SB&C, Ltd. (SBC) is a third-party collection agency based in Washington. SBC has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), such as using false or misleading language in an effort to collect a debt and attempting to collect debts not owed. If SBC has contacted you about delinquent financial obligations,make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), SB&C, Ltd. is a legitimate collection agency, founded in January 1994, and the BBB established a profile page for SBC on the same day. The BBB lists SBC as a collection agency that uses the alternate business names,Pacific Coast Commercial Adjusters, LLC (PCCA) and Skagit Bonded Collectors, LLC. Buzzfile estimates SBC’s annual revenue at $3.9 million and the size of its headquarters staff at 35 employees.
According to its website, SBC“assists… clients in maximizing the recovery of money fairly owed to them for goods and/or services they have provided.” SBC’s mission is to “promote…values of leadership, integrity, respect, responsibility, service, and education by treating…consumers fairly and with respect; and by…providing the highest possible level of service to…clients and consumers.”
SBC collects delinquent debts for a variety of industries and businesses, including medical, healthcare, and dental care providers; financial services providers; government agencies; retail lenders; and professional services. They also accept commercial business-to-business accounts.
SBC provides traditional third-party collection services for businesses with consumer debt accounts. They also provide pre-collect, first-party services that include monthly billings, payment reminders, payment processing, collection referral letters, and payment arrangement monitoring. SBC’s commercial collection division helps “businesses who…have problems paying their primary business associates and vendors.” In addition, SBC’s billing service provides business process outsourcing for businesses who want to outsource their billing departments.
SBC states that its vision is “to maintain the highest standards of business conduct, promote the highest level of integrity, and be fair and respectful to employees, clients, and consumers by creating and maintaining a positive reputation.” Their Consumers page contains links to three informational pamphlets—one pamphlet tells site visitors what to do when a collection agency calls; another is a fact sheet from the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA); and the third provides financial advice for young adults. There is also a link to their Frequently Asked Questions page. Their FAQ page provides proprietary information, including links to the websites of ACA, Transunion, and Equifax. However, there are no links or references to public or independent consumer protection resources, laws, or enforcement agencies.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
As of March 2018, the BBB has closed 3 complaints against SB&C, Ltd in the past 3 years, with 2 complaints closed in the previous 12 months. All of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. As of September 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 12 complaints against SBC. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving SBC.
SB&C, Ltd.
1520 E. College Way
P.O. Box 519
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Telephone:(360) 336-3116
Website: http://www.sbcltd.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely SBC would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. Here are some Sample Cases
Complaints against SB&C, Ltd cite problems resulting from disputes about the accuracy of accounting and reporting practices, as well as allegations of harassment. In October 2018, a complainant stated that she had been contacted by SBC regarding a delinquent bill from 2012. The complainant did not dispute the debt and contacted SBC “to make an initial payment and set up an automatic payment at the same dollar amount.”The SBC representative that the complainant spoke with asked for a banking routing and account number to set up the automatic payments. The complainant “did not have access to that information at the time, and she told the representative she would call back before the next payment to give her the info and set up the payments.” On the day of her complaint, the complainant called SBC “to give them her banking info. At that time, she was asked about her employment status and her income. She declined to give that information to them and was then told that she could not enter into a payment arrangement with them until they had that information.” SBC explained to her that they needed the information to determine “what THEY believed she should be able to afford to pay monthly.” The complainant“explained that she had previously spoken to an SBC representative…and was assured that the original amount was fine as an automatic monthly payment until the balance was paid in full. Ultimately, the supervisor… got on the phone… and became hostile, demeaning, and unwilling to even explain why they were not willing to accept her offer of payments over time in an effort to resolve the matter.” The complainant “relented… and asked what information SBC needed… to move forward with setting up payments.” Allegedly, the SBC supervisor said, “‘You can pay the amount in full,’ and…proceeded to hang up.”The complainant stated that she was “stunned by his completely unprofessional behavior, his ‘strongarm’ tactics, and his inexcusable rudeness.”The complainant was “simply attempting a good faith effort to resolve the matter—not simply by SAYING she would make payments, but giving them her bank info and the authority to extract a monthly payment until paid in full.” She stated she was “in fear of being garnished, which, as she is currently unemployed, would cause further undue financial hardship.”
In response, SB&C, Ltd said that the complainant “came into the office and spoke to a representative of the company who was able to help her reach an amicable resolution.” The complainant rejected this attempted resolution, stating that “although it is true that, AFTER having the aforementioned dialog with the 2 company representatives, she went to the business to attempt resolution of the matter, it does not change the fact that her ORIGINAL arrangement with the company rep…was denied, and required modification—andadditional financial hardship—…to prevent potential lien/garnishment and additional costs.” Although this resolution may have satisfied SBC, it caused the complainant “additional hardship to her budget…Furthermore, the personal attack, unprofessional conduct, and disrespectful behavior…remains inexcusable and unresolved.” She stated that SBC’s “tactics… are completely out of line with ‘good business practices.’”
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
But here’s the rub: If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. These laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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