receivable management firm that says it has operated since 1959. It is privately held and certified as minority-owned, including a Minority Business Enterprise certification through the California Public Utilities Commission. Since 2000 it has worked out of a custom-built facility of about 24,000 square feet at 25954 Eden Landing Road in Hayward, California; its mailing address is P.O. Box 5013, Hayward, CA 94540.

CBA's website lists California license number 10141-99 and says the company is licensed or authorized to collect in all 50 states. It is a member of ACA International and the California Association of Collectors. Consumers can call (888) 306-2045, or use the pay-by-phone line at (888) 454-0313.

Why Collection Bureau of America May Be Contacting You

CBA's client mix leans toward essential services. Its website lists utility, municipal, medical, commercial, cable and bottled water accounts, and it offers account billing, "first-party" and accelerated recovery as well as traditional third-party collection. A CBA letter often follows a final bill from a closed utility or cable account, a city or county charge, a medical bill, or a water delivery service you cancelled. Equipment you thought you returned, such as a cable box, can also show up as a charge.

How to Check a Debt Collection Bureau of America Says You Owe

Service-account balances are often built from a final bill, late fees and unreturned-equipment charges, so ask for the parts.

• Review the validation notice. It must name the creditor and show how the balance changed since the itemization date (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
• Send a written dispute within the validation window. For a utility or cable account, ask for the service address, the account opening and closing dates, and the final bill. For equipment charges, attach your return receipt.
• Confirm the creditor. Ask whether the utility, city or provider still owns the account, or whether it was sold.
• Match the amount to your records. Look for deposits that should have been credited, and for fees added after the account closed.
• Check the age of the debt. Texas generally gives 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). Government charges can follow different rules, and other states' periods differ.

For help writing the letter, see how to dispute a debt with a collector.

What Collection Bureau of America Can and Can't Do

An agency collecting consumer debts owed to others is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Commercial (business) accounts aren't covered by the FDCPA, but household utility, cable and medical bills are. For those accounts:

• It may not add collection fees unless your service agreement or the law allows them (15 U.S.C. § 1692f(1)).
• It may not suggest that it is a government agency, even when collecting for a city or county (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(1), (9)).
• It may not call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time, or at work if it knows your employer forbids it (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)).
• Seven calls in seven days about one account is the presumptive limit (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).

We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against Collection Bureau of America. Visit our FDCPA attorneys page if you have concerns about a collector's conduct.

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 Collection Bureau of America 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

• Collection Bureau of America: home page
• Collection Bureau of America: About
• CFPB enforcement actions search: Collection Bureau
• CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: Collection Bureau of America Ltd., debt collection

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