Is Progressive Management Systems calling you? Are you getting calls from 866-767-9323? If so, it could be that you owe a medical debt that Progressive Management Systems has been tasked with collecting.
Except there's a good chance you don't. Or maybe you do but they're not telling you the whole story. That's the thing about this number. People don't know why it's calling and they don't like it.
In this article, we will explain who Progressive Management Systems is, why they might be calling you, and how to spot the warning signs that something fishy is going on with the collection entry on your credit report. More importantly, we will explain what you can do about it.
Company Overview
Here is a snapshot of what we know about Progressive Management Systems:
Legal Name: R.M. Galicia, Inc.
D/B/A: Progressive Management Systems
Type: Third-party debt collection agency
Industry: Medical and healthcare debt
Address: 1521 West Cameron Avenue, West Covina, CA 91790
Founded: 1978
BBB Rating: F (the worst rating)
BBB Complaints: 131 complaints in the last three years
Known clients: Dignity Health, Providence Medical, Sharp-Rees-Stealy
Red Flag: Lawsuits and Fines
If you have a bad feeling about these calls, you're not alone.
In 2018, Progressive Management Systems agreed to a $1.5 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company used an automated dialing system to call consumers' cell phones without consent. The case, which was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, is captioned Gutierrez-Rodriguez v. R.M. Galicia Inc.
Progressive Management Systems has been a defendant in over 130 cases in federal court alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. We will discuss some of the complaints people have registered about this number below.
Why Would Progressive Management Systems Be Calling Me?
Red Flag: Medical Debt
The majority of Progressive Management System's business involves collecting medical and healthcare debts on behalf of hospitals, physician groups, and healthcare networks such as Dignity Health, Providence Medical, and Sharp-Rees-Stealy. If you have received treatment from any healthcare provider who uses Progressive Management Systems, you may owe a debt that has been sent to the company for collection.
That doesn't necessarily mean you actually owe the debt, though. Medical billing is riddled with errors. Claims that were improperly denied get sent to collections. Payments that should have been credited to a different account are sent to collections. Debts that are still under appeal are sent to collections.
Red Flag: Wrong Numbers and Wrong People
One of the more alarming patterns we see with this number is the frequency with which people complain that Progressive Management Systems is calling the wrong number and/or asking for the wrong person.
For example, one man posting on 800notes described getting at least four calls from Progressive Management Systems asking for a person who did not live at his number. He said, "They keep calling asking for someone that doesn't live here. I called back 3 times to advise them. Then a rude lady Jennifer calls again."
Other consumers have reported getting calls asking for a six-year-old child, a 78-year-old mother, or even a deceased ex-husband. If Progressive Management Systems can't even be bothered to call the right person, how can we trust anything else they tell us?
Red Flag: Requests for Information Before Disclosure
One red flag we see repeatedly from this number is that Progressive Management Systems representatives ask for sensitive personal information before disclosing why they are calling.
A man named Ed posting on 800notes said that he received a call from a woman named Alejandra at Progressive Management Systems. He reported: "Alejandra from Progressive Management Systems called about personal matter that they needed verification to talk to me about over they phone. She then asked for my birthday and last four of of my social. I hung up immediately after."
That's a huge red flag. If a debt collector is calling you about a legitimate debt, he should be able to disclose his identity and the purpose of the call before asking you to verify your identity. Demands for your date of birth and Social Security number in the initial phone call are hallmarks of a scam, just like threatening to sue you or demanding that you make an immediate payment.
Red Flag: Calls to Discuss a "Personal Matter"
Another warning sign we see over and over again from this number is that Progressive Management Systems representatives tell consumers they are calling to discuss a "personal matter," but cannot or will not disclose what that personal matter is.
One consumer posting on WhoCallsMe related the following disturbing experience: "Lady called identifying herself as being from 'St. Jude Medical' and wanting personal info from me to verify identity… Called the number back, automated answering service answered and announced the name of the company as 'Progressive Management Systems' NOT 'St. Jude Medical'."
