Are you being called by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc.?*

Are you being called by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc.?* Here’s what you need to know

An alarming number of debt collectors refuse to acknowledge boundaries when it comes to settling a debt. They will call you late at night, discuss your debt with your coworkers, and threaten to seize garnish your wages. What they’re doing is illegal, but they hope that you will be too unfamiliar with your rights to act on them.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), is a consumer protection law that regulates the way that debt collectors can communicate with consumers. Using methods like the following to pressure someone into paying a debt can get a collection agency shut down.

• Swearing, calling you names, and using profane language
• Contacting you at work after being informed that the employer does not permit such calls
• Refusing to validate the debt and prove that they are authorized to collect it
• Calling at inconvenient times, namely before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. in the consumer’s time zone
• Persisting in trying to collect a disputed debt
• Reporting false information to the credit bureaus

Company Profile: Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc.

If you are being called by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc., information about the company is below.

Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. is a debt collection agency located in Topeka, Kansas. It was established in 2008, has approximately 25 employees, and is managed by its President, Kent Hollins. Its website notes, “We are owned and operated by an attorney, giving CBK a competitive edge over the competition.” A review of litigation records at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website reveals that several consumers who believed they were being harassed by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. sued the agency for violating their rights.

Alleged Violations against Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc.

According to PACER, on or about October 31, 2012 Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. allegedly contacted the mother a consumer regarding a debt he allegedly owed. The family sent a cease and desist letter that day, but collectors allegedly called the consumer’s mother again on November 6 and a family friend on November 16. Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. allegedly did not send a debt validation notice until December 6, long after the legal deadline.

Feeling harassed by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc., the family hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA by in the following ways:

• Discussing the alleged debt with unauthorized third parties
• Failing to send a debt validation notice within five days
• Ignoring a cease communications request

The matter was later dismissed.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this collection agency are as follows:

• 1-785-228-3636
• 1-866-858-3636

If you see either one on your caller ID in in response to an incoming call, be aware that you are being called by Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. If they discuss your debt with friends and family and ignore a cease communication letter, contact a consumer attorney. If you file a claim against Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc. and win, you could potentially receive $1,000 per FDCPA violation plus any other appropriate damages and court costs. Companies that do not collect debts in accordance with the law will face consequences.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 5:13-cv-04135-CM-KGG from the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Topeka Division.

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 Collection Bureau of Kansas, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.