Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau is contacting you under the trade name American Medical Collection Agency about a balance tied to a clinical lab, hospital, or physician group — and in multiple federal lawsuits, consumers have alleged the collection letters overshadowed their right to dispute, demanded unauthorized convenience fees, and sometimes targeted debts that could not be verified at all.
According to BBB records, the agency is not accredited and draws complaints regarding billing discrepancies and aggressive communication. If that matches your experience, call +1-844-638-1122 for a free case review.
Key Takeaways
- Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. (RMCB) is a medical debt collection agency founded in 1977 and headquartered in Elmsford, New York. They collect small-balance accounts for clinical laboratories, hospitals, and physician groups under the trade name American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA).
- A 2019 data breach exposed the Social Security numbers, payment card data, and personal information of approximately 11.9 million patients. A 41-state Attorney General settlement followed in March 2021. RMCB filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2019.
- Multiple federal class action lawsuits allege RMCB violated the FDCPA by overshadowing dispute rights with “IMMEDIATE PAYMENT REQUIRED” language, charging unauthorized $4.95 convenience fees, collecting on non-existent debts, and restricting consumers to written-only dispute submissions.
- As of January 2025, CFPB rules prohibit credit bureaus from including medical debt under $500 in consumer credit reports. If an RMCB entry on your report falls below that threshold, it may be removable.
- FDCPA violations carry statutory damages up to $1,000 per case. TCPA violations for unauthorized automated calls carry $500 to $1,500 per call, stacking independently.
- The Wood Firm PLLC handles these cases on contingency. No upfront fees, and RMCB pays our fees if they violated federal law.
Free Case Review: +1-844-638-1122
Who Is Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau
Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. is a third-party medical debt collection agency that has operated since 1977 under the trade name American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA). The agency is headquartered at 4 Westchester Plaza, Suite 110, Elmsford, New York, and specializes in collecting small-balance accounts placed by clinical laboratories, hospitals, and physician groups. Major laboratory clients have historically included Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp affiliates.
RMCB is the same entity that operated the AMCA online payment portal involved in the 2019 data breach. If you received a breach notification from AMCA, or if a collection entry from “American Medical Collection Agency” appears on your credit report, both names trace to the same company at the same Elmsford address. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2019 following the breach and a mass client withdrawal, though collection activity on existing accounts has continued through the proceedings.
In our practice, clients who contact us about RMCB most frequently describe a collection entry appearing on their credit report for a medical service they do not recognize, or a demand letter listing a creditor name that does not match any provider they recall seeing. That creditor identification gap is one of the specific patterns federal courts have examined in class actions against this company.
- Legal Name: Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc.
- Trade Name: American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA)
- Address: 4 Westchester Plaza, Suite 110, Elmsford, NY 10523
- Phone: 914-892-0055 | (914) 892-0055 | 800-666-8097 | (800) 666-8097 | 844-505-3328 | (844) 505-3328 | 914-345-7136 | (914) 345-7136
- Website: american-medical-collection.com
- BBB Profile: Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau BBB listing
Phone Numbers Retrieval-Master’s Creditors Bureau Uses
RMCB and its AMCA trade name use the following numbers. If you receive calls from any of these, document the date, time, and content of every contact — that log is the foundation of any FDCPA frequency or harassment claim.
Reported number — 914-892-0055:
- 914-892-0055
- (914) 892-0055
- +1-914-892-0055
- 9148920055
Reported number — 800-666-8097:
- 800-666-8097
- (800) 666-8097
- +1-800-666-8097
- 8006668097
Reported number — 844-505-3328:
- 844-505-3328
- (844) 505-3328
- +1-844-505-3328
- 8445053328
Reported number — 914-345-7136:
- 914-345-7136
- (914) 345-7136
- +1-914-345-7136
- 9143457136
Mail from “American Medical Collection Agency” or the initials “AMCA” traces to the same company. If you receive correspondence under either name at the Elmsford, NY address, it is RMCB.
Why Is Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Calling You
Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau is calling you because a medical provider placed an unpaid account with them for collection. The most common underlying accounts are clinical laboratory bills from providers like Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp, which means the balance may relate to bloodwork or diagnostic testing rather than a hospital or physician visit you clearly remember.
Based on the pattern of FDCPA class actions filed against RMCB, federal courts have examined the following alleged conduct:
- Overshadowing the 30-day dispute right: In Heerbrandt v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc., consumers alleged demand letters printed “IMMEDIATE PAYMENT REQUIRED” in a large, bold header that obscured the federally required notice of the right to dispute within 30 days. A similar allegation appeared in Palermo v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc.
