Central Billing , LLC is a third-party debt collection agency based in California. Central Billing has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as using false or misleading information in an effort to collect a debt and attempting to collect debts not owed. If Central Billing has contacted you about delinquent financial obligations, make sure you understand your rights before taking action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Central Billing, LLC was founded in 2012 and incorporated in 2013. The BBB established a profile page for Central Billing in 2015. The BBB lists Central Billing as a collection system. Buzzfile estimates Central Billing’s annual revenue at $101,048 and the size of its headquarters staff at 2 employees.
According to its website, Central Billing “is an accounts receivable management and debt collection company that partners with businesses to streamline their recovery process and boost cash flow.” Central Billing “focuses on long term partnerships that improve recoveries and customer relationships for… clients.”
Central Billing specializes in “fast recovery and compliance solutions for both performing and delinquent accounts receivable for healthcare, financial services, utility providers, and many other unpaid agreement collections nationwide.” Central Billing also states that they “deliver excellent customer service to both clients and consumers in a way that sustains business reputations.”
Central Billing utilizes “state-of-the-art skip tracing and asset location systems, up-to-date credit reporting, convincing and customer-friendly agents, and an expert legal team…to recoup… unpaid receivables while helping consumers get out of the endless cycle of debt.” Central Billing states that its mission is “to educate consumers while paying off their account to avoid ending up in collections in the future.” Central Billing also acts as a debt purchaser.
The Central Billing website does not provide a lot of detailed information about their regulatory compliance policies. Their Frequently Asked Questions page provides some general information about consumer protection rights under the FDCPA. However, there are no links or references to consumer protection resources, laws, or enforcement agencies.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
As of November 2019, the BBB has given Central Billing a rating of F, citing its failure to respond to some of the complaints it has received. The BBB has also posted an Alert on Central Billing’s profile page that states Central Billing has requested that consumers contact Central Billing directly before filing a complaint with the BBB. The BBB has closed 7 complaints against Central Billing in the preceding 3 years, all of them in the previous 12 months. All of those complaints cited problems with billing and collections. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has not posted any complaint data involving Central Billing. Justia lists at least 3 cases of civil litigation involving Central Billing.
Central Billing, LLC
119. N. Fairfax Ave., Suite 627
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2110
Telephone: (888) 744-4465
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely Central Billing would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. You can sue a debt collector. Here is a Sample Case Complaint:
Complaints against Central Billing cite problems resulting from disputes about the validity of debts and the accuracy of information reported to credit reporting agencies, most frequently for debts related to expired magazine subscriptions. In October 2019, a complainant stated that he had recently discovered “a derogatory remark on his credit report from a magazine company that” he didn’t recognize. He said that according to the trade line, Central Billing was “claiming that he owes them money for something that he doesn’t know about.” The complainant called “the magazine companies that he knew he… had an account with,” but they told him that they didn’t recognize any magazine company with the name listed on his credit report. He said he had checked his bank statements and couldn’t locate any charges from the company in question. Finally, he called Central Billing and spoke to a representative. He told the representative that Central Billing had “never sent a letter to him about any outstanding bill that he owes.” In response, the Central Billing representative only asked for money. The complainant said that “the way he acted over the phone made him… suspect that something was wrong and seemed suspicious.” Ultimately, the complainant called the credit reporting agency and filed a dispute, at the recommendation of the magazine subscription services he had contacted earlier.
In another complaint from October 2019, a complainant stated that he had fallen victim to a “total scam for some magazines he never ordered,” and that Central Billing “flagged hiscreidt report for a bill of $1,000.00.” He said he had received a collection notice earlier from a different collection agency, but that he had “never had a subscription with the original creditor.” Regardless, they somehow charged his credit card, which “was eventually flagged and future payments stopped by the credit card company.” Subsequently, he got a call from Central Billing stating that he had authorized the subscription service to charge his credit card, which he said he “absolutely did not do.”Allegedly, Central Billing also claimed that he had given them his employment information, but the complainant is unemployed due to a disability. The complainant “asked for proof,” but Central Billing“simply said they had his credit card … and if he didn’t pay them right on the phone they would report it on his credit.” The complainant said that Central Billing had accused him of being “a scammer,” and said that he had ordered magazines without paying for them. He said that Central Billing cannot report delinquent debts without showing proof of the debt.
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
Yes. If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. Federal laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
“When I first contacted Lemberg Law, I was at my wits end, not knowing what to do or how to protect myself against the collection agencies. I felt like I was sinking. After sending in my case evaluation, Lemberg Law quickly threw me a lifeline and turned the tide.”
“I used to get up to 15 calls a week from several collection agencies. It got so bad I felt like I should just get a new phone number to make it quit. Happily, I discovered Lemberg Law. They immediately put an end to the calls. Now, when my phone rings I do not dread it.”
“Thanks to the staff at Lemberg Law, I have peace of mind again. They worked quickly to find the harassing calls ended and were super considerate when I spoke together. I love the hard work!”
“Prior to contacting you, we had tried repeatedly to handle this matter without threatening litigation. In the end, not only were they unapologetic, but they were dismissive – even of an attorney friend who called on our behalf. Sincerest thanks for resolving this matter for us!”
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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