Credit Bureau Services of Iowa, Inc. (CBSI) is a family-owned collection agency in Oskaloosa, Iowa that has operated since 1950. It collects for government, school, healthcare, utility and other clients, despite a name that sounds like a credit bureau.
- Type
- Collection agency
- Also known as
- Credit Bureau Services of Iowa, Inc.; CBSI
- Headquarters
- Oskaloosa, IA
- Collects
- government accounts, school fees, medical bills, utility bills, consumer and commercial accounts
- Phone numbers it lists
- (800) 383-0234
- Website
- creditiowa.com
27 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about Credit Bureau Services of Iowa Inc. 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 Credit Bureau Services of Iowa?
Credit Bureau Services of Iowa, Inc. (CBSI) is a collection agency in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Despite the name, it is not one of the national credit reporting agencies; it collects unpaid accounts for its clients and reports some of them to the bureaus. The company says it has provided collection services since 1950 and is local and family-owned. Its co-owners are CEO Leonard Grimes, a past president of the Iowa Collectors Association and of the Associated Credit Bureaus of Iowa, and President Brian Grimes, who the company says currently leads the Iowa Collectors Association. Its toll-free number is (800) 383-0234.
We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against Credit Bureau Services of Iowa.
Why Credit Bureau Services of Iowa May Be Contacting You
CBSI says it collects for government, schools, attorneys, healthcare providers, utilities, and consumer and commercial clients. Its services include letters, personal phone calls, skip tracing, reporting to the national credit bureaus and, when appropriate, legal collection. It also offers an early-out letter series, which means some contacts come before an account is formally treated as a collection.
So a CBSI notice may concern a clinic or hospital bill, school fees, a municipal utility account, or a balance owed to a local business or law office.
How to Check a Debt Credit Bureau Services of Iowa Says You Owe
Because CBSI handles very different kinds of bills, the right records to gather depend on the client named in the letter.
- Read the validation notice. It must name the creditor and show how the balance was calculated (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
- Dispute in writing within the validation period if anything is wrong. Ask for an itemized statement; for a medical bill, ask for the insurance payment history too.
- Go to the source. A school business office, city utility department or clinic billing office can often confirm a balance or credit a missed payment directly.
- Check your credit reports for a CBSI entry, and make sure the creditor and amount match the letter.
- Watch the limitation period. In Texas, suits on most consumer debts must be filed within four years (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers cannot sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). Iowa and other states have their own limits, and some government claims follow different rules.
What Credit Bureau Services of Iowa Can and Can't Do
CBSI collects debts owed to others, so it is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6) for any consumer debt it handles. A few rules that fit its mix of accounts:
- Paid medical collections, and medical collections under $500, no longer appear on the three national credit bureaus' reports. See medical debt credit reporting changes.
- A name that includes "credit bureau" cannot be used to suggest the agency is a consumer reporting agency when it is not (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(16)).
- It may not call more than seven times in seven days about one debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).
- Legal collection requires a lawsuit and judgment first; in Texas, wages cannot be garnished for an ordinary consumer debt.
If CBSI's collection seemed improper, 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 Credit Bureau Services of Iowa 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
- Credit Bureau Services of Iowa: home page
- Credit Bureau Services of Iowa: About
- Credit Bureau Services of Iowa: Contact
- CFPB enforcement actions list (checked pages 1-17)
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: Credit Bureau Services of Iowa Inc., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that Credit Bureau Services of Iowa has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.