If you have received a letter, phone call, or credit report entry from Professional Finance Company, you are dealing with one of the oldest and largest debt collection agencies in the United States. Professional Finance Company, commonly known as PFC or PFC USA, has been in operation since 1904 and is headquartered in Greeley, Colorado. The company primarily collects debts on behalf of healthcare providers, but also serves retailers, financial institutions, government agencies, and municipal services.
This article covers everything you need to know about Professional Finance Company: who they are, what industries they serve, how they operate, their contact information, their compliance record, the 2022 data breach that affected nearly two million people, and what to do if they have contacted you about a debt.
Company Overview
Professional Finance Company, Inc. was founded in 1904 in Northern Colorado and has maintained continuous operations for over 120 years, making it one of the longest-operating collection agencies in the country. The company is privately held and operates from its headquarters at 5754 West 11th Street, Suite 100, Greeley, Colorado 80634. All of PFC's employees are located in the United States.
The company's president is Charles Shoop, Esq. Other members of the leadership team include Scott Raberge (Vice President of Sales and Marketing), Jerry Peer (Vice President of Operations), Nick Prola (Director of Compliance), and Jill Scott (Director of Human Resources).
PFC describes itself as an accounts receivable management company rather than simply a collection agency. This distinction reflects their broader service offering, which includes not just third-party collections but also first-party billing follow-up, self-pay early out programs, and debt purchasing.
Contact Information
Phone (consumers): (855) 267-7451
Phone (main office): (970) 352-5000
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1686, Greeley, CO 80632-1686
Physical address: 5754 West 11th Street, Suite 100, Greeley, CO 80634
Website: pfcusa.com
Consumer payment portal: paypfc.com
Financial literacy resources: knowmydebt.com
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time
Industries and Services
Healthcare Collections
Healthcare is PFC's primary focus. The company collects on behalf of hospitals, clinics, physician groups, and other healthcare providers across the country. Given the sensitivity of medical debt, PFC emphasizes HIPAA compliance in all of its healthcare collection activities. The company has been an HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association) Peer Reviewed company since 2012, which means its products and services have been evaluated by healthcare financial professionals and found to meet industry standards.
PFC's healthcare services include third-party collection of patient balances after the provider's internal billing efforts have been exhausted, as well as self-pay early out programs that manage patient accounts before they reach the traditional collection stage. This early intervention approach is designed to maintain the patient-provider relationship while still recovering revenue.
For healthcare providers evaluating collection partners, ACB's article on medical debt collection: special rules you should know covers the regulatory requirements that apply to patient debt recovery.
Government and Municipal Collections
PFC works with government agencies and municipalities to recover unpaid balances, which can include utility bills, fines, fees, and other government-related receivables. These accounts require a high level of compliance because government entities are subject to additional regulatory scrutiny.
Retail and Financial Services
PFC also collects for retailers and financial organizations, though these sectors represent a smaller portion of their business compared to healthcare.
Debt Purchasing
In addition to collecting on behalf of creditors, PFC purchases debt portfolios directly from original creditors. When PFC purchases a debt, they become the owner of that debt and collect it for their own account rather than on behalf of the original creditor. This is an important distinction for consumers because it affects who you are legally paying and who holds the rights to the account. ACB's article on what is the difference between a creditor and a collector explains how this distinction works in practice.
Industry Certifications and Memberships
PFC holds several industry certifications and memberships that speak to their compliance and operational standards.
They have been certified through ACA International's Professional Practices Management System (PPMS) since 2003. This certification program evaluates collection agencies on their compliance, training, and operational practices. PFC has also received the BBB Torch Award for Business Ethics and has been recognized as a Best Places to Work in Collections agency for seven consecutive years.
PFC maintains membership in several professional organizations, including ACA International, the Associated Collection Agencies of Colorado and Wyoming, the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM), the Colorado Medical Group Management Association (CMGMA), and HFMA.
The company holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been BBB accredited since 1984.
