Why are you getting calls from 866-846-7852? Who is Frost-Arnett? What do they want? Is this a legitimate debt? How can you protect yourself without calling them back and being pitched into some kind of payment plan?
Below, we'll delve into all the questions you should have about who is on the other end of this number, what they are looking for, and how you can keep yourself and your credit report safe without having to actually talk to the collector.
Who is Frost-Arnett?
Name: Frost-Arnett Company. Type: Third-party debt collector and first-party billing agent for medical practices. Relevant industries: Healthcare. Founded: 1893. Location: Nashville, TN. Structure: Privately-held, family-owned with over 400 employees. Locations: Five offices in TN, KY, TX, WY, and CO. Portfolio: 2,500+ medical providers in 44 states. Recent Acquisition: CollectionCenter, Inc. (2021). BBB Status: A+ accredited since 1961; Consumer rating 1.3 out of 5 stars. CFPB Complaints: Over 242, with 80 in the last year alone.
What You Need to Understand
Frost-Arnett is an older debt collection agency with a good reputation, but a complaint history that is worth noting. The company has been named as a defendant in over 100 federal lawsuits related to alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In one class action case, Sholinsky v. Frost-Arnett Company, the agency agreed to a settlement of $90,000 after the account numbers were allegedly visible through the windows of collection envelopes, exposing the personal information of approximately 32,000 consumers. Coupled with its complaint volume at the CFPB and a consumer rating of 1.3 stars at the Better Business Bureau, this is a company that, for whatever reason, seems to evoke an inordinate number of complaints from consumers who feel that the collector is violating their rights.
Why is Frost-Arnett Calling Me?
The Medical Debt Pipeline
Frost-Arnett primarily works in medical debt collection, which means it acts as an agent for hospitals, physician groups, radiology groups, and surgery centers to collect outstanding balances that patients have not paid. If you have ever been to the hospital, seen a doctor, had an X-ray or MRI, or been to an outpatient surgery center and did not pay your bill in full, there is a chance that your account has been placed with this agency for collection. In many cases, however, consumers report never knowing they owed a balance because the original provider never sent them a second notice. As one consumer explained of Frost-Arnett, this is a company that collects medical bills from medical providers who would rather send your bill to a collection agency than send you a second statement.
They May Also be Collecting Government or Education Debt
In 2021, Frost-Arnett acquired CollectionCenter, Inc. (CCI), so they may also be collecting debts related to government (municipal) accounts or education accounts. If you do not recognize the debt as medical, it could be because it pertains to an unpaid tuition bill, parking ticket, or something similar.
What They're Counting On
They're Counting on You to Panic and Pay
Debt collection agencies are not scams. They are legitimate businesses that operate within a specific segment of the accounts receivable management industry. But legitimate doesn't mean friendly or consumer-centric. The goal of any collection agency is to contact as many consumers as possible as frequently as possible until a certain percentage of them agree to pay something. The faster you pay, the less it costs them, which is why the calls often seem so relentless. Consumer reports for this agency include experiences with silent calls where no message is left, robocalls, and even text messages that include a link to pay your debt online. As one consumer shared, I just received a text that says, This message is from Frost-Arnett, a debt collector. Please call 866-846-7852 or visit payfa.info.
They're Counting on You to Stay Silent
If the panic tactic doesn't work, silence is the next strategy. If you ignore the calls long enough and never dispute the debt, the collection account remains on your credit report, and every month it sits there, it's harming your credit score a little bit more. But there's something critical to keep in mind about the strategy of ignoring a debt collector: The longer a debt ages, the less likely a collector is to sue you over it. If you're dealing with an agency that has thousands of accounts on its books, it's highly unlikely they are going to file a lawsuit over an individual medical debt because the cost of that litigation would exceed the amount they're owed.
What Consumers Say
Silent Calls, Robocalls, and Pressure
When you review the consumer complaints about calls from 866-846-7852, the experiences are generally consistent. Consumers talk about silent calls where no one says anything, robocalls, and text messages. As one frustrated caller described, Amazing how people call your number and never say a dam thing. Others mention calls to cell phones registered on the Do Not Call list. One consumer characterized it as an illegal scam call to DNC cell phone by some kind of collection agency when there is no debt owed. Being called repeatedly about a debt you do not recognize and having no clear way to stop those calls is a common theme among people who have been contacted by this number.
Refusal to Identify and Aggressive Information Demands
Across the broader base of consumer complaints about Frost-Arnett's calling practices, consumers report that representatives of the company refuse to identify the agency unless the consumer provides personal information first. As one caller recounted on EveryCaller, The caller demanded that I verify my personal info but would not tell me who she worked for unless I verified that information first. Another reported that the caller's name sounded more like Fraud Star Net than Frost-Arnett. If someone is calling and demanding your birthdate or Social Security number but refusing to tell you the company name unless you comply, something is wrong. In legitimate debt collection, the collector is required to identify both themselves and the debt.
How to Protect Yourself
Dispute with the Credit Bureaus, Not the Collector
The single best thing you can do if Frost-Arnett or any other collection agency is calling you is to dispute the account with the credit bureaus directly. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) are required to investigate any item a consumer disputes in writing. This is important because anything a debt collector tells you over the phone is unenforceable. If a debt collector tells you that if you pay X amount of dollars, they will resolve your account and you pay, you have no recourse if they don't follow through on their commitment. Written communication always supersedes a verbal agreement. By disputing the account through the credit bureaus, you create a formal process that does not allow the collector to talk their way around your rights.
Pull Your Reports and Use Them for Intel
Before you dispute anything, pull your credit reports from all three bureaus. Go through them and find any account listing Frost-Arnett as the creditor and evaluate every piece of information carefully: The amount of the balance, the date of first delinquency, the name of the original creditor, and whether the information matches your own records. Inaccuracies in any of those fields can become the basis for a formal dispute. Your credit report is not a verdict. It's reconnaissance. Approach it that way.
Red Flags to Watch For
Know When Something is Not Legit
While Frost-Arnett is a legitimate debt collection agency, some of the behaviors attributed to them by consumers mirror those of outright scams. Demands for immediate payment, threats of lawsuits, refusal to provide written validation of the debt, and use of abusive language are all potential violations of your rights under the FDCPA. If someone is calling you and demanding that you pay immediately or face consequences, do not pay. You have the right to ask for written validation of a debt. You have the right to dispute a debt. You have the right to ask a debt collector to stop contacting you. Anyone who is ignoring those rights may not just be pushy. They may be operating illegally.
Beware of Debts You Don't Recognize
Several consumers have reported that Frost-Arnett called them about debts they did not recognize. As one explained, They tried to collect money from a medical facility where I have never been. Just because a debt collector calls you about a debt does not mean you owe it. Sometimes, the wrong account gets assigned to the wrong person. Sometimes, a medical billing system erroneously creates a balance where none exists. The burden of proof is always on the collector.
What You Can Do
The Consumer Playbook Frost-Arnett Does Not Want You to Use
Frost-Arnett is hoping you'll do one of two things: Panic and pay, or do nothing and let the account sit on your report. Both of those reactions work for the collector but not for you.
Instead, here is a playbook you can use: Pull your credit reports. Identify every account attributed to Frost-Arnett. Look for any inaccuracies in the balance, the date, or the original creditor listing. File a formal dispute with each of the credit bureaus. Conduct all communication in writing. Do not click on links in text messages or provide personal data to someone who will not identify themselves.
Every item you dispute means the credit bureaus must conduct an investigation. Every investigation means the collector must provide documentation to substantiate their claims. If the collector cannot provide that documentation, in many cases, the account will be deleted from the consumer's credit report altogether.
Let Us Help
If you're getting calls from Frost-Arnett at 866-846-7852 or if you've found this agency on your credit report, you don't have to go through this process alone.
At FightCollections.com, we specialize in helping consumers dispute unverified and inaccurate collection accounts from their credit reports. Our team understands the tactics collectors use and the formal dispute process required to hold both the collector and the credit bureaus accountable.
Visit FightCollections.com today to find out how we can support you in taking the next step toward a cleaner credit report.