- Unauthorized convenience fees: In Jairam v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. and related cases, class actions alleged RMCB charged consumers a $4.95 fee for online or phone payments without any contractual or statutory authority for that charge.
- Non-existent debts: In Schnur v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Inc. and Junik v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Inc., consumers alleged the company collected on services they never authorized or received.
- Contradictory creditor identification: In Hoffman v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc., consumers alleged the company sent letters listing different creditors in the same notice, making it impossible to identify who actually originated the debt.
- Written-only dispute restriction: In Marchan v. Retrieval-Masters Creditor’s Bureau, Inc., the complaint alleged RMCB illegally required disputes to be submitted in writing, when the FDCPA permits oral disputes without any explanation required.
Each of these alleged tactics targets a distinct FDCPA provision. Any one of them, if proven, carries up to $1,000 in statutory damages per violation. As of January 2025, updated CFPB rules also prohibit credit bureaus from including medical collection debts under $500 in consumer credit reports — if an RMCB entry on your report falls below that threshold, removal may be available on that basis alone.
What Was the AMCA Data Breach
The AMCA data breach is the most consequential event in Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau’s history. Between August 2018 and March 2019, an unauthorized hacker accessed AMCA’s internal payment systems.
According to public court filings and state attorney general documents, the company failed to detect the intrusion for approximately eight months despite payment processor warnings. The personal, medical, and financial data of approximately 11.9 million patients nationwide was exposed, including Social Security numbers and payment card information.
The fallout was immediate. Major laboratory clients pulled their accounts from RMCB, and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2019. A class action lawsuit, Lanouette et al. v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc., alleged the company knew of the breach before it publicly disclosed it to affected patients and healthcare clients.
In March 2021, a coalition of 41 state attorneys general finalized a multistate settlement over the company’s failure to secure patient data.
If you were a patient of Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, or certain other providers between 2018 and 2019, your information may have been exposed. If you now receive a collection notice from RMCB or AMCA and the underlying account relates to that period, the accuracy of that account’s documentation is worth scrutinizing. Breach exposure creates chain-of-custody questions about account records that did not exist for pre-breach files.
Has Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Been Sued
Yes. RMCB has faced numerous federal lawsuits, including class actions, alleging systemic FDCPA violations and the catastrophic data security failure described above.
- Third Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 17-1731 (2018) — federal appellate decision addressing FDCPA claims against Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau.
- Heerbrandt v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — alleged demand letters with bold “IMMEDIATE PAYMENT REQUIRED” language overshadowed the consumer’s 30-day FDCPA dispute right under 15 U.S.C. § 1692g.
- Palermo v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — class action alleging collection letters demanding “immediate” payment and threatening pursuit of any balance overshadowed federally required dispute rights.
- Jairam v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — class action alleging an unauthorized $4.95 convenience fee for online payments without any contractual basis.
- Junik v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Inc. — alleged the agency demanded payment for a non-existent debt and failed to identify the original creditor.
- Hoffman v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — alleged confusing collection letters listed different creditors in the same notice.
- Marchan v. Retrieval-Masters Creditor’s Bureau, Inc. — alleged the agency illegally restricted dispute submissions to written-only format.
- Healy v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — alleged an unauthorized website convenience fee not authorized by the original agreement or law.
- Lanouette et al. v. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. — 2019 class action alleging the company knew of the data breach before disclosing it to approximately 11.9 million affected patients.
When we open an RMCB file, we pull the collection letter first — because the specific language on the face of the notice is where this company’s legal exposure most consistently appears. A letter that buries the dispute notice under bold payment demands, or lists a creditor name that does not match the consumer’s records, may already contain the violation before a single call is made.
Is Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau a Scam
Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau is a real, licensed debt collection agency that has operated since 1977 — but licensed does not mean every tactic is legal. The agency is not a scam operation or an impersonator. It has documented client relationships with major national laboratories and a physical address in Elmsford, New York.
What distinguishes RMCB from many collectors is the documented nature of its alleged violations. The class actions filed against this company do not merely allege excessive calling. They allege structural deception: letters engineered to make consumers miss their dispute window, fees charged without any legal authority, and collection attempts on balances that allegedly cannot be verified as real.
A collector’s age and client roster offer no protection when its letter templates are the source of the federal claim. To learn more about your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act if RMCB has placed an entry on your credit report, that resource covers the dispute process in detail.
