Progressive Management Systems or PMS is a third-party collection agency based in Southern California. PMS has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) such as misrepresentation and attempting to collect debts not owed. If you have been contacted by PMS, make sure you understand your rights before responding.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Progressive Management Systems is a legitimate collection agency founded and incorporated in 1978. PMS is listed as a collection agency and uses the alternate business name, R.M. Galacia, Inc. Buzzfile estimates Progressive Management Systems’ annual revenue at $15.8 million and the size of its staff at 125 people.
According to its website, Progressive Management Systems “is a bilingual, employee owned company… striving to be the most professional collection agency in the nation… [by providing] remarkable service, receivable solutions, and education with integrity and character.” PMS has locations in West Covina, CA and Las Vegas, NV.
Progressive Management Systems’ collection services are organized into three divisions: first-party collections, third-party collections, and insurance follow-up. The first-party collection division offers accounts receivable management services using the business name of the original creditor, thereby offering “transparency to your customers and an efficient way to deal with staffing shortages, hiring freezes, and the array of other challenges businesses face today.” PMS’ insurance follow-up division works “as part of the client organization for whatever purpose they need,” including billing, follow-up, and appeals.
PMS’ third-party collections division employs “professional bilingual staff to utilize [their] dynamic collection science to resolve” delinquencies. PMS works “under the assumption that every contact with the customer may be the last contact opportunity, creating a greater sense of urgency.”
Progressive Management Systems does not offer any information about its compliance policies. There are no references or links to consumer protection laws, resources, or agencies. Their payment portal is administered by a third party. Their Consumer Complaints page is not currently in operation.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
As of October 2017, the BBB has given Progressive Management Systems a rating of NR (No Rating). In the previous three years, the BBB has closed 16 complaints against PMS, with 3 closed in the past 12 months. Most of the complaints allege problems with billing and collection. Since April 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received 27 complaints against PMS. Justia lists at least 1 case of civil litigation naming either PMS or R.M. Galacia as a defendant.
Progressive Management Systems
1521 West Cameron Avenue, First Floor
West Covina, CA 91790
Telephone: (800) 258-7482
Website: http://www.pmscollects.com/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely PMS would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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Unlawful Debt Harassment? Learn the Law & Sue the Collector.
Absolutely. You can sue a debt collector. Here is a Sample Case Complaint:
In 2018, R.M. Galicia, Inc., doing business as Progressive Management Systems (PMS), agreed to settle a class action alleging that it violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) by making medical debt calls to consumer cells phones, using an automated telephone dialing system and an artificial or pre-recorded voice, without first obtaining the consumers’ express written consent.
Also, complaints against Progressive Management Systems show a tendency toward problems with the accuracy of information reported to credit reporting agencies, and non-responsiveness. In November 2014, a complainant indicated he had received a letter about a collection item he had already paid. His credit report still showed the time as delinquent, so he contacted PMS and asked them to correct the information. The PMS representative said they had reported it several months earlier and that there was nothing they could do to help him. He explained that other items on his credit report that had been paid show as paid and closed, but the item that was sent to PMS still appeared as a delinquency. The PMS representative stated that they cannot control the way the reporting agency reports the items.
Similarly, in June 2016 a complainant indicated seven different derogatory items had been listed on her credit report as a result of multiple hospital visits for her son’s chronic illness. She alleged that PMS representatives had made harassing phone calls to her and threatened to garnish her wages, answering her objections by telling her she “should have just paid the bill.” She subsequently stopped responding to collection efforts and her complaint stems from difficulties establishing credit with a mortgage lender in her efforts to purchase a home.
Progressive Management Systems responded to both complaints with a boilerplate response that, “We are more than happy to communicate with you via this portal. However, because details of our response may include personal financial or medical information, Progressive Management Systems must have signed, written permission from the complainant…If we do not receive permission from you prior to the date of the required response, then we will have no choice but to issue a response in writing to the person and home address that we may have on file.”
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
Yes. If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. Federal laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
“I was so excited when you told me about the positive outcome of the lawsuit. If the need ever arises again, I will not hesitate to call your office or recommend your law services to a friend in need.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn’t be happier with all the hard work your office has done for me. I feel throughout the whole process I was kept informed, and my questions were always answered completely. The calls have stopped, I no longer have a mountain of junk bills piling up, and I owe it all to Lemberg Law.”
“I found your website. I filled out the information and much to my surprise received a call back within the hour. She listened intently and addressed each one of my concerns. She immediately forwarded me an email and advised I would not be charged for services rendered. She made me feel confident and assured, and that someone was in my corner.”
Chances are good that we can help. Call us today and we’ll explain.
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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Progressive management called pretending to be radiology twice in west covenia trying to get money from me? I don’t owe any body anything I called the real radiology people and asked them they said I don’t owe them nothing. How can evil people like that exist just to get free money ?!
I have been making payments for a hospital visit for my son in California. The hospital agreed to the payment plan. Today I discovered that PMS has ruined my credit score. I have never heard from them, and I have been making the payments on time.
I do not know what to do!
I’m just curious say ok so date opened was 06-03-2016, I had an original debt fee of 1,510 ok and tell me why this company keeps changing me for collections when not once have they notified me by email by phone n or address about this charge and the filling months after this charge and they keep only getting larger in dollar amount, so thid is now making my credit crap….I’m pissed what should I do