Is CBE Group calling you constantly?
CBE Group is one of the largest and most profitable debt collection agencies in the country, as they utilize both first and third party collections. Founded in 1933 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, CBE group has nearly 1,300 employees, and collects debts of all kinds: healthcare, credit card, telecommunications, and many others. CBE Group has even partnered with the IRS to collect past due federal taxes, and has a lucrative existing relationship with the U.S. Department of Education to collect from thousands of individuals nationwide who are drowning in student loan debt.
Despite claiming to want to help those struggling with mounting debt, CBE group has been known to harass, bully, and intimidate customers into making payments with dozens of daily phone calls and other aggressive tactics. In addition, our research shows that they have also harassed customers by attempting to collect non-existent debt, refusing to acknowledge debt that has already been paid off, and calling people by mistake in order to seek payment.
In hundreds of complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, many customers have complained that CBE has also wreaked havoc on their credit reports, despite all debts having been paid, or because of CBE reporting non-existent debt to creditors. Several people complained that the action CBE took against their credit history, took years to be removed from their report, making it difficult for them to qualify for mortgages, car loans, personal loans, and more.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), The CBE Group, Inc. was founded in 1933 and incorporated in 1985. The BBB established a profile page for CBE in 1993, and CBE has been a BBB-accredited business since 1992. The BBB lists CBE as a collection agency. Buzzfile estimates CBE’s annual revenue at $98.4 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 900 employees.
According to its website, CBE “delivers first- and third-party debt collection, fraud, and customer care services for organizations in dozens of specialized markets.” CBE states that its “ability to constantly adapt, evolve, and stay ahead of the regulatory environment sets them apart from other providers.”
CBE Group provides collection services for a wide range of businesses and industries, including medical and healthcare service providers; cable and satellite telecommunications companies; telephone service providers; utility service providers; retail credit card lenders; private and government-backed education lenders; and government agencies, including delinquent tax bills.
CBE’s services are structured into four divisions: third-party collection; first-party collection; fraud detection services; and batch skip tracing. Third-party debt collection services include primary and secondary collection of delinquent debts using “advanced technology, intelligent work strategies, … advanced skip tracing resources, and …analytics resources to ensure CBE’s workforce contacts …borrowers efficiently and effectively to help them resolve their obligations and shorten the…recovery timeline.” First-party collection services focus on default aversion by helping consumers repay loans “while avoiding the pitfalls of default.” CBE also provides outsourced call center services throughout its 5 locations.
CBE Group maintains both a consumer website and a corporate website. Neither site provides any detailed information about their regulatory compliance policies. 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 October 2021, the BBB has closed 253 complaints against CBE in the preceding 3 years, with 93 complaints closed in the previous 12 months. Most of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections, although 43 complaints cited problems with customer service, and an additional 28 complaints cited problems with advertising and sales. As of July 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 1,298 complaints involving CBE. Justia lists at least 6 cases of civil litigation involving CBE Group.
CBE Group
1309 Technology Parkway
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone Number: 800-925-6686
Website: http://www.cbegroup.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely CBE Group 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!
Get Free BBB A+ Attorney. Call 475-277-1600 NOW
Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. You can sue a debt collector.
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).
Consumers have reported this agency harassing them from the following numbers:
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…
“Thank you so very much! I’m still so grateful for the blessing of finding you on the internet. I know it’s early, but I wish to wish EVERYONE in Lemberg Law a amazing holiday season!”
“Just a brief message to let you know I got my settlement and also to thank you for your help. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anybody who’s on the receiving end of the sort of harassment that collection agencies participate in.”
“Seriously! Thank you a thousand times over! The debt collector kept phoning me but would not give me any information regarding the debt that I owed except the sum. They threatened me over and over again and would not stop calling. I hunted on Google for ways to make the calls stop and discovered Lemberg Law. They took my case and found that the debt was too old to accumulate. This firm had ‘bought’ my accounts and expected for me to pay! Guess what? They ended up paying me for each of the harassment they put me through! I was SHOCKED when I received my check.
There is a good chance we can. Contact us to find out more.
In May 2013, in United States District Court for the Southern District of California, a judge issued a decision in a case alleging CBE had violated two provisions of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). In this case, the plaintiff alleged that beginning the year previous to the court case, she had begun receiving “without her consent, numerous ‘autodialed’ telephone calls to her cellular telephone for which she alleged she incurred charges.” She stated further that CBE Group used an automated telephone dialing system (ATDS) to make the calls, which the TCPA defines as an “automatic dialing system which has the capacity to produce or store and dial numbers randomly or sequentially.”
She also stated that CBE used the ATDS “to place telephone calls to her cellular telephone and/orused an artificial or pre-recorded voice message system, to place telephone calls to her cellular telephone.” The TCPA prohibits the placement of commercial calls to mobile telephone numbers without the consent of the account holder, or using an ATDS, or leaving pre-recorded or artificial voice messages on cellular telephones. As a result, she charged CBE with negligent violations of the TCPA and knowing or willful violations of the TCPA.
Attorneys for CBE attempted to convince the court to dismiss the case based on 6 arguments. First, CBE Group argued that the plaintiff had brought the case in a court that did not have the proper jurisdiction or authority to make a decision. Although the plaintiff did not reside in Southern California, she argued that because CBE does business in Southern California, the court had the authority to hear cases brought against them. The court asked the plaintiff to conduct a further investigation to determine the extent to which CBE has business dealings in its district. CBE also attempted to argue that the TCPA does not apply to debt collection agencies. Although the court acknowledged that there may be exceptions in which some collection agencies may not be regulated by this law, neither of them applied to CBE, so this objection was dismissed.
CBE also tried to argue that the plaintiff had not stated a valid claim against them, but the court disagreed. Because the plaintiff’s complaint included a clear statement of the alleged violation, the court dismissed CBE’s objection on this count. CBE also tried to argue that the plaintiff failed to allege any injury as a result of the violation, but the court stated that the law does not require her to show proof that she was charged for any of the calls, so the court again dismissed CBE’s objection. CBE also requested that the court prevent the plaintiff from filing a class action lawsuit, but the court denied the request.
As a result, the court denied CBE’s request to dismiss the claim in every respect except the jurisdiction of the court. With regard to that objection, the court instructed the plaintiff to refile the complaint with evidence supporting her claim that the Southern District of California was an appropriate venue.
November 23, 2015. There is a student loan epidemic in this country. Student loan debt exceeds credit card debt. And more students are getting into more debt than ever before.
Our client has student loan debt. CBE Group collects on behalf of federal student loans. There are rules about when a student loan debt has to be paid off, and rules about when a borrower’s wages can be garnished. One of those rules is that a borrower has to be continuously employed for 12 months in order to have their wages garnished.
This collection agency threatened to garnish our client’s wages if the student loan debt was not paid. However, our client hadn’t been continuously employed for 12 months, so CBE Group wasn’t legally allowed to garnish his wages.
The case, which was recently filed in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, charges CBE Group with violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by engaging in harassing behavior; using false, deceptive, or misleading representation in connection with the collection of a debt; by threatening to take legal action that could not be legally taken; by employing false and deceptive means to collect a debt; and by using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt. It asks for statutory damages of $1,000, plus other relief.
November 14, 2015. On behalf of our client, Lemberg Law recently filed a complaint in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. The case, against CBE Group, charges the debt collection agency with violating federal law and asks for $1,000 in statutory damages, plus other relief.
Wrong numbers are bothersome. A steady stream of wrong number calls can really disrupt your life. Our clients, a married couple, say that CBE started calling their landline in May. After receiving several calls, our clients called CBE to figure out why they were calling. The debt collector the spoke to said that he was trying to reach a woman that the couple did know. Our clients told the debt collector that they didn’t know the woman and asked them to stop calling. This debt collector told our clients that their number would be removed from the collection agency’s system. That didn’t happen, though, as they called more than 20 more times.
