866-681-0521

Received a call from this number a few days ago and they left a message for my husband. I do not recognize the number nor do I think we have an outstanding debt with anyone. I see it is a toll-free number but my Caller ID shows the company to be United Collection Bureau. I will investigate this further. I don't know how they got our number but it is possible they have called the wrong number or it is a scam. Has anyone ever heard of a legitimate company called United Collection Bureau?

Well, it's not a new agency. Legitimacy is relative and the wrong question. The test from a consumer perspective is how desperately and how often a given collection agency breaks laws to get paid. You can drop the business name into the nearby search field to pull up plenty of related number threads.

Whether you are called a debtor or some collector thinks you can flush one out, you have rights and options. Many are simple to exercise if you only learn how. You are entitled to proof of claim and fair treatment. If one or the other is not provided, the collection agency should *not* win your assets. You are granted control of how you are contacted, the right to dispute debt claims, and the means to sue violators at low cost. The FTC and the CFPB can start you on your homework. See also if your state laws grant additional or stronger rights.

official FTC guidance and staff opinions on the FDCPA, PDF copy of the Act
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm

CFPB Q&A on debt collection practices
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ... debt-collection

Possibly this group:

They appear to be a medical bill collector.  Other sites show them to be really aggressive with a lot of extremely rude employees.
http://ucbinc.com/
United Collection Bureau, Inc. (UCB)
5620 Southwyck Blvd.
Toledo, OH 43614
866.209.0622
___________________________________

BBB Accredited Business since 11/26/2013
United Collection Bureau, Inc. (Headquarters)
Find a Location
Phone: (866) 209-0622
Fax: (419) 725-5365
5620 Southwyck Blvd # 206, Toledo, OH 43614-1501
ucbcompliance@ucbinc.com
www.ucbinc.com
United Collection Bureau, Inc. BBB® Accredited Business Seal
BBB® Accredited A- Rating
On a scale of A+ to F
- See more at: http://www.bbb.org/toledo/business-reviews/co ... h.hAeqzQum.dpuf

As Resident47 pointed out, you have rights in this matter.  This company seems to get sued a lot which seems to indicate (to me at least) a propensity for violating the law.  Following is the company information.

UNITED COLLECTION BUREAU AKA UCB
Posted in:  https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-297-6901#p869125314332024197
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-681-0521
Web site with contact info:  http://ucbinc.com/contact/
BBB page showing them as accredited with an A+ rating even though they have 176 complaints:  http://www.bbb.org/toledo/business-reviews/co ... -toledo-oh-7271
Chamber of Commerce page:  http://www.toledochamber.com/Collection-Agenc ... ureau,-Inc-2166
Employee reviews:
http://www.indeed.com/cmp/United-Collection-Bureau/reviews
http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/UCB-United-C ... ews-E658661.htm
Looks like some of the employees were not happy.
Possibly because they lost a class action FDCPA suit (wonder why this isn’t in the BBB report?):
http://unitedcollectionbureausettlement.com/
Ohio Dept. of State info:

    Corporation Details

Corporation Details
Entity Number    280543
Business Name    UNITED COLLECTION BUREAU, INC.
Filing Type    CORPORATION FOR PROFIT
Status    Active
Original Filing Date    05/06/1959
Expiry Date
Location: TOLEDO    County: LUCAS    State: OHIO

Agent / Registrant Information
CSC-LAWYERS INCORPORATING SERVICE (CORPORATION SERVICE COMPANY)
50 W. BROAD ST SUITE 1800
COLUMBUS,OH 43215
Effective Date: 08/11/2014
Contact Status: Active
Incorporator Information
JOHN BUTCHER
HAROLD S RICKARD
HAROLD F MEO
Filings
Filing Type    Date of Filing    Document Number/Image
DOMESTIC ARTICLES/FOR PROFIT    05/06/1959    B100_0088

DOMESTIC/AMENDED RESTATED ARTICLES    12/11/1961    B238_1508

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    03/29/1977    E259_1343

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    11/16/1977    E342_1990
DOMESTIC/AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES    03/03/1978    E388_1304

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    03/03/1978    G105_1007
DOMESTIC/AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES    08/22/1979    E640_1040

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    09/04/1979    E645_1892

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    04/22/1980    E741_1427
DOMESTIC AGENT SUBSEQUENT APPOINTMENT    08/20/1981    E950_1621

