If youâve been contacted by CBJ Credit Recovery or seen their name appear on your credit report, you may be dealing with a collection account that is outdated, inaccurate, or no longer being properly maintained due to the companyâs closure. Many consumers are surprised to learn that even long-closed agencies can still have lingering credit entries or legacy accounts that continue to affect credit scores and financial opportunities.
What Happened to CBJ Credit Recovery?
CBJ Credit Recovery formally known as Credit Bureau of Jamestown, Inc. operated for 89 years before permanently closing its doors. The company later rebranded as MetCredit USA, but that entity has also ceased operations. The MetCredit USA website now displays the following notice: “After 89 years, Credit Bureau of Jamestown, DBA MetCredit USA is permanently closed.”
This closure matters to you in two critical ways:
First, if you are currently receiving calls from someone claiming to be CBJ Credit Recovery, you should be suspicious. A company that has permanently closed its collection operations should not be placing active collection calls. Any such contact warrants immediate scrutiny and may warrant a complaint to the FTC.
Second, and far more commonly, CBJ Credit Recovery accounts may still appear on your credit reports even though the company is closed. Accounts placed for collection before CBJ shut down can remain on your credit file for up to seven years from the date of original delinquency under the FCRA. Consumers across the country are still dealing with CBJ-related credit entries that affect their ability to get housing, loans, and employment with no active company to respond to their disputes.
Who Was CBJ Credit Recovery?
| Company Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Credit Bureau of Jamestown, Inc. |
| DBA Names | CBJ Credit Recovery; MetCredit USA |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Incorporated | 1965 |
| Headquarters (Former) | 117 W. 4th Street, Jamestown, NY 14701-5005 |
| Mailing Address (Former) | PO Box 1132, Jamestown, NY 14701-1132 |
| Current Status | Permanently Closed |
| Former President | Matthew Hartweg |
| Former VP/CFO | Andrew Hartweg |
| Former President/CEO (MetCredit USA) | Brian Summerfelt |
| Industries Served | Healthcare, Telecom, Utilities, Financial Services |
| BBB Registration | Since 1986 |
| Former Local Phone | 716-664-4490 |
| Former Toll-Free | 888-291-4490; 866-639-7985 |
Is CBJ Credit Recovery Legit or a Scam?
CBJ Credit Recovery was a real, licensed collection agency during its operating years not a scam impersonator. It was legitimate, BBB-registered, and held memberships in ACA International (the collection industry’s primary professional association) and the Medical-Dental-Hospital Business Associates (MDHBA).
However, that legitimacy had limits. The BBB posted a formal Alert on CBJ’s profile warning consumers of a pattern of complaints. That alert stated: “BBB opened an investigation on the business in regard to a pattern of complaints about associates of the business breaking federal laws of the FDCPA. The business has not responded to BBB.” That is a serious notice, it means the BBB itself found systematic, recurring misconduct and that CBJ did not even engage with the investigation.
For consumers currently finding CBJ Credit Recovery on their credit reports: the account may be real, may be reporting inaccurately, or may be the result of identity theft or an insurance-covered medical bill that was mistakenly sent to collections. All of these situations have legal remedies, and CBJ’s closure does not eliminate your right to dispute or challenge the reporting.
Why Was CBJ Credit Recovery Calling You?
During its operational years, CBJ Credit Recovery contacted consumers for the following reasons:
- Healthcare and medical bills. CBJ’s core specialty was healthcare receivables medical bills from doctors, hospitals, and outpatient facilities in Western New York and Western Pennsylvania. The most frequent complaint pattern involved CBJ collecting on bills that patients believed were covered by insurance, or that the original provider had no record of referring to CBJ.
- Utility and telecom balances. CBJ collected for utility companies and telecommunications providers. Consumers reported receiving CBJ collection notices for services they had cancelled, never used, or whose balances had already been settled.
- Financial services debts. CBJ also collected on behalf of financial institutions and lenders for credit card and loan balances in default.
- A debt that was not yours. The BBB complaint record for CBJ includes cases where the underlying debt was reported under the wrong patient name, was covered by insurance and never should have been referred, or involved a medical service never actually received. Third-party collectors inherit the errors of the original creditor and those errors land on your credit report as your problem to fix.
One thing consumers often misunderstand is that when a collection agency closes, it does not automatically clear the accounts it was collecting. Those accounts remain on your credit report. The underlying creditor still exists. The debt does not disappear simply because CBJ has shut down. If you have a CBJ account on your credit report, you must actively dispute it through the credit bureaus.
CBJ Credit Recovery Consumer Complaints
Despite its relatively small size (estimated 13 to 32 employees and approximately $1-6 million in annual revenue), CBJ accumulated a meaningful complaint record during its years of operation. The BBB opened a formal pattern-of-complaints investigation, and consumer forums captured specific, verbatim accounts of what CBJ collectors actually did.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile for CBJ Credit Recovery shows no consumer complaints or reviews, but it does display a single alert stating âOut-of-Business known or suspected.â This alert is not a finding of wrongdoing or any legal violation; it simply indicates that BBB believes the company is no longer operating or may have closed. In other words, the BBB listing reflects the businessâs closure status rather than documenting any pattern of consumer complaints or regulatory action.