Does the FTC ban Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau
No. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau has not been banned by the Federal Trade Commission. The agency remains legally permitted to operate, though it continues under Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings that began in June 2019.
The absence of an FTC ban does not reduce the legal risk the company’s conduct carries. Private FDCPA litigation — not FTC enforcement — is the primary mechanism for holding RMCB accountable for individual violations. The documented pattern across its class action history covers the full range of FDCPA provisions: § 1692g validation rights, § 1692e false or misleading representations, and § 1692f unfair collection practices. If RMCB contacted your cell phone using automated dialing equipment without prior consent, the TCPA adds $500 to $1,500 per call on top of any FDCPA claim, and those damages stack per violation.
How The Wood Firm PLLC Helps Stop Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Debt Harassment
RMCB’s litigation history is specific enough to tell us exactly where to look first in every file we open. We examine the collection letter for overshadowing language — any bold, large-type payment demand that buries the 30-day dispute notice may replicate the exact pattern courts examined in Heerbrandt and Palermo.
We check whether the letter correctly identifies the original creditor with no contradictory names in the same notice. We review any payment portal interaction for convenience fee charges. We pull the underlying account documentation to confirm the medical service was actually rendered and authorized.
And for any consumer affected by the 2019 AMCA breach, we examine whether account records from that period carry chain-of-custody questions that affect the validity of the debt itself. The Wood Firm PLLC has never represented a creditor or collection agency — every RMCB file we review comes from the consumer’s side.
You can read more about why consumers choose The Wood Firm PLLC for debt collection matters.
The firm handles FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA claims on contingency. You pay nothing upfront. Federal law requires RMCB to pay our fees if they violated the law — that obligation belongs to them, not to you, regardless of outcome.
After you call, we review the letter language, the call log, the credit entry, and any payment history you have. If the facts support a claim, we open the file and handle everything from there. Reach the firm at +1-844-638-1122.
If Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau sent a letter demanding immediate payment, charged a convenience fee, or placed a credit entry for a debt you cannot verify, those facts may already support a federal claim. Visit our contact page or call +1-844-638-1122 for a free case review. The Wood Firm PLLC handles these cases on contingency — if they violated federal law, they pay our fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau the same as American Medical Collection Agency
Yes. Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, Inc. is the legal entity behind the American Medical Collection Agency trade name. Both names trace to the same company at 4 Westchester Plaza, Suite 110, Elmsford, NY 10523.
Why is Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau on your credit report
RMCB appears on your credit report because a medical provider placed an unpaid account with them for collection. If you do not recognize the debt, send a written validation request via certified mail — RMCB must cease collection activity until they verify the debt in writing.
Can Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau charge a convenience fee
No, unless your original account agreement with the medical provider expressly authorized it. Multiple class action lawsuits alleged RMCB charged a $4.95 online payment fee without any contractual or legal authority. Do not pay any fee not listed in your original billing agreement.
Was your data exposed in the AMCA data breach
If you were a patient of Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, or certain other providers between 2018 and 2019, your information may have been exposed. The breach affected approximately 11.9 million patients. A 41-state attorney general settlement resolved claims against RMCB for its failure to secure patient data.
How do you stop Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau from calling you
Send a written cease-and-desist letter via certified mail with return receipt requested. After RMCB receives it, federal law restricts further contact to confirming receipt or notifying you of specific legal action. Keep the green return receipt card as proof of delivery.
Can Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau garnish your wages
No, not without first filing a lawsuit and obtaining a court judgment. Any threat of garnishment before a judgment exists may constitute a false or misleading representation under 15 U.S.C. § 1692e, carrying up to $1,000 in statutory damages.
What does the January 2025 CFPB rule mean for RMCB credit report entries
Updated CFPB rules effective January 2025 prohibit credit bureaus from including medical collection debts under $500 in consumer reports. If an RMCB entry on your report falls below that threshold, you can dispute it with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion on that basis alone.
Your Next Step If Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau Has Contacted You
The collection letter language, the creditor identification, the convenience fee question, and the underlying account documentation are the four areas that generate the most actionable claims in RMCB matters. If any of those four raises a question, you have something worth a conversation with an attorney. The Wood Firm PLLC takes these cases on contingency — call +1-844-638-1122 to go through what you have received.
Jeff Wood represents consumers exclusively — never creditors or collectors. He holds federal court admissions across 9 districts, including all courts of AR, CO, NM, and TX. He practices from Little Rock, AR.
