CBS Collections on Your Credit Report: Your Options Explained

If CBS Collections has appeared on your credit report or is calling you, confirm you have the right company before taking any action.

At least two distinct collection agencies operate under similar CBS names: CBS Collections, Inc. (also known as Credit Bureau Services) based in Spokane, Washington, and Credit Bureau Systems (CBS), a healthcare-focused company based in Kentucky with multiple divisions. These are different companies serving different client bases.

CBS Collections in Spokane is a regional Pacific Northwest agency that collects for businesses across construction, healthcare, utilities, professional services, and fitness clubs. This guide covers who they are and how to respond.

Who Is CBS Collections?

CBS Collections, Inc., also known as Credit Bureau Services, is a third-party debt collection agency based in Spokane, Washington. The company is a regional collector serving clients primarily in Washington and the surrounding Pacific Northwest.

CBS Collections is not BBB-accredited based on available data and has a low complaint profile compared to most national agencies. The absence of extensive complaint data is consistent with a small regional operation.

The CBS Name Confusion

At least two separate collection agencies use the CBS abbreviation and “Credit Bureau” naming:

• CBS Collections, Inc. / Credit Bureau Services (Spokane, WA) – the subject of this article.
• Credit Bureau Systems, Inc. (CBS) (Kentucky-based) – a larger healthcare-focused company with divisions for collections, revenue cycle management, insurance follow-up, and coding services.

If your account involves a hospital or healthcare system and the CBS on your report traces to a Kentucky address, you may be dealing with Credit Bureau Systems rather than CBS Collections. Confirm the address on any correspondence before contacting either company.

Why CBS Collections Is on Your Credit Report

CBS Collections serves clients across several industries in the Pacific Northwest:

• Healthcare and medical offices: Physician groups, clinics, and healthcare provider balances.
• Utility and service providers: Regional utility and service company accounts.
• Construction and contracting: B2B invoice and contractor balances.
• Financial services: Consumer lending and banking accounts.
• Health and fitness clubs: Gym membership and fitness service balances.
• Professional services: Attorney, accounting, and other professional service invoices.

If you have no connection to the Spokane area or any of these client types, investigate the account immediately for identity errors or confirm you are dealing with the right CBS entity.

What CBS Collections Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to CBS Collections. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Threaten arrest or jail: Consumer debt is not a criminal matter.
• Call at odd hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.
• Contact you at work after you say stop: Written cease-contact requests must be honored.
• Use harassing or abusive language: Prohibited under federal law.
• Fail to validate debts when requested: Required within 30 days of your written request.
• Continue calling after a cease-contact request: Must stop except to notify you of specific legal action.

Washington also has the Washington Consumer Protection Act, which provides additional state-level protections. File federal complaints at consumerfinance.gov. Washington residents can also file with the Washington Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at atg.wa.gov.

Verify the Debt Before Paying Anything

Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Ask for the original creditor, the account number, the full balance breakdown, and the date of original delinquency. Confirm the responding entity is CBS Collections, Inc. in Spokane, Washington, not a similarly named company.

For fitness club debts, specifically request the original signed membership agreement. For construction and B2B debts, confirm whether the account is a personal or business obligation and whether you have any personal liability.

How to Check Your Credit Report for CBS Collections Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the balance correct? Is the original creditor accurately identified? Does the address on the tradeline match Spokane, Washington? Any inaccuracy, including a misidentified CBS entity, is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

How Long Can CBS Collections Legally Pursue the Debt?

Washington has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts and open accounts. If you no longer live in Washington, the relevant state is typically where you currently reside. Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing can reset the clock.

Your Options for Resolving a CBS Collections Account

Once you have confirmed the debt, consider your options:

• Go to the original creditor: For utility and healthcare debts, contacting the original provider directly sometimes produces faster resolution.
• Negotiate a settlement: CBS Collections may accept reduced amounts. Get any agreement in writing before paying.
• Request a pay-for-delete: Ask whether CBS Collections will remove the account in exchange for payment. Get it in writing first.
• Dispute if inaccurate: If the wrong CBS entity is listed, the balance is wrong, or the account doesn’t belong to you, dispute with the credit bureaus.

How to Contact CBS Collections

Handle all communication in writing whenever possible:

• Address: CBS Collections, Inc., 521 W Maxwell Ave, Spokane, WA 99201
• Phone: (509) 624-5161

Bottom Line

CBS Collections is a small Pacific Northwest regional agency with a low complaint profile. The most important first step is confirming you are dealing with the Spokane, Washington company and not Credit Bureau Systems or another similarly named entity.

Verify the original creditor, confirm the address matches Spokane, and use Washington’s Consumer Protection Act as an additional complaint channel if CBS crosses the line.