Caine & Weiner, a debt collection agency founded in 1930 and based in Woodland Hills, California, has been the defendant in several federal lawsuits alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), most of them centered on collection letters that consumers said were misleading or discouraged them from disputing debts. Two proposed class actions in 2017 and 2018 form the core of the recent litigation, alongside earlier individual suits and thousands of complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The FDCPA Class Actions
Graham v. Caine & Weiner (2017)
In April 2017, Anthony C. Graham, a New York consumer, filed a proposed class action in federal court (Case No. 2:17-cv-02295). The complaint alleged that a Caine & Weiner collection letter violated the FDCPA by failing to clearly identify the creditor. According to Graham, the letter contained only the line “Re: ANTHEM” without explaining whether Anthem was the creditor or how it related to the debt, leaving him unable to determine who the company represented or where to send payment.1ClassAction.org. Lawsuit: Caine & Weiner Company Fails to Clearly Identify Creditor
Garcia v. Caine & Weiner (2018)
On June 6, 2018, Deserae Garcia (also known as Deserae Ingram) filed a proposed class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Case No. 1:18-cv-02776-MHC-AJB). The complaint took aim at a sentence in the company’s collection letters: “Please be aware that we reserve the right to consider disputes that lack details and/or supporting documentation to be frivolous.”2ClassAction.org. Garcia v. Caine and Weiner Company Inc.
Garcia argued that the FDCPA gives consumers an unconditional right to dispute a debt and does not authorize collectors to label disputes “frivolous.” The complaint said the language was designed to chill consumers from exercising their dispute rights by suggesting obligations that don’t exist under federal law. Garcia sought statutory and actual damages, attorney fees, and an injunction against further use of similar language.2ClassAction.org. Garcia v. Caine and Weiner Company Inc.
Curtis v. Caine & Weiner (2015–2016)
Curtis v. Caine & Weiner Company, Inc. (No. 4:15-cv-01721) was originally filed in a St. Louis circuit court and removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Court records indicate the lawsuit involved allegations that a company representative contacted a debtor about setting up payment plans after being told the debtor had retained an attorney.3CaseMine. Curtis v. Caine & Weiner Co., Inc. The parties reached a settlement, and on September 1, 2016, the court dismissed the case with prejudice after the plaintiff filed a stipulation for dismissal. Each side bore its own costs, and the settlement terms were not disclosed in the public record.4PACER Monitor. Curtis v. Caine & Weiner Company, Inc.
Landry v. Caine & Weiner (2013)
An earlier suit, Landry v. Caine & Weiner Company, Inc. (No. 12-cv-2060), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. It appeared on FDCPA complaint lists, though publicly available records provide limited detail about the specific allegations or outcome.5Cardoza Law Corporation. Caine & Weiner Co., Inc.
Complaints Filed With the BBB and CFPB
Beyond the courtroom, Caine & Weiner has accumulated a large record of consumer complaints. As of mid-2026, its BBB profile listed 3,210 complaints over the previous three years, including 795 in the most recent 12 months. Complaints broke down into “order issues” (1,623), billing issues (732), and customer service issues (484). Recurring themes included inaccurate credit reporting, disputes over debts consumers said they did not owe, and unanswered verification requests.6Better Business Bureau. Caine & Weiner Complaints
The company generally responds by stating that it has investigated, believes its account information is accurate, will mail verification, and will flag the account as disputed. In some cases it has confirmed closing an account and asking credit bureaus to remove it. Many complainants have rejected these responses as unresponsive to their documentation.6Better Business Bureau. Caine & Weiner Complaints
At the CFPB, the company had more than 792 closed complaints and ranked 138th out of 2,458 companies in the agency’s debt collection complaint database as of year-end 2015.5Cardoza Law Corporation. Caine & Weiner Co., Inc. One publicly documented CFPB complaint from November 2018 alleged that a Caine & Weiner representative disclosed account details, including the creditor name and balance, to the consumer’s daughter without verifying her identity, and that a supervisor became “combative” when the consumer raised the issue. The company responded with an explanation and the complaint was closed.7Get Out of Debt. Caine & Weiner Company Inc. CFPB Complaint
Your Rights if Caine & Weiner Contacts You
The lawsuits track the parts of the FDCPA most relevant to anyone getting a collection letter. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1692g, a collector must send a written validation notice within five days of first contact. The notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor, and a clear statement that you have 30 days to dispute the debt in writing.8Federal Trade Commission. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Text If you send a written dispute within that window, the collector must stop collection activity until it mails verification of the debt.9Cornell Law Institute. 15 U.S. Code § 1692g – Validation of Debts
The CFPB’s implementing rule (12 CFR § 1006.34) requires collectors to itemize the debt with a breakdown of interest, fees, payments, and credits, and to include a response section with options such as “This is not my debt” and “The amount is wrong.” The notice must be “clear and conspicuous,” and collectors who deviate from the model form risk litigation if their version is not substantially similar.10Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation F, § 1006.34
Practical steps if you’re dealing with Caine & Weiner:
- Request debt validation in writing. This triggers the collector’s obligation to pause collection and provide proof of the debt, including the original creditor’s name and the amount owed.
- Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want communication to stop. Once received, the collector must halt further contact, with limited exceptions.
- File a complaint with the CFPB and the BBB. The CFPB forwards the complaint to the company and publishes the response data.
- Respond promptly to any lawsuit. Failing to file a written answer with the court can result in a default judgment, which can lead to wage garnishment or property liens.
Consumers who prove an FDCPA violation can recover up to $1,000 in statutory damages per case, plus actual damages and attorney fees.9Cornell Law Institute. 15 U.S. Code § 1692g – Validation of Debts
About the Company
Caine & Weiner provides first-party and third-party collection services to commercial and consumer clients, including Fortune 500 companies.5Cardoza Law Corporation. Caine & Weiner Co., Inc. It also holds a contract with the City of Los Angeles to collect delinquent municipal debts such as unpaid business taxes, permit fees, and false alarm charges.11City of Los Angeles Department of Finance. Outside Collection Agencies FAQ Greg Cohen has led the company since becoming president in 1999 and CEO in 2008; as of December 2023, his title changed to Chairman and CEO as part of a leadership transition that expanded Joe Batie’s executive role.12Caine & Weiner. Executive Leadership Transition In January 2025, the company merged with BARR Credit Services.13BARR Credit Services. Industry Leaders Caine & Weiner and BARR Credit Services Unite