Are You Being Called By Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.?*

Are you being called By Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.?* Here’s what you need to know

In December 2017, the Washington Post published an article titled “Americans are drowning in debt.” This means that literally thousands of people are being contacted by collection agencies about overdue credit card bills, medical debt, and other obligations. While such communications are legal, harassment is not. It’s a distinction that many debt collectors deliberately ignore.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, is dedicated to protecting consumers from harassment by third-party collection agencies. Debt collectors are prohibited from using pressure tactics like the following to make you pay:

• Failing to identify themselves as debt collectors seeking to collect a debt
• Threatening legal actions they cannot take or have no intention of taking
• Using obscene, profane, and threatening language
• Calling before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Pretending to be attorneys or police officers
• Refusing to provide you with information about the debt upon request

Company Profile: Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.

If you are being called by Midwest Service Bureau, Inc., information about the company is below.

Midwest Service Bureau, Inc. is a debt collection company located in Wichita, Kansas. It opened for business in 1970, has 30 employees, and is owned by Micki A. Kell. The company website positions it as a leading Midwest healthcare debt collector. Digitized lawsuit files viewable at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website indicate that consumers who felt they were being harassed by Midwest Service Bureau, Inc. refused to be pushed into paying debts they did not owe.

Alleged Violations against Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.

Sarah Michelle Haskins vs. Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.*

According to PACER, in or around early 2012, Midwest Service Bureau, Inc. began trying to collect a debt from Kansas resident Sarah Michelle Haskins. She later claimed that during its various collection attempts, the company disclosed confidential account information to a third party, namely her husband’s employer. On one occasion a collector allegedly stated that they would “hold the file until noon” and then proceed on their end.

Feeling harassed by Midwest Service Bureau, Inc., Ms. Haskins hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Discussing the debt with third parties
• Threatening legal action it had no intention of taking
• Using false, deceptive, and misleading means to collect a debt

The matter was later resolved.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this debt collection agency are:

• 1-316-263-1051
• 1-800-362-0272

If the phone rings and you see either of these numbers on your caller ID, it means that you are being called by Midwest Service Bureau, Inc.. If they reveal confidential information to uninvolved third parties and threaten lawsuits that never transpire, hire a consumer attorney who can help you protect your rights. If you decide to file a claim against Midwest Service Bureau, Inc., you could potentially win $1,000 per FDCPA violation in addition to reasonable legal fees. Such lawsuits remind collection agencies that they are not as omnipotent as they like to think and will be held accountable for their actions.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 2:12-cv-02155-CM-KMH from the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.

Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Midwest Service Bureau, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.