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    03/22/1982    F050_1654
MISCELLANEOUS FILING    12/21/1982    F181_0075
MISCELLANEOUS FILING    01/18/1983    F195_1340

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    08/20/1984    F510_1499

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    06/27/1985    F693_0613
MISCELLANEOUS FILING    07/10/1985    F693_0617
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    02/02/1987    G105_1011
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    10/08/1987    G257_1034
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    12/04/1987    G291_0027
TRADE NAME/BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGE    12/04/1987    G291_0027
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    06/13/1989    G646_0856

TRADE NAME/BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGE    06/13/1989    G646_0856

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    08/09/1989    G696_0462

TRADE NAME/ASSIGNMENT    08/09/1989    G696_0462

TRADE NAME/BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGE    08/09/1989    G696_0462

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    08/09/1989    G696_0467

TRADE NAME/ASSIGNMENT    08/09/1989    G696_0467

TRADE NAME/BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGE    08/09/1989    G696_0467

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    01/10/1992    H284_0066

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    01/27/1992    H310_0104

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    06/08/1992    H371_1134

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    03/26/1993    H567_0092

DOMESTIC CONTINUED EXISTENCE LETTER    09/09/1993    000000345440
DOMESTIC/AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES    12/21/1993    9336_0341

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    12/21/1993    9336_0341

DOMESTIC/AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES    05/11/1994    4119_0722

MISCELLANEOUS FILING    05/11/1994    4119_0722

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    07/11/1994    4172_0650
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    07/11/1994    4172_0654
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    07/11/1994    4172_0658
CONVERSION DEFAULT    01/01/0001    000000345441
MISCELLANEOUS FILING    12/02/1994    5026_0917

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    11/04/1996    5675_1185
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    11/04/1996    5675_1189
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    04/22/1997    5873_0999
AGENT NAME/ADDRESS TAX UPDATE    01/08/1999    AGNTUPDT
AGENT NAME/ADDRESS TAX UPDATE    02/01/1999    AGNTUPDT
AGENT NAME/ADDRESS TAX UPDATE    04/07/1999    AGNTUPDT
TRADE NAME RENEWAL    07/28/1999    199924400610

TRADE NAME/ORIGINAL FILING    03/03/2000    200008001797

TRADE NAME/ORIGINAL FILING    03/03/2000    200008001799

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    12/20/2004    200500302916

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    12/20/2004    200500302918

DOMESTIC AGENT SUBSEQUENT APPOINTMENT    06/20/2007    200717201262

TRADE NAME RENEWAL    08/20/2009    200923200958

TRADE NAME/ORIGINAL FILING    04/22/2014    201411300355

TRADE NAME/CANCELLATION    04/22/2014    201411300354

DOMESTIC AGENT SUBSEQUENT APPOINTMENT    08/11/2014    201422601192

Old Names
Effective Date    Old Name
03/03/1978    UNITED CREDIT BUREAU, INCORPORATED
08/22/1979    U C B, INC.

Other complaints:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/united-collections-bureau-c147061.html
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/ucb-united-collection-bureau/toledo-ohio-43614/ucb-united-collection-bureau-shirley-et-al-ucb-has-been-harrassing-my-80-year-old-paren-595553

Looks like they get sued a lot:
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-york/nyedce/2:2012cv02402/330446/
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1609224.html
http://www.law360.com/cases/51dc2cbc1bf1d0393e0095b0
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/illinois/ilndce/1:2008cv01204/217592/
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/8991 ... ion_Bureau,_Inc
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/8032 ... REAU,_INC_et_al
http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20FDCO%2020 ... 20BUREAU,%20INC.
http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate ... 2014-11-20.html
http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district- ... 5480/234196/11/
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCOURTS-ca ... 1_13-cv-01416-0

Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) within 5 days of their first contact that contains their name, physical address, the creditor’s name, and the amount of the alleged debt.  It also must contains “mini-Miranda” telling you that it is an attempt to collect a debt and that all information will be used for those purposes.  The one other important thing that this letter must also have in it is that you have a right to dispute the debt within 30 days receipt of the letter and if you do so, all collection activity must be stopped until the debt is verified.
Read up on your rights here, get template letters to send and also make a complaint at this government site:  http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's office.
List of State AG’s offices:  http://consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate all of your help! I have not recieved anything in writing yet so I will be checking my mail.

Thanks so much for your help!

Thanks, again, for your help. I appreciate the resources you have shared and have found them to be very helpful!