McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff on Your Credit Report: What to Know

If McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff (MB&W) has appeared on your credit report or is calling you, one fact is worth knowing immediately: MB&W records 100 percent of its calls. Every conversation you have with any MB&W employee is being recorded.

MB&W does pursue lawsuits. A 2017 proposed class action alleged MB&W misled consumers about their right to dispute debts in their collection letters. This guide covers who MB&W is, their documented patterns, and how to respond.

Who Is McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff?

McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc. (MB&W) is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 1980 and headquartered in Bedford Heights, Ohio, near Cleveland. The company also maintains offices in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. MB&W employs approximately 140 people and generates about $19.2 million in annual revenue.

MB&W holds an A+ BBB rating and reports having collected over $1 billion from consumers over the past decade. Their own marketing describes their approach as combining “sensitivity training” with skip tracing, asset searches, robocalls, and legal action.

Why MB&W Is on Your Credit Report

MB&W collects across multiple industries. Their confirmed client categories include:

• Automotive lenders: Auto loan deficiency balances after repossession.
• Credit card companies: Defaulted credit card balances.
• Healthcare providers: Unpaid medical bills.
• Colleges and student loan servicers: Educational debt balances.
• Utility providers: Unpaid utility service accounts.

If MB&W is contacting you and you do not recognize any account from these categories, investigate for identity errors or skip tracing mistakes.

Every Call Is Being Recorded

MB&W explicitly states on their own website that they record 100 percent of their calls. This works both ways.

For consumers, this means that any verbal dispute, cease-contact request, or statement you make during a call is captured and can be reviewed later. Do not make off-the-cuff statements about the debt, payment ability, or acknowledgment of any balance over the phone.

For FDCPA purposes, a recording of an MB&W representative using abusive language, threatening unauthorized actions, or misrepresenting the debt becomes direct evidence against them. If you believe MB&W has violated your rights in a call, request a copy of the call recording from MB&W in writing. They may be required to provide it under state recording and discovery laws.

MB&W Does Pursue Lawsuits

Multiple documented sources describe MB&W as an agency that uses legal action as a collection tool, not just a threat.

If you receive a summons from MB&W, respond before Ohio’s deadline. Ohio allows 28 days to respond to a civil summons. Failing to respond results in a default judgment, which gives MB&W the ability to garnish wages and levy bank accounts without further hearing.

Do not ignore any MB&W correspondence referencing a court filing or hearing date.

The 2017 Dispute Rights Class Action

In 2017, MB&W was named the defendant in a proposed class action filed in New York federal court. The consumer alleged MB&W’s collection letter instructed him to send payment and correspondence to a specific physical address, implying that any dispute had to be submitted in writing.

The FDCPA allows consumers to dispute debts orally, not just in writing. A collection letter that instructs a consumer to send all correspondence to a specific address may mislead consumers into believing oral disputes are insufficient or unavailable.

If you received an MB&W collection letter directing you to a specific address for all correspondence without clearly explaining that oral disputes are also permitted, preserve that letter. A consumer protection attorney can evaluate whether it meets the standard from the 2017 case.

Attempting to Collect Debts Not Owed

MB&W has accumulated documented FDCPA complaints specifically for attempting to collect debts consumers say they do not owe and for failure to verify debts when requested. These are the two most consistent complaint categories in their federal case history.

If MB&W is pursuing a debt you do not recognize, send a written validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. MB&W is required to provide the original creditor, account number, and balance at charge-off before continuing collection activity.

What MB&W Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA applies to McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff. Under federal law, they cannot:

• Mislead consumers about their right to dispute debts orally: The basis of the 2017 class action.
• Attempt to collect debts not owed: The most documented FDCPA complaint category against MB&W.
• Fail to validate debts within 30 days of a written request: A documented complaint pattern.
• Use abusive or threatening language: Documented in consumer complaints.
• Call outside permitted hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.
• Call more than 7 times within 7 days on the same debt: Regulation F limit.

File complaints at consumerfinance.gov. Ohio residents can also file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section.

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 balance at charge-off, and the original date of delinquency.

Remember that MB&W records all calls. Any verbal discussion of the debt before you have validated it in writing gives MB&W a recorded acknowledgment you may not want on file.

How to Check Your Credit Report for MB&W Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is the original creditor identified? Is the balance correct? Is the delinquency date accurate?

Any inaccuracy is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

How Long Can MB&W Legally Pursue the Debt?

Ohio has a 6-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. The relevant state is typically where you currently reside.

Your Options for Resolving an MB&W Account

Once you have verified the debt:

• Respond to any lawsuit immediately: MB&W does litigate. Ohio’s 28-day response window is not long.
• Keep all communications in writing: Given their call recording policy, written communication creates a paper trail they cannot selectively edit.
• Dispute the dispute-rights letter if applicable: If their collection letter directed all correspondence to a specific address without mentioning oral disputes, preserve it for attorney review.
• Negotiate a settlement: MB&W does settle valid accounts. Get any agreement in writing before paying.

How to Contact McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff

Handle all communication in writing whenever possible:

• Address: McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc., 26000 Cannon Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146
• Phone: (888) 584-3053

Bottom Line

McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff records 100 percent of their calls and does file lawsuits. Respond to any summons within Ohio’s 28-day window and keep all communications in writing rather than over the phone.

Their 2017 class action for misleading dispute rights instructions means any MB&W letter directing you to a specific address deserves a careful review before you respond.