Hope you contacted Verizon directly to make your payment and didn't give your info to this caller.
By the way, why are you here? You obviously know who the number belongs to so why did you come to a phone number lookup site?
No they are not "legit". The CBE group is well known around here as a criminal enterprise. Besides, why would you look up their number in order to post here if you truly believed they were "legit"? There would be no reason for that. But thanks for letting us know who is using this number, so that I can post information that tells everyone what they need to do to help put your boss out of business. Good job! Although I don't think your boss will want to pay you for that lame post once he sees what I am about to put up here.
Edit: Oh, I forgot to mention that if you didn't give them a single piece of info, then they violated the law since they weren't sure who they were talking to. This means they could have released the information they had about the alleged debt to a third party. Big no-no.
You need to send them a certified, return receipt debt validation, cease and desist calling, or "not me" letter (think of it as the best $6.47 you ever invested). Also send it first class mail in case no one will sign for it. Make a notation of that fact at the bottom of the letter. You also need to report them to the proper agencies to which I have provided links to. Then you need to go out and get a consumer lawyer to sue them on a contingency basis (no money out of your pocket) and let them pay you for the harassment. If everyone did these three things, these crooks would be bankrupt and we would all be the richer for it. Use these web sites to find an attorney in your state that will probably take the case on a contingency basis (no money out of your pocket up front): http://www.consumeradvocates.org/
http://www.consumeradvocates.org/find-an-atto ... tates_value=All
Everything else you need to know follows including at least two agencies where you should report their criminal activities.
THE C B E GROUP INC
Thanks to Tamianth for a lot of this research.
Web page lists a PO Box as an address: https://www.paycbe.com/ContactUs.aspx
BBB page shows them as accredited with an A+ rating even though they have 424 complaints and 5 negative reviews (the rating was a B with 457 complaints and 4 negative reviews so my guess is they upped the donation to the BBB for the A+ rating): http://www.bbb.org/iowa/business-reviews/coll ... falls-ia-100794
LinkedIn page of the head criminal: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ron-langford/9/a4a/725
And another head criminal: http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/priv ... ivcapId=4527813
Third head criminal this one with a law degree in stealing: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/james-gunter/84/737/baa
Since this one is a lawyer, file complaints here also: http://www.mochiefcounsel.org/
Iowa Dept. of State lists several registrations:
Business No. Legal Name Status
104622 THE CBE GROUP, INC. Active
Type State of Inc. Modified
Legal IA No
Expiration Date Effective Date Filing Date
PERPETUAL 10/1/1985 10/1/1985
Chapter
CODE 490 DOMESTIC PROFIT
Names (Viewing 3 of 24)
Type Status Modified Name
Legal Active No THE CBE GROUP, INC.
Fictitious name Active No ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGEMENT, INC.
Fictitious name Active No ARM, INC.
Registered Agent or Reserving Party
Full Name
THOMAS R PENALUNA
Address Address 2
1309 TECHNOLOGY PKWY
City, State, Zip
CEDAR FALLS, IA, 50613
Business No. Legal Name Status
104622 THE CBE GROUP, INC. Active
Type State of Inc. Modified
Legal IA No
Expiration Date Effective Date Filing Date
PERPETUAL 10/1/1985 10/1/1985
Chapter
CODE 490 DOMESTIC PROFIT
Names (Viewing 3 of 24)
Type Status Modified Name
Legal Active No THE CBE GROUP, INC.
Fictitious name Active No ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MANAGEMENT, INC.
Fictitious name Active No ARM, INC.
Registered Agent or Reserving Party
Full Name
THOMAS R PENALUNA
Address Address 2
1309 TECHNOLOGY PKWY
City, State, Zip
CEDAR FALLS, IA, 50613
Home Office
Full Name
Address Address 2
1309 TECHNOLOGY PARKWAY
City, State, Zip
CEDAR FALLS, IA, 50613
Home Office
Full Name
Address Address 2
1309 TECHNOLOGY PARKWAY
City, State, Zip
CEDAR FALLS, IA, 50613
It is incumbent upon them under the law to prove that the debt exists and that you owe it, and that they have the legal right to collect it. You are not obligated under the law to prove that you don’t owe or that it is paid.
Federal law (FDCPA) requires them to send you a letter (US MAIL ONLY) postmarked 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 of 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 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://800notes.com/faq/attorney-general