Is Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. on Your Credit Report?
Short answer: Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (Financial Adjustment Bureau) is a real, legitimate third-party collection agency based in Burlington, IA. It is not a scam — but a legitimate collector can still report a debt that is inaccurate, unverified, past the statute of limitations, or not even yours. You have the right to demand proof before you pay a cent.
Who Is Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc.?
Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. is an Iowa-based collector operating from Burlington. Accounts handed to a third-party agency usually still belong to the original creditor, so Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc.'s authority rests on a servicing contract you never signed and are entitled to see. Almost all of that volume — 12 of 20 complaints, 60% — comes from consumers in Iowa, so this is a regional operation rather than a national one. Its on-time response rate to those complaints is 90%, meaning a meaningful minority were not answered within the window. Its second-most-common complaint category is attempts to collect a debt the consumer says is not owed (4 filings). The Burlington headquarters used here was corroborated across 3 independent public sources, because CFPB publishes the consumer's state rather than the company's address. Under the FDCPA you can demand validation in writing within 30 days of first contact.
You may also see this company on your report or in letters as: Financial Adjustment Bureau, FAB.
What most people don't know about Financial Adjustment Bureau:
Search the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database for Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. and 20 debt-collection complaints come back, the single most common being communication tactics (5 of them, 25%). The bureau flagged 2 of those responses as not timely. That file is maintained by a federal regulator, not by the agency itself.
Why Is Financial Adjustment Bureau on My Credit Report?
Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. typically collects credit card debt, consumer loan balances, retail accounts. A collection like this usually lands on your report because:
- ✅ An original account (a credit card debt, for example) went unpaid and was charged off.
- ✅ The account was placed with Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. to collect on behalf of the original creditor.
- ✅ Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. furnished the account to one or more of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
Important: a collection account on its own does not prove you owe the debt or that the amount is correct. That's where your rights come in.
Your Rights When Financial Adjustment Bureau Contacts You
Federal law — the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) — gives you powerful tools. Here is the playbook we use at Crowned Credit.
1. Debt Validation (FDCPA §809)
Within 30 days of first contact, send Financial Adjustment Bureau a written debt-validation letter. They must prove the debt is yours, the amount is correct, and they have the legal right to collect. If they can't, they must stop collecting and it should come off your report.
2. Dispute With the Bureaus (FCRA §611)
You can dispute the Financial Adjustment Bureau tradeline directly with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The bureaus have 30 days to investigate. If the account can't be verified, the law requires it be deleted or corrected.
3. Cease-and-Desist
You can demand in writing that Financial Adjustment Bureau stop contacting you. They can still report and sue, but they must stop calls and letters — useful for stopping harassment while you build your case.
4. Pay-for-Delete (in writing only)
If the debt is valid and yours, you may negotiate to pay in exchange for deletion of the tradeline. Never pay on a verbal promise — get the pay-for-delete agreement in writing first.
5. Statute of Limitations
Every state has a time limit on how long a collector can sue you for a debt. If the debt is "time-barred," Financial Adjustment Bureau can still ask for payment but generally cannot win a lawsuit — and making a payment can dangerously restart the clock.
6. Protection From Harassment
The FDCPA bars Financial Adjustment Bureau from calling at unreasonable hours, threatening you, or lying. Every violation is potential leverage — and may entitle you to damages.
How Crowned Credit Helps With Financial Adjustment Bureau
We don't send cookie-cutter form letters. We investigate the specific account, assert every applicable right, and work it with all three bureaus and the collector directly.
Review & Validate
We pull all three bureau reports, find every error on the Financial Adjustment Bureau entry, and demand full debt validation.
Dispute & Escalate
Hand-packed disputes go to the bureaus and the collector. When they fail to investigate properly, we escalate to the CFPB and, where warranted, attorneys.
Track & Build
We monitor deletions in real time and coach you on rebuilding once inaccurate items are addressed.
See our transparent pricing — no long-term contracts.
Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. a scam or a legitimate company?
Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. is a real, registered third-party collection agency headquartered in Burlington, IA. It is a legitimate business — but "legitimate company" does not mean the specific debt it's reporting is accurate, validated, or even yours. Scammers do sometimes impersonate well-known collectors like Financial Adjustment Bureau, so always demand written validation before paying anything.
Why is Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. on my credit report?
Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. is an Iowa-based collector operating from Burlington. Accounts handed to a third-party agency usually still belong to the original creditor, so Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc.'s authority rests on a servicing contract you never signed and are entitled to see. Almost all of that volume — 12 of 20 complaints, 60% — comes from consumers in Iowa, so this is a regional operation rather than a national one. Its on-time response rate to those complaints is 90%, meaning a meaningful minority were not answered within the window. Its second-most-common complaint category is attempts to collect a debt the consumer says is not owed (4 filings). The Burlington headquarters used here was corroborated across 3 independent public sources, because CFPB publishes the consumer's state rather than the company's address. Under the FDCPA you can demand validation in writing within 30 days of first contact. It most commonly collects credit card debt, consumer loan balances, retail accounts. It likely appeared after an original account went unpaid and was placed with them for collection. Search the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database for Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. and 20 debt-collection complaints come back, the single most common being communication tactics (5 of them, 25%). The bureau flagged 2 of those responses as not timely. That file is maintained by a federal regulator, not by the agency itself.
Can Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. be removed from my credit report?
Yes — inaccurate, unverifiable, or improperly reported Financial Adjustment Bureau collection accounts can be removed. Under the FCRA, the credit bureaus must investigate your dispute, and if Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. cannot verify the debt, it must come off your report. Crowned Credit reviews the account for errors, demands debt validation, and disputes it with all three bureaus.
Should I pay Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. or dispute it first?
Do not pay before you validate. Once you confirm a collection is yours, accurate, and within the statute of limitations, you may consider a pay-for-delete agreement in writing. But paying an unverified or time-barred debt can restart the clock and lock in a negative entry. Get a free assessment before you send any money to Financial Adjustment Bureau.
How long can Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. report this debt?
Most negative collection accounts can remain on your credit report for up to seven years from the original delinquency date — not from when Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. acquired or began collecting it. If the account is being "re-aged" to look newer, that is a reporting violation you can dispute.
Will Financial Adjustment Bureau, Inc. sue me?
Some collectors and debt buyers do file lawsuits, especially before the statute of limitations expires. If you are served, do not ignore it. Validate the debt, check whether it is time-barred in your state, and get help. Most third-party agencies focus on collection rather than litigation, but you should still respond to any legal notice.
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