Are You Being Called By Credit Bureau of Santa Maria?*

Are you being called by Credit Bureau of Santa Maria?* Here’s what you need to know

When a debt collector gets you on the phone, they usually demand immediate payment in full, and some will even become hostile and threaten if you refuse. Don’t let yourself be bullied. When they treat you in this manner, they are counting on the likelihood that you don’t know your rights as an indebted consumer.

Your Rights Under the FDCPA

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, requires third-party collection agencies to be professional when contacting you about a debt. Rude and bullying like those listed below are illegal and can even get repeat offenders shut down.

• Calling you outside of the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in your time zone
• Threatening to damage your reputation and credit rating
• Use profane or obscene language
• Leaving voice messages that do not identify the collector and the reason for their call
• Discussing the debt with your coworkers, neighbors, and friends
• Contacting you after you have sent a cease and desist letter

Company Profile: Credit Bureau of Santa Maria

If you are being called by the Credit Bureau of Santa Maria, information about the company is below.

The Credit Bureau of Santa Maria, which is also known as The Credit Bureau of San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Counties, is a debt collection company located in Grover Beach, California. It has been around for decades, having opened for business in 1926, has less than 20 employees, and is managed by its President, Sandy Lubin. Digitized civil litigation files at the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) website confirm that consumers who believed they were being harassed by Credit Bureau of Santa Maria filed lawsuits demanding compensation.

Alleged Violations against Credit Bureau of Santa Maria

According to PACER, on or about December 10, 2014, the Credit Bureau of Santa Maria sent a California resident. Feeling harassed by Credit Bureau of Santa Maria, he hired a consumer attorney and sued the company for allegedly violating the FDCPA in the following ways:

• Using harassing and abusive means to collect a debt
• Using false, deceptive and misleading means to collect a debt

A judge later ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

Hire an Attorney

The phone numbers for this collection agency are:

• 1-805-481-3155
• 1-800-540-8450

If you see either of these numbers on your caller ID when the phone rings, it means that you are being called by Credit Bureau of Santa Maria. If they use abusive and insulting language in their collection letters, hire a consumer attorney to help you protect your rights in court. If you file a claim against Credit Bureau of Santa Maria, you could potentially be awarded $1,000 per violation as well as attorney’s fees, court costs, and any actual damages, so never let embarrassment over owing a debt make you tolerant mistreatment.

*Case taken from PACER (www.pacer.gov). File number is Case 2:15-cv-02684-SVW-E from the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

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 Credit Bureau of Santa Maria, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.