United Collection Bureau [UCB]
Reviews and Complaints

I first received a call last night saying a bank I have a credit card with "sent my account to their office." The caller immediately asked for my birthdate, supposedly to verify my identity. I knew no one should be calling asking that information and I also know I have never had a past due balance on my credit card. I told her I knew it was a scam and I told her to put me on her do not call list.

Today I received another call from them. This lady said "do you want to have a 3 way call with your credit card company", I said I knew she'd be connecting the call to a phoeny number that's in on the scam. I told this lady to not call me again. I called the police and they said just keep hanging up, but I do not want this harassment to continue.

has a rating of F from the BBB and has had almost 400 complaints filed against them. They have been harassing my mother for a bill that she already paid and I even sent them a copy of the cashier's check. Upon calling and trying to resolve this with them I was yelled and screamed at by their supervisor Mr. Lyons who refused to tell me his first name or provide me with a fax number to request validation of the debt.

On both February 17 and February 18, 2009, this 'Agent' David Carnes was on my home answering machine leaving a message for a person not at this number to return the call. I called the 800 number Agent Carnes left several times only to get a recording 'UBC, please stay on line, etc.' The use of the word 'Agent' in his message is a clear and direct violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), since it implies he is with a law enforcement agency, though it turns out he is a telephone bill collector.

Complaints have been filed with the Ohio Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission and the American Collector's Association in Minneapolis, MN concerning this FDCPA violation. Will update this report when those parties advise of any action they have taken in this matter.

Last Tuesday, October 22, 2002, around 12:30pm, I received a written note on my screen door describing the time of day, the representative of the collection agency, Mr. Lance Smith, involved, the phone number and extension number of the representative's company, words 'urgent' and 'contact' included in the note, and my neighbor's first name on the bottom.

I checked the phone number to see if it's just a fake number or a legitimate phone number of the collection agency that has contacted me by mail. It really was United Collections Bureau in its answering machine programming. So, I called the extension number indicated to ask why leave such information to my nextdoor neighbor instead of me. They would not tell me their method of obtaining their information.

The representative started rattling out, without allowing interruption, about the total debt, the option of lowering the amount to a thousand dollars or another thousand. He only left me with a minimum of $4000 after embarrassingly telling him that I am currently homeless (living in a temporary transitional housing program), been unemployed since March 1, 2002 due to temp. agency layoff, sexual assault victim in July 2002, and a domestic violence victim from family.

There is no way such company could squeeze me off $100 even what more if it's $4000? Not even my own mother could help me because she has been under collections for years and currently have not gotten out of bad debt. I have no friends to turn to for money.

I need to know if this company, their client, or both companies are ripping me off bigtime. I refuse to send out money to the wrong party or a con artist if I ever get hired for a job. Even if I start working, there is no way I could come up with money like that in a week's time. Mr. Smith claims that his client is not giving anymore time and may turn my case to a judge for judgment in a short time. He said something about 'him telling his client not to sue me anymore because of my current condition' but still demanding the $4000.

Please pursue this rip-off case with honest determination. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

I started receiving calls from an unknown number a few days ago. There were no messages left on my voicemail; therefore, I was unable to return the phone calls. I finally received a phone call at a time that I was able to answer the phone. I was greated with the standard collection introduction. I was informed of a credit card debt that I owe to citicard. I have been unable to pay this debt because I did not have a stable job for some time. Seeing as I now have a stable job I decide to go ahead and make payment arrangements. I listen to the settlement agreements which are unacceptable because of the astronomical amount they wanted me o send in such a short length of time. I informed her that I would send as much as I could afford; however, their expectations are too much. I was told "blah blah blah... you have had this debt long enough it's time for you to man up and start paying my client." Completely taken off guard by this representative I simply hung up. I receive another call in which we go through the same initial greeting and statements. I respond with the same statement from the previous call. The representative by the name of Michelle asks for bank account information. I inform her that my bank account is currently in the process of being paid for as well and I will be unable to provide her with that information. The representative actually tried to coerce me into giving her the account information anyway knowing that the account is closed. I told her that I would not do such a thing because it could come back and hurt me in the future. She tells me that she is trying to help me out and not to have an attitude with her. I ask to speak to her supervisor because by now I have had quite enough of this company. The supervisor comes to the phone and immediately begins to belittle me telling me that all of my accounts have gone into default. He also attempts to say my students loans are in default which not true. They are deferred. Also, he tells me that while I was looking for a job I should have gotten employed at McDonald's or Burger King because they are always hiring. Secondly, he says that I should have gotten two jobs. He then asks were I am currently working. I tell him that is none of his concern. He responds by telling me that I should tell him because he is going to start calling my friends and family members. At this point, I terminated the call.

I did a little more research and found some other cases were this company's representatives have harassed, threatened, and misled people they have called. I have gone to the company's corporate website, and I am going to contact the owner and the president of the company. I have also spoken with citicard and asked them to allow me to pay them instead of paying the collections agency because of their misconduct. Is there anything else I can do?

yesterday I recieved a voicemail on my cell from a Ms. Paramore at UCB. I called her back from my work phone to inform her that I had retained an attorney. She kept asking why and when I informed her that she could field all questions to my attorney...she hung up. I called back and talked to John. He was insistent as to why I retained an attorney. I calmy gave him the phone number to my attorney and hung up. Not 2 minutes later John called back. My work line, no less, to inform me that I was taking the easy way out by filing bankruptcy and before he hung up on me for the 2nd time he wanted to tell me how big a loser I am. I understand they are a collection agency. But in these difficult times you would think you could expect a little more professionalism

I have poa for my sister. She has mental disability and is unable to work. Told the women that at this time she is not able to make payments on this account because she does not have the money right now. She threaten that if this account was not paid my sister would go to jail. Then she had the nerve to say that since I had my sister poa, I had opened the account and my credit was bad. When I asked for her name she only wanted to give me a last name.
asked for first name she told me "I'm the boss" finally got her first name not sure she was telling the truth