The 2022 Data Breach
In February 2022, PFC experienced a ransomware attack in which an unauthorized third party gained access to the company's computer systems. The breach potentially exposed the personal information of approximately 1.9 million individuals, many of whom were patients of PFC's healthcare provider clients.
The compromised data reportedly included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance information, and medical treatment details. PFC detected and stopped the attack, hired external cybersecurity experts to investigate, and reported the incident to federal law enforcement. On May 5, 2022, PFC notified its healthcare provider clients, who then notified the affected individuals.
A class action lawsuit was filed, Rodriguez v. Professional Finance Co. Inc. (Case No. 1:22-cv-01679), in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The lawsuit alleged that PFC failed to implement reasonable cybersecurity measures to protect consumer data. PFC denied any wrongdoing but agreed to a $2.5 million settlement to resolve the litigation. Under the settlement, affected individuals could receive up to $500 for documented out-of-pocket expenses related to the breach, along with 24 months of free credit monitoring. California residents whose Social Security numbers were compromised could receive an additional $50 payment.
The settlement website is professionalfinancesettlement.com. Individuals who believe they were affected can also contact the settlement administrator at (833) 627-7416.
Following the breach, PFC implemented enhanced cybersecurity measures and completed a SOC 2 Type II audit in November 2023, demonstrating compliance with industry standards for data security and privacy.
What to Do If PFC Contacts You
If Professional Finance Company has contacted you about a debt, here is what you should do.
Verify the Debt
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, PFC must provide you with a written validation notice within five days of first contacting you. This notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the original creditor, and your right to dispute the debt within 30 days. If you did not receive this notice, request it in writing. ACB's article on what is a validation notice and why do I need one explains the validation process in detail.
Check Your Records
PFC primarily collects medical debt, so the account may be related to a hospital visit, lab work, or other healthcare service. Check your health insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) statements to see whether the service was covered and whether you have an outstanding patient responsibility balance. Sometimes medical bills go to collections because of insurance processing errors or because the provider did not have your current address to send statements.
Dispute If Necessary
If you do not recognize the debt, believe the amount is incorrect, or think the balance should have been covered by insurance, dispute it in writing within 30 days. PFC must cease collection activity until they verify the debt. If the debt is related to a service you received but you believe your insurance should have covered it, contact your insurer directly and ask them to reprocess the claim.
Pay or Negotiate
If the debt is valid, resolving it promptly limits the credit damage. PFC accepts payments through their online portal at paypfc.com and by phone at (855) 267-7451. If you cannot pay the full amount, PFC may accept a settlement or payment plan. ACB's article on how to pay a debt collection agency covers the payment and settlement process, including how to get agreements in writing.
How PFC Compares to ACB
Professional Finance Company and Advanced Collection Bureau operate in different but overlapping segments of the collection industry. PFC's primary focus is healthcare collections, with additional work in government, retail, and financial services. ACB specializes in residential rent recovery, medical debt, and small business collections, with a particular emphasis on serving landlords and property management companies.
Both agencies operate on contingency-based models. PFC offers additional services like debt purchasing and self-pay early out programs that ACB does not. ACB differentiates itself with twice-monthly credit bureau reporting, which is more frequent than the industry standard, and a strict policy of never charging interest on debts in its care.
For businesses evaluating collection partners, ACB's article on the pros and cons of contingency-only collection agencies provides a framework for comparing fee structures and service models across agencies.
Filing a Complaint
If you believe Professional Finance Company has violated your rights under the FDCPA or engaged in improper collection practices, you can file a complaint with the following agencies.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints online and by phone at (855) 411-2372.
The Federal Trade Commission accepts fraud and consumer protection complaints.
The Colorado Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section can be reached at (720) 508-6022 or through coloradoattorneygeneral.gov.
If you are dealing with a debt and need a collection partner that specializes in residential and medical debt recovery, contact Advanced Collection Bureau at (321) 633-4999 or visit advancedcb.com.