This lawsuit charges that CBE Group violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by engaging in harassing behavior; by contacting our clients for purposes other than to confirm or correct location information; for contacting our clients without being asked to do so; and by using unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt.
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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."
See more posts from Sergei Lemberg
CBE Group started robocalling me when my debit card was stolen and won’t stop. I have no debts or loans. My credit rating is in the 800s. They harass me day and night anyway. They call from 303-586-3971 incessantly.
They keep calling me from random numbers. They ask right away if im and say my name and I state hesitant yes and who are they? Then they give an old address and ask me to verify that and my ssn. I tell them no until they tell me who they are and what they are calling me about. They tell me i must answer the question as they are a legal representation office for the police!??? As i can see here that is a lie which i knew anyway. They have threatened to have my ssi taken. They have threatened me with jail. They have threatened me with my family in my home with jail. I am so done with this. Everytime they call i get so upset that I feel my chest tighten and i have pain in it. This is terrible for my health and I just want to be left alone
I keep getting calls from CBE group they state it is buisness matter they need to get in touch with my ex husband. This last time they kept asking if I could let him know and if my number was a good number for him. I asked the who CBE group was..they said they could not tell me. I stated they are required by law to identify who they are and their buisness. Again said same stuff. I asked are you a collection agency if you are you are required to say so. They told me they neither confirm or deny. At this point I told them they are spam callers I would be turning them in a such. I have had dozens of calls normally they hang up in exceptions of last 2 times.
CBE calling me at 7 am 3 times in a row every day from different numbers with different area codes claiming to be about a small accident I was in which my insurance company already paid. They asked me if I have insurance and with who among other requests for personal info in the only voicemail they ever left. Since that initial message they call at 7am and they leave no message and if I answer they hang up.
Was in a fight with a medical bill when suddenly the medical stop responding and sent me to collections at CBE Group. CBE Group contacted me and I disputed the claim and sent a letter outlining the dispute. Suddenly I realize no one is responding to me and the event is now listed as a disputed collection on my credit report. I did not even get a chance to do anything else.
They decided to call me 1 minute before remembrance day ceremony and moment of silence. Then got mad at me for calling them back to ask why they called me at that time.
I get a call or two daily usually in the middle of class with my braille learner. I have a sick mother and husband so I cannot turn the phone off. I ignore the call but they call again, never leaving a message so I blocked the first number because they were acting like spammers . Now they are calling from (225) 960- 6403. They used to call from a similar number. I looked them up and found this site. I don’t know what or if I owe anything because they never leave a message. I have medical bills that I have been paying on but the cancer hospital gets their payments on line and verify each payment on their website and with an email receipt. If you’re not up to no good, then leave a message when you call and tell me what the call is about so I can call you back. I will not answer nor call a strange number.
CBE Group keeps calling me and my children during the day. I asked them to remove all the numbers and they continue to call.
They call my cell numerous times a day and from different numbers. I don’t answer and they NEVER leave a message but ever single day I get no less than 4 calls a day from different numbers. I didn’t know who it was till I call the number and it said CBE group I did not talk to anyone I just hung up the phone. I want the calls to stop it’s so ridiculous . These people don’t know when to stop.
They are calling me on my cell from 818-638-3911, I called back and they wanted a mountain of info without even telling me what is the purpose of the call. I told them they’ll get all that info When hell freeze over. They hanged up and called back again, this time another bird brain trying to get info from me and I told them they’re violating my privacy law and I will take legal action against them. They said they’ll remove my number but they did not and keep calling me. I block one number then they call from a different one. Who the F are these people???? I am seriously considering getting a attorney and taking them to court.
Was called. They will give no information regarding a “personal business matter” until I “verify” all of my information. I am verifying nothing, as I have no outstanding debt with anyone. If they cannot even tell you why they are calling, why would anyone give them any personal information? It is ridiculous and the calls need to stop!