Yelp
One Yelp reviewer described discovering a $57 CBJ collection entry on Credit Karma for a doctor’s bill they were willing to resolve. When they proactively contacted CBJ to address the matter, they received not an acknowledgment of goodwill but “a threatening letter demanding payment at once.” The reviewer wrote: “You would think they would have thanked me for doing their job! They can now forget about any type of payment!” The consumer’s attempt to do the right thing was rewarded with an aggressive collection letter.
In our practice, clients who contact us after dealing with medical debt collectors like CBJ consistently describe the same experience: being told to pay immediately for a bill their insurer should have covered, being threatened with credit damage as a coercive tool, and being given no meaningful opportunity to dispute the validity of what is being collected before it is reported to the credit bureaus.
Read more here: Yelp Reviews
CBJ Credit Recovery Phone Numbers
During its operational years, CBJ Credit Recovery placed outbound collection calls from the following numbers:
| Phone Number | Reported Function |
|---|---|
| 716-664-4490 | Primary Jamestown, NY office line |
| 888-291-4490 | Toll-free collection line |
| 866-639-7985 | Secondary toll-free line |
Other Phone Numbers CBJ Credit Recovery May Use: 844-977-3020, 800-519-9493
Because CBJ is now permanently closed, these numbers are no longer in active use by the company. If someone calls you today claiming to be CBJ Credit Recovery, treat it with caution. It may be a scammer impersonating a defunct company, or it may be that the underlying account was transferred to another collector. Ask for the caller’s full company name, mailing address, and the name of the original creditor, then research the company independently before engaging.
Federal Court and Regulatory Actions Against CBJ Credit Recovery
CBJ Credit Recovery was a relatively small agency, and its federal litigation record reflects that scale. The cases that did reach federal court, however, illuminate the kinds of conduct that generated consumer complaints throughout the company’s history.
Case 1: Brinson v. CBJ Credit Recovery, Inc.
Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York (Buffalo Division) Case Number: 1:2010cv00264 Filed: March 29, 2010 Plaintiff: Dawn Brinson Law at Issue: 15 U.S.C. § 1692 (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) Presiding Judge: William M. Skretny
- FDCPA Lawsuit (Western District of New York): A federal FDCPA case was filed against CBJ Credit Recovery in its home jurisdiction by a Buffalo-area consumer, alleging that CBJâs debt collection conduct violated protections under 15 U.S.C. § 1692, including claims consistent with harassment or improper collection practices. The case reflects direct legal challenges to CBJâs methods during its operating period.
- Attorney Commentary / Case Significance: Filing a consumer protection case in the collectorâs home district suggests the dispute was serious enough to justify federal litigation by local counsel. It also indicates that CBJ faced consumer complaints and legal scrutiny within its primary operating region, supporting a broader pattern of contested collection practices rather than isolated incidents.
Source: Brinson v. CBJ Credit Recovery
Case 2: Idaho Department of Finance Consent Order
Regulatory Body: Idaho Department of Finance Action Type: Consent Order Order Number / Date: 2012-9-10 Respondent: Credit Bureau of Jamestown, Inc., dba CBJ Credit Recovery Source: Idaho Department of Finance Administrative Actions Idaho DOF Link: Finance Idaho GOV Administrative Credit Bureau of Jamestown Inc DBA CBJ Credit Recovery
- Idaho Department of Finance Consent Order (2012): In September 2012, CBJ Credit Recovery entered into a formal consent order with the Idaho Department of Finance resolving regulatory concerns over its debt collection practices. A consent order is a binding legal agreement, not a warning, and indicates that the regulator identified conduct requiring enforcement action and negotiated corrective terms with the company.
- Regulatory Significance: The order reflects that CBJâs collection activities extended beyond its home state and were subject to oversight by other state regulators. It also suggests that state authorities found enough evidence of potential non-compliance with Idahoâs debt collection laws to justify formal regulatory intervention, reinforcing that CBJâs practices were monitored and challenged across jurisdictions.
What Are Your Legal Rights?
FDCPA and FCRA Violations
| Violation Type | Example Conduct | Applicable Law |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Disclosure of Debt | Discussing debt with roommate, family, employer | FDCPA § 1692c(b) |
| Threatening Credit Damage as Coercion | “We’ll ruin your credit if you don’t pay” | FDCPA § 1692d, § 1692e |
| Collecting Insurance-Covered Debt | Pursuing bill insurer already paid | FDCPA § 1692e(2)(A) |
| Collecting Unverified Debt | Continuing collection after consumer disputes | FDCPA § 1692g(b) |
| Failure to Validate Debt on Request | Not producing documentation of what is owed | FDCPA § 1692g(b) |
| Calls Before 8 AM or After 9 PM | Calling outside permitted hours | FDCPA § 1692c(a)(1) |
| Excessive or Repeated Calling | “Nonstop” calls designed to harass | FDCPA § 1692d(5) |
| False or Misleading Representations | Claiming a debt is valid when it is disputed | FDCPA § 1692e |
| Robocalls to Cell Without Consent | Autodialed calls without prior written consent | TCPA § 227(b)(1)(A) |
| Inaccurate Credit Bureau Reporting | Reporting paid, disputed, or invalid debts | FCRA § 1681s-2(a); FDCPA § 1692e(8) |
| Failure to Update Reporting After Payment | Leaving “unpaid” notation after debt is settled | FCRA § 1681s-2(b); FDCPA § 1692e(8) |
| New York GBL § 601 Violations | Conduct violating NY state debt collection law | New York General Business Law § 601 |
Step 1: Pull all three credit reports. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and obtain your free reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Look for any account listed as belonging to CBJ Credit Recovery, Credit Bureau of Jamestown, or MetCredit USA. Note the original creditor name, the balance reported, the date of first delinquency, and the date the collection account was opened.