If a debt collector is misrepresenting the name of his company on an incoming call, that's a major red flag and may be a violation of federal law. If the company name that the caller gives you does not match the name you hear when you call the number back, that's a problem.
How a Collection Entry Affects Your Credit Report
The Truth About Credit Damage
The appearance of a collection account on your credit report can cause serious damage to your credit score. A single collection entry can drop a good credit score into the subprime range, making it harder to qualify for loans, credit accounts, rental properties, or even some types of employment.
The damage is real even if the debt itself is not. If Progressive Management Systems is placing an incorrect collection entry on your credit report, the entry can still hurt your credit score. That's why it's essential to identify and dispute any erroneous information as soon as possible.
It's Their Baby Now
Once a medical provider places your account with a third-party debt collection agency like Progressive Management Systems, the original creditor has basically given up on it. They have written the balance off as uncollectible and moved on with their lives. The hospital that treated you or the doctor who saw you is not actively involved in collecting your debt. Nobody but Progressive Management Systems is calling you.
You might feel a sense of obligation to pay a bill you owe to the hospital, but the hospital has no knowledge of or interest in this transaction.
What's Really Going On Here
What Debt Collectors Call "Follow-Up"
If you're getting these calls, there's a good chance you feel like Progressive Management Systems is harassing you. While collectors euphemistically describe what they are doing as "follow-up," the experience is the same. They call you. They leave voicemails. They call you some more. It's all designed to wear you down until you talk to them.
One woman posting on 800notes perfectly captured the effect: "They get on my nerves dont they know if i dont answer after the 50th time i wont answer on the 51st."
Another man said that Progressive Management Systems called him at work. Yet another man reported getting voicemails consisting of typing sounds and heavy breathing. Still another man said Progressive Management Systems put him on hold after calling him.
What's Permitted Under the FDCPA
While it's true that debt collectors have a right to contact you about debts you owe, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits collectors from engaging in conduct that is harassing, false, misleading, unfair, or unconscionable. It's a violation of the FDCPA to place repeated calls to the consumer with the intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number. It's a violation to call you at work if you've told them not to. It's a violation to refuse to disclose the debt if you ask.
In practice, the collection industry survives on consumers not knowing their rights under the FDCPA. Debt collectors assume that you won't challenge their right to collect. They assume you won't request validation of the debt. They assume you won't dispute the credit reporting entry. Once you change those assumptions, the entire interaction changes.
How to Dispute the Entry on Your Credit Report
The Single Most Powerful Thing You Can Do
If you're getting calls from 866-767-9323 and you believe something is fishy, the single most powerful thing you can do is dispute the credit reporting entry. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers have the right to dispute any information in their credit file that they believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable.
If you dispute an entry, the credit reporting agency must investigate and verify the information. If the collection agency cannot verify the information, it must come off your report.
In practical terms, disputing the entry shifts the burden of proof from you to the collector. Most medical debt is old enough and has been sold and resold so many times that it cannot survive a dispute because the documentation to support the debt no longer exists.
Conclusion
Everything Changes with Knowledge
If you're getting unwanted calls from 866-767-9323, the best advice we can give you is to empower yourself with knowledge. Understanding who Progressive Management Systems is, what it does, and what your rights are under federal law puts you in a position to evaluate the call for yourself.
Every red flag we have discussed in this article—from the requests for personal information before any disclosure to the refusal to disclose the purpose of the call, from the phone harassment to the misrepresentation of the company name—is a potential crack in Progressive Management System's armor.
Next Steps with FightCollections.com
FightCollections.com specializes in helping consumers challenge inaccurate and unverifiable collection accounts on credit reports. If Progressive Management Systems has placed an entry on your report that you believe is incorrect, we can help you navigate the dispute process.
You don't have to just live with a collection account because that's what they say you owe.
Contact us at FightCollections.com today to find out how we can help you take back control of your credit report and get Progressive Management Systems to leave you alone.