We are getting phone calls and letters from them and have been for awhile. They are supposedly representing the IRS in collections, so we call and they will keep saying that my husband’s SS number is wrong and that we need to contact the SS Admin. So I called the IRS directly and they said that they DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY! So the short of it is, they are overstepping their authority and they need to stop calling us!!!!
I got calls related to “personal issues” about my ex-husband. I told them to stop calling me. I got 4 phone calls in the last 2 days, even after I blocked it. 330-615-1942 and 330-615-1985 and 330-471-1161 and 330-615-1989
CBE called me and said they were the Treasury Dept. and I needed to pay a dept in full immediately.
I received a call from them on April 23. And SIX calls from them today (May 2). I have NO debts that have gone into collections. I need these calls to stop. I read I can get between $500 and $1000 for EACH robocall??? Can someone confirm this??
I received multiple calls on my cellphone and home phone daily from this company. The caller wants me to verify personal info about myself such as social security number. When I ask their identity I am told once I verify I am who they are looking for they will tell me. I usually hang up at that point but sometimes I tell them to mail their request to the address on file. I refuse to give my info to an unknown caller so I guess I will never know what they are calling me for.
I keep getting calls from this number 504 900 8842, and the lady on the phone was trying to get me to verify my personal information, and when I told her that I was not going to do so until she told me why she had my information and what the call was about. She told me with attitude, well we will keep calling you. I also said to her if you have my address then you can mail the information to me and her response was we dont do that. So I say good bye and hung up the phone. They have no right to withhold information from me when you have my information. I dont get if they are in Iowa the why are they calling me from a New Orleans number. Just trash!!!!
Today I happened to look at my paystub which I get paid tomorrow, I noticed I got hit with a garnishment, I panicked called my work corporate to ask payroll what was going on, she looked it up and said well the CBE group is asking you are garnished for a $30,000 debt!!! I said WHAT?!?! She asked if I owed for a past home or car, I was like ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! I’m freaking out and it’s been impossible to get through to them!!! I KNOW I don’t owe ANYONE that amount of money?!? What am I supposed to do, I am flipping out! This check they garnished $170 but my payroll said to expect 3 times that amount to be taken next check! And that they have to collect $2000 by 5/7/2019!!! Help me understand
They call non stop they have called me at least 20 times today all from different numbers
Dear Sir or Madam: CBE Group has been calling me every day for two months now. Today they called twice from the same number and hung up. They have called from over a dozen different numbers. I called back today and swore like the dickens at them to stop harassing me and stop calling me I had nothing to say to them. I think you had better help me or I am going to get in trouble harassing CBE group right back! My mouth has gotten me in lots of trouble, but with collectors I do not care! That is not to mention the withholding from my SSDI benefits that the State of ND continues to take for over ten years now on a 33 year old kid that was adopted by another father when he was six. ND Child Support charged me over 8 thousand dollars worth of interest on a 6 thousand dollar bill! Collectors! Ba Hum Bug! No Merry Christmas Here! How about A hand?
I am paying off a small debt through CBE. I called them Once to set up a bit-weekly payment around my payday. I called them another time and asked to moved the payments by one day to give me time to deposit my paycheck. They were rude and tried to tell me I couldn’t until I asked if it would work better for them if I just cancelled the payment arrangement. Then they said they would make the change just this one time. Today I called to cancel a scheduled payment which is before their three business day requirement to cancel. I said I would make a double payment. The person said I had made one change already (referring to my changing the day of the week my payment comes out) and couldn’t make any changes any more. When I challenged her on this and read from their site about cancelling payments, she backed down. They are very rude and lies to me.
CBE group keeps calling me multiple times a day. Starting in the morning and all through out the day until the evening. they call from 562-850-2049. They always have an attitude and our basically plain rude.