Step 2: Verify whether the account is accurate. Check your records against what CBJ reported. Is the original creditor the provider you actually had a relationship with? Is the amount correct? Was this bill covered by insurance? Did you already pay the original creditor directly? If any of these questions raise doubts, the reporting may be inaccurate.
Step 3: Send written disputes to all three credit bureaus. File formal written disputes with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Identify the CBJ account specifically, state that you dispute its accuracy, and include any documentation (insurance EOBs, payment receipts, prior correspondence) that supports your position. Because CBJ is permanently closed, it may not be able to respond to the reinvestigation request from the bureau — which may result in the item being deleted from your report.
Step 4: Document all past calls and contacts from CBJ. If you kept records of calls, voicemails, letters, or other contacts from CBJ, gather those now. If CBJ violated the FDCPA within the past year of its active operation, those violations may still be actionable.
Step 5: File regulatory complaints if warranted. File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If CBJ’s robocalls or autodialed calls were involved, file with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov. File with the New York Attorney General at ag.ny.gov if you are a New York resident.
Step 6: Speak with a consumer protection attorney. Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC handles FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA claims at no cost to you. Even with CBJ closed, if its conduct violated your rights and your claim is within the statute of limitations, you may still have a viable case. If CBJ’s credit reporting is inaccurate, we can help you challenge it under the FCRA. Call 877-700-5790 or visit our website.
About Us
Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC is a law firm that specializes in helping clients who are facing harassment from debt collectors in any form, including telephone communication. Rather than suffer alone, contact our office to begin the process to stop the CBJ Credit Recovery harassment. Our office offers a full range of services to help clients facing harassment from debt collectors. We have been assisting consumers since 2010. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
If you are interested in learning more about how to safeguard yourself and prevent harassment from CBJ Credit Recovery call us at 877-700-5790 or visit our webstie.
Success Stories
- “Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC gave me my peace of mind back. Debt collectors were calling non-stop, sometimes even at work. The firm stepped in, handled everything, and the calls stopped almost immediately. Iâm beyond grateful!”
- “I didnât know what to do when collectors started calling my family members. This firm explained my rights under the FDCPA and acted quickly. The harassment ended, and I even received a settlement for the stress I endured.”
- “From the first phone call, they were professional and understanding. They not only stopped the harassing calls but also helped me file a claim. I finally felt heard and protected.”
- “The team at Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC is incredible. I was being bullied by collectors over a debt I didnât even owe. They took charge, got the false claims dropped, and protected my credit report.”
FAQs
What is CBJ Credit Recovery and why are they calling me?
CBJ Credit Recovery is a legitimate debt collection agency contacting consumers about past-due debts theyâve purchased or are assigned to collect.
Can they legally harass me with repeated phone calls?
No. Under the FDCPA, collectors cannot place more than seven calls within seven days or call continuously with the intent to annoy or harass you.
When can debt collectors call me?
They may only call between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. and must stop contacting you at times youâve stated are inconvenient.
What counts as harassment from CBJ Credit Recovery?
Harassment includes excessive calls, obscene language, threats, or contacting you at inconvenient timesâany behavior meant to annoy, intimidate, or pressure you.
What should I do if CBJ Credit Recovery wonât stop calling?
Document every call and send a written cease-and-desist letter via certified mail. If they continue calling, file complaints with the CFPB, FTC, and your state Attorney General.
Can I sue CBJ Credit Recovery for phone harassment?
Yes. If they violate the FDCPA or TCPA, such as using robocalls or making repeated or threatening calls, you can sue for statutory damages up to $1,000 plus actual damages and legal costs.
Does CBJ Credit Recovery use robocalls or spoofed numbers?
Many consumers report robocalls or spoofed caller IDs. These tactics may violate federal law, especially without consent.
Can they report to credit bureaus and affect my score?
Yes. CBJ Credit Recovery can report delinquent debts to the credit bureaus, which may harm your credit score. You can dispute any inaccurate information.
What rights do I have when dealing with CBJ Credit Recovery?
Under the FDCPA and FCRA, you can request debt validation, dispute errors, limit communications, and sue for violations.
How can I get CBJ Credit Recovery to stop contacting me?
Send a written cease-communication request. They must comply except to notify you of legal action. If they ignore it, you can file complaints or pursue legal action.
