McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc. (MB&W) is a collection agency based in the Cleveland, Ohio area, with an office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It collects past-due accounts for client businesses, so a call, text or letter from it usually means a company you had an account with placed the balance there.
- Type
- Collection agency
- Also known as
- McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc.; MB&W
- Headquarters
- Cleveland, OH
- Website
- mbandw.com
311 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, 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 McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff?
McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc. (MB&W) is a receivables management company that says it is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and was founded by two collection veterans. Its contact page lists two Cleveland-area locations, in Bedford Heights and Middleburg Heights, and an office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Its leadership page names Freida Burgess and Brett Alspach, each with more than 30 years in the collection industry. MB&W says it is licensed, bonded and insured to provide collection services in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and that it holds SOC II Type II and ISO 27001 certifications and is certified through the Commercial Law League of America.
The company says it has collected more than $1 billion for clients over the last decade. It does not publish its founding year or client list on its website.
Why McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff May Be Contacting You
MB&W's services page lists third-party collections, first-party outsourcing (where a collector works accounts before they are formally in collection), customer service and retention call-center work, and litigation management, which it describes as handled on a contingency basis. In plain terms, MB&W works on behalf of other companies. It might contact you early, as a customer-service or billing reminder for a company, or later, after an account has been charged off.
Because MB&W does not name its industries publicly, the notice itself is your best guide: it must identify the creditor. MB&W's contact forms say it may reach out by call, text or email, and that you can reply "STOP" to end text messages.
How to Check a Debt McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff Says You Owe
Start by making sure the account is yours and that MB&W is authorized to collect it.
- Look for the validation notice. It must give the creditor's name, an itemized balance and the date by which you can dispute (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34).
- Dispute in writing within that period. MB&W must then pause collection until it sends verification. Ask for the account statement or contract from the creditor and an explanation of every fee.
- Identify the owner. Ask whether the original company still owns the account or has sold it, and to whom.
- Reconcile the amount. Compare the balance against your own statements and bank records, including any payments made after the account was placed.
- Consider the statute of limitations. Texas generally gives four years to sue on a consumer debt (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers cannot sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). Other states use different limits; if MB&W refers a case for suit, the age of the debt matters.
What McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff Can and Can't Do
A third-party agency collecting consumer debts for clients is a "debt collector" under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Points that matter for an agency that uses calls, texts and email:
- Every collection text and email must include a reasonable, simple way to opt out (12 C.F.R. § 1006.6(e)); replying "STOP" should end texts.
- Calls are presumed excessive above seven in seven days on one debt, or within seven days after a phone conversation about it (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(2)).
- It may not threaten a lawsuit unless one is actually intended and lawful (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(5)).
- Even if a client sues and wins, Texas does not allow wages to be garnished for ordinary consumer debts.
We did not find an enforcement action against MB&W in the CFPB's enforcement actions list, the FTC's case database, the Connecticut Department of Banking's 2016–2026 consumer credit orders, California DFPI enforcement records or the New York DFS enforcement actions list, which we checked in November 2026. If you think MB&W crossed the line, 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 McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff 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
- MB&W: About us
- MB&W: Services
- MB&W: Compliance
- MB&W: Contact us
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.