Making payments and still being constantly called…. this is not acceptable at all. Then they speak at 200 mph ..ask them to slow down and repeat because they are speeding and they act as if I did something to them. I do not appreciate any of it at all. They call when you need to pay and they call while youre paying. I need the calls to stop.
Someone from this so called CBE group left a message on my private cell phone saying they are a debt collector. I do not owe any outstanding debts. They left no other message as to either whom they were calling or what debt but, without knowing who they were calling said CBE debt colkector and said call 1-866-895-4766
They call me several times a day and I have asked them to refrain from calling my phone. The number that continues to call is 901-295-1065. Don’t know how to stop them as they have been calling for a very long time period. It is currently, 10:00 a.m. CST and they have already called me twice this morning. Very frustrating.
I just received a call from them. They said my maiden name. I asked who they were and what was their business. They said CBE, is this (my maiden name)? I hesitated and said yes. The man went right off with my old address. Again, I stated what is your business? He kind of chuckled and said is your address, and the call was disconnected. I immediately looked them up and saw these comments about them. I decided to write a comment because I know for a fact I do not have any debts as I just bought a house, my credit was clear, and I have a freeze on my social security information due to past identity theft. (Phone number it came in from was 805-572-6536 Oxnard, CA)
I hope this helps anyone’s case. I despise scammers.
They contacted me while I was at work. I informed them I was at work and I have never heard of them and the lady on the other end provided me with my address and she then asked me for my SS#. First, if she has my address why would she need my SS#? She said to make sure that I am speaking to the right person. So, I hung the phone up. She calls right back from 901-295-1125 and she began to go off because I hung the phone up on her. She said that’s why people like you all of the other people we call every day will never make anything because you call can’t pay your bills and she hung the phone up on me. I am glad she did before it went left real quick.
CBE GROUP calls me every day on several occasions they are rude and talk with no respect cause I refuse to verify my identity. I ask who are they and what is the call for they rufuse to answer but rather me verify name address social and date of birth which I will not do so I ask them months ago to stop calling me but they remain calling every day. This has got to stop one way or the other. I block the numbers but they still call from various area codes and phone numbers still with the harrassment and the rudeness and disrespect for my privacy and personal information
They call me and want me to confirm my SSN and I refused completely because I am not having any financial issues with any company. I just want the authority to put a stop to this before innocent people will be scammed.
THIS COMPANY IS CALLING ME ASKING FOR THE FIRST 5 #S OF MY SSN# RFSD TO GIVE THEM THAT …. I ASKEDTHEM TO VERF THE HOME ADDRESS THEY CLAIM TO BE SENDING CORRESPONDENCE TO AND THEY SAID THEY ARE UNABLE TO VERIFY THAT WITH ME. I REFUSE TO PROVIDE INFO INF I HAVE O IDEA WHY YOUR CALLING ME AND WHO YOU ARE THE IRS HAS NEVER SENT ME ANYTHING
Getting harassment calls from the CBE great day getting very belligerent and saying they’re calling on behalf of the internal revenue service I’ve asked him multiple times to stop calling I need to stop these people they have crossed the line .
this group calls my or my husbands phone several times daily. I want them STOPPED for hassassment!
I receive daily automated call from Cbe group stating they are collecting a debt and to call a certain number. I do not have any debts and would like the calls to stop.
Reached my wife’s cell phone (unlisted) to request info on my son. Wife gave me the phone and the called started off by saying conversation is being recorded. I got disturbed at this and asked for identifiation, answer refused. Finally caller stated CBE group. I stated not to call again after getting a refusal as to why calling my wife’s number. My son has behavior health issues that have been adjudicated and is subject to further legal action conditions.
What can be done to protect him and us from this collection agency. No information as to who this company’s client is was provided.
CBE has called me and got an attitude because I couldn’t talk when I was driving (because it’s illegal) and then didn’t call back at the time and date I asked them to.
I get a call back from them (when I called back it had their automated message system so I know it was them) and all that was on the phone was heavy breathing and a baby crying in the background.
Very unprofessional conduct from any type of caller.