Consumer complaint received 2025-12-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a notice ( attached ) from the McCarthy , Burgess & Wolff collection agency for {$8300.00} amount. XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX is listed on the collections notice as the creditor but I have no awareness of this company. I checked my XXXX  records and found a work agreement ( attached ) from XXXX XXXX XXXX  dated XX/XX/XXXX in the same amount of {$8300.00} as listed on the collections notice. On XX/XX/XXXX I called the phone number on the work agreement, XXXX, and spoke with someone who confirmed the open balance. I told her I had never received an invoice for this work. She checked her records and confirmed the invoice was never emailed nor mailed to me. It was emailed only to XXXX XXXX, my XXXX XXXX. His phone number, not my phone number, appears on the work agreement. I told her I am the customer, not XXXX XXXX. 

As a direct result of their flawed internal procedure, XXXX XXXX XXXX has sent the amount due to collections without ever presenting a bill to me. 

On the same day, XX/XX/XXXX, I asked XXXX XXXX for his contact at XXXX XXXX XXXX. He gave me the name of XXXX XXXX, XXXX. I called XXXX and updated him on the situation. Later that day he provided me with the name of XXXX XXXX, Manager- XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXX, ( XXXX ) XXXX. I called XXXX that day and again the following day as she did not return my initial call. I explained in my voicemail that I never received an invoice and am in the process of refinancing my house and need her to immediately recall the account from the collections agency. 

I then checked with XXXX XXXX again to remind me of the details of the XXXX XXXX XXXX work agreement. He told me the work was to remove insulation to expose the source of a discovered leak. In the process of removing the insulation, XXXX XXXX XXXX inadvertently cut the sprinkler system pipe and electrical wires. I had to bring the electrician back to the job site to repair the damage caused by XXXX XXXX XXXX. The paid invoice from the electrician for repair of the damage caused by XXXX XXXX XXXX  is attached. Also attached are XXXX invoices I received and paid to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX in the same time frame as the damage caused by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX estimates {$500.00} of the total of these invoices is the cost of labor and materials I paid to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to replace drywall the electrician had to selectively remove to track down the endpoints of the electrical line severed by XXXX XXXX XXXX 

I wrote an email ( attached ) to XXXX explaining all of this history. 

I have called XXXX a total of XXXX  times since XX/XX/XXXX and she had yet to return any of my calls. I called XXXX the morning of XX/XX/XXXX. He told me he and XXXX were scheduled to talk at XXXX AM the same day. I called both XXXX and XXXX later in the day on XX/XX/XXXX to get an update and neither has returned my call. 

At the time of the incident, I took photos of the room in which XXXX XXXX XXXX  caused the damage. In the photos you can see the XXXX trash can filled with water from the leak in the sprinkler system and the severed electrical wires.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation