Call Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC at (877) 700-5790 for a free case review. We have held an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau since our founding in 2010. Every FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA case we handle is on a fee-shift basis: if we take your case, Pathfinder Credit Services pays our legal fees not you. Visit us at Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC.
Is Pathfinder Credit Services Legit or a Scam?
Who Is Pathfinder Credit Services?
Pathfinder Credit Services, Inc. (also abbreviated as PCS) is a Florida-based debt collection agency that functions as an in-house collection arm for Roadmaster Drivers’ School and its affiliated entities. The company was founded and incorporated in 2002, and the BBB established a profile for it in 2003.
The corporate relationship between Pathfinder Credit Services and Roadmaster Drivers’ School is significant and documented. Pathfinder’s own BBB complaint responses are filed by Roadmaster on PCS’s behalf, and earlier BBB responses from PCS explicitly confirmed that “the account was placed with PCS, an affiliate under common ownership with Roadmaster Drivers’ School, for service and collections.” Both entities share the same St. Petersburg, Florida address, and the president of Roadmaster Drivers’ School, Brad Ball, is identified as the president of Pathfinder Credit Services on the BBB profile.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Pathfinder Credit Services, Inc. |
| Abbreviation | PCS |
| Founded / Incorporated | 2002 |
| BBB Profile Established | 2003 |
| BBB Rating | Not rated / Not Accredited |
| Florida License No. | 368487 (Dept. of Financial Services) |
| Headquarters | 11300 4th Street North, Suite 200, Saint Petersburg, FL 33716 |
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 22467, Saint Petersburg, FL 33742-2467 |
| Phone | (727) 342-6429 |
| President | Brad Ball (also President of Roadmaster Drivers’ School) |
| Other Management | Quinn Simpson (Manager); Don Hudson (Manager) |
| Affiliated Entities | Roadmaster Drivers’ School (common ownership) |
| Website | pathfindercredit.com (displays Roadmaster consumer terms and conditions) |
| Estimated Staff | Approximately 14 employees |
| Estimated Annual Revenue | Approximately $600,000 |
| Debt Type | CDL truck driver training tuition (Retail Installment Contracts) |
| Geographic Focus | Nationwide (collecting for Roadmaster locations across the U.S.) |
Why does the common ownership matter? Under 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6) of the FDCPA, the term “debt collector” excludes a creditor collecting its own debts. However, the FDCPA also specifies that a party that collects debts “owed or due another” is a debt collector — and the use of a name other than the creditor’s own name in connection with the collection process generally brings the collector under the FDCPA’s coverage. Because Pathfinder Credit Services uses a different name than Roadmaster Drivers’ School, it likely qualifies as a “debt collector” subject to the FDCPA’s full requirements, even though the two entities are commonly owned. This means consumers who receive collection calls from PCS have the full protection of federal debt collection law.
The Roadmaster Context: What Every Pathfinder Consumer Needs to Know