State complaint profile
Debt collection complaints in California
112,020 CFPB complaints filed against 2,387 debt collectors active in California.
- Complaints
- 112,020
- Collectors
- 2,387
- Top collector
- Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.
California at a glance
California consumers have filed 112,020 CFPB debt-collection complaints against 2,387 collectors.
- 112,020
- CFPB complaints filed
- 2,387
- collectors active here
- #1
- most-complained: Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
State-of-residence is the consumer's address at filing, not the collector's. A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.
Insights: Debt Collection in California
California residents named 2,387 distinct collectors (#2 of 56 by collector breadth) across 112,020 filings.
This is a dense end-of-ladder state. National debt buyers and the three credit bureaus usually dominate the chart above; use the state mix to see whether one buyer or bureau is over-indexed relative to volume peers before reading the national grade curve.
The collector with the most complaints from California residents in this extract is Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC (13.9% of filings sit in the top three names). A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.
Most-complained-about collectors in California
By complaints filed from this state
- Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
5,285 complaints
- Encore Capital Group Inc.
Encore Capital Group Inc.
5,234 complaints
- Transunion Intermediate Holdings, Inc.
Transunion Intermediate Holdings, Inc.
5,010 complaints
- Experian Information Solutions Inc.
Experian Information Solutions Inc.
4,830 complaints
- Equifax, Inc.
Equifax, Inc.
4,741 complaints
- Resurgent Capital Services L.P.
Resurgent Capital Services L.P.
4,352 complaints
- CL Holdings LLC
CL Holdings LLC
3,045 complaints
- Citibank, N.a. 1,896
Citibank, N.a.
1,896 complaints
What this shows These eight collectors draw the most complaints from California residents, usually national bureaus and large debt buyers operating in every state.
Where California's 112,020 complaints concentrate
Top-three collectors vs the rest of this state's filings
- Portfolio Recovery Ass 5,285
Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
5,285 complaints
- Encore Capital Group I 5,234
Encore Capital Group Inc.
5,234 complaints
- Transunion Intermediat 5,010
Transunion Intermediate Holdings, Inc.
5,010 complaints
- All other collectors
Remaining collectors in California
96,491 complaints
What this shows The top three names account for 13.9% of California filings in this extract, a state-specific concentration cut, not a national grade curve.
Active Debt Collectors
Sorted by most complaintsPortfolio Recovery Associates, LLC
DEncore Capital Group Inc.
DTransunion Intermediate Holdings, Inc.
DExperian Information Solutions Inc.
DEquifax, Inc.
DResurgent Capital Services L.P.
DCL Holdings LLC
CCitibank, N.a.
DCapital ONE Financial Corporation
DSynchrony Financial
DI.C. System, Inc.
CERC
DCCS Financial Services, Inc.
FWells Fargo & Company
DJpmorgan Chase & Co.
DBread Financial Holdings, Inc.
CBank of America, National Association
DNational Credit Adjusters, LLC
DKriya Capital, LLC
DTransworld Systems Inc
DConvergent Resources, Inc.
DCMRE Financial Services, Inc.
DRowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis
FAmerican Express Company
DKimball, Tirey & St. John LLP
DT.S. Holdings
FCavalry Investments, LLC
DAdler Wallach & Associates, Inc.
DDiscover Bank
DR.M. Galicia, Inc.
DCaine & Weiner Company, Inc.
DTD Bank US Holding Company
DAffirm Holdings, Inc
FDiversified Consultants, Inc.
DSouthwest Credit Systems, L.P.
DAfni Inc.
DRadius Global Solutions LLC
DKBR Inc DBA Rash Curtis & Associates
FFair Collections & Outsourcing, Inc.
DNational Credit Systems,Inc.
DHW Holding, Inc
DNavient Solutions, LLC.
DThe CBE Group, Inc.
DSunrise Credit Services, Inc
DAmsher Collection Services, Inc.
DBarclays Bank Delaware
DUSCB, Inc.
DGrant & Weber
DHunt & Henriques
DSpring Oaks Capital, LLC
FIf a collector is contacting you in California
High-volume states still start with the federal record, then verify any state-law question with an official source.
- Start with the densest California names on the chart, then open each national record before you respond or pay. Browse rankings
- Demand written debt validation within 30 days of first contact - high-volume states see the same FDCPA clock. Validation letter
- File with the CFPB first (public record + 15-day company reply), then check official California AG channels if needed. Your rights
Complaint volume reflects consumer filings, not collector misconduct or a legal conclusion. This is not legal advice.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Read with California
- Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC Leads California complaint volume in this extract
- Florida complaint profile Nearest volume peer (124,524 complaints)
- Georgia complaint profile Nearest volume peer (85,576 complaints)
- States by complaint volume California sits in the dense end of the state ladder
- Debt validation letter High filing volume - written validation is the usual first step
- Compare collectors side-by-side Check response rates for the agencies contacting California residents
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Consumer Complaint Database, 1,139,236 debt collection complaints are represented in the current PlainCollector snapshot. See our methodology for how PlainCollector computes each company's reputation grade from this data.
Filing a Complaint as a California Resident
California's dense filing book means the CFPB channel at consumerfinance.gov/complaint is usually the fastest public-record path (15-day company reply). Parallel options: the California attorney general's consumer division and the state banking-and-finance regulator that may license collectors here. Open the CFPB complaint form.
| Publisher | PlainCollector |
| Sources | the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database |