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If CBCS Collections calls you or sends you letters, chances are they bought a debt you defaulted on. They will likely call you relentlessly and hound you for payment in full.
The good news is you don’t have to pay for it.
The bad news is you need to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report fast because it can cause you to lose as much as 100 points on your credit score.
Here’s how to remove CBCS from your credit report.
Who Is CBCS Collections?
CBCS Collections or Credit Bureau Collection Services Inc is a collection company with a long history. They’ve been in business since 1929 and are out of Columbus, OH.
You may see CBCS Collections on your credit report as:
- CBCS
- CBCS Bedford, NH
- CBCS Dayton, OH
- CBCS Debt Collections Agency
- CBCS Collections
Is CBCS Collections a Legitimate Company?
CBCS Collections is legitimate. They are a collection company working on behalf of your original creditor. They’ve been in business for almost 100 years, helping companies earn money back that they lost due to default.
While they are legitimate, it doesn’t mean you should talk to them or give in and pay the collection they are hounding you about.
There are some proven ways to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report, helping you through the difficult time that caused the issue.
If you don’t remove them from your credit report, the information will stay on your credit report for 7 years. While it does not affect your credit score the entire 7 years, future lenders see it.
When lenders see an unpaid collection, it’s a red flag.
While it may not be the only reason, they turn your application down, it could play a role.
How to Remove CBCS Collections (4 Proven Ways)
Rather than letting your CBCS Collections tradeline ruin your financial future, learn the four proven ways to remove it from your credit report.
1. Hire a Credit Repair Company
Hiring professionals to handle your credit issues usually has excellent results. Here’s why.
You have a negative item on your credit report. You are stressed and overwhelm. You’ll do anything to get rid of it, including pay whatever the stern collection agent says you must pay when he calls.
What if you did not have to? That’s what the best credit repair companies look for when helping you. Most collections are reported in error.
That’s not to say that you don’t owe the money – chances are that you do, but there could be other errors that the credit repair company catches that get you out of debt. Here’s why.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has your back. If anything is reported inaccurately or unfairly, the credit bureaus can remove it – it’s your right.
While you may notice obvious issues, like the wrong balance amount or wrong account number, you may not see the little things that credit repair companies, like Credit Saint, pick up and could dispute, leaving you with a credit report that doesn’t include CBCS Collections.
>> More:Credit Saint Review
2. Request Debt Validation
Any time a collection agency sends you a notice of the debt, you have 30 days to validate it. In other words, you have 30 days to send a letter requesting debt validation.
In short, you’re asking the collection agency to tell you the following:
- The outstanding debt amounts
- Original creditor’s name
- The original date of the debt
- Your last payment dates
If CBCS Collections can’t prove the above information, you can request that the credit bureaus remove the information from your credit report.
This works occasionally, not always, so try it but have a backup method if it fails.
3. Negotiate a Settlement
If CBCS validates your debt and you know what you owe, negotiate a settlement. It’s easier than you think. Ignore the stern voices on the other end of the phone. In fact, conduct all conversations in writing.
Think about what you can afford. If you’re making a lump sum payment, let the collection agency know how much you’re willing to pay right away.
They may settle for less if they know you’ll pay it in full (don’t pay over the phone). If you need a payment arrangement, negotiate the total amount you’ll pay.
Remember, CBCS bought your debt for a fraction of what it’s worth so they’ll make money even if you only pay a small amount of the full amount owed.
Don’t be afraid to be aggressive with your negotiations.
4. Goodwill Deletion
If you’re usually a good customer and always pay your bills on time, but you slipped up this once, ask for a goodwill deletion.
You don’t disagree with the debt. Instead, you admit you made a mistake, and ask the creditor for ‘mercy’ in deleting the collection this one time.
Not all creditors allow it, but if you had a rare circumstance that caused you to slip up and you are usually a great customer, you may be surprised.
Make sure you have proof of your ‘good history’ and give plenty of reasons why the creditor should let it slide this one time.
If they agree, get it in writing. Don’t agree to anything on the phone. Keep the proof should it show up on your credit report down the road.
CBCS Collections Consumer Complaints: What Are People Saying?
As you can imagine, CBCS is a collection agency that has racked up a serious amount of complaints with the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Most of the CBCS Collections complaints have to do with inaccurate information reporting and the inability of CBCS to validate the debts.
This is the case with most collection companies and is why proper steps to remove collections like CBCS Collections from your credit report is essential. Don’t skip the steps needed and you can get it off your credit report fast.
CBCS Contact Information
- Mailing Address: 236 E Town St, Columbus, OH, 43215
- Phone Number: 800-934-8522
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Remove CBCS Collection Accounts?
You may be able to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report if you take the right steps. It’s important to act fast, especially when you first receive the notice.
You have 30 days to validate the collection. This could be the easiest way to remove it from your credit report.
If that doesn’t work, disputing the debt yourself or hiring a credit repair company is the next best way to ensure the CBCS Collections account is removed from your credit report.
Should I Negotiate a Settlement of Pay CBCS?
Negotiating a settlement should be your last step. If you pay the collection and don’t negotiate a ‘pay for delete,’ the collection account stays on your credit report for 7 years. Even though it reports as ‘paid’, it’s still a collection for future lenders to see.
If you negotiate a ‘pay for delete,’ the collection agency agrees to delete the information from your credit report in exchange for payment.
Whether you negotiate a pay for delete or not, you should negotiate any amount you pay. Remember, CBCS paid a fraction of the value of your debt.
Your original creditor agreed to the lower amount just to get it off their books. Any amount you pay will make the collection agency money.
Don’t be afraid to be aggressive with your negotiations, you never know what they’ll accept. Anything they do agree to, make sure you have in writing and never give them your checking account number.
Pay the amount agreed on via check and send it certified mail so you can track it.
>> More: How to Fix Your Credit Score
Will CBCS Sue Me or File a Lawsuit?
It’s not likely that CBCS Collections will sue you, but they can. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
If you ignore your debt and don’t take any of the above steps, including validating your CBCS Collection, hiring a credit repair company, or disputing the collection, CBCS may sue you to get the money back you owe.
Don’t let that happen – take the necessary steps to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report, rather than give them a reason to sue you.
Can CBCS Collections Garnish My Wages?
Like being sued, garnishing your wages isn’t likely, but it could happen. CBCS Collections uses this as a last resort. Consumers who don’t take their calls or take any steps to stop the collection process may find their wages garnished.
CBCS isn’t required to provide advance notice, so it happens without you even realizing it and after you can do anything.
Don’t let it get to this point and instead find ways to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report.
Bottom Line: CBCS Collections
Don’t let a CBCS collection sit on your credit report. It can hurt your credit score as much as 100 points and stay there for 7 years. It can make it impossible to get new credit, open a checking account for bad credit, or get attractive interest rates.
Take the necessary steps to remove CBCS Collections from your credit report and avoid the hassle a collection can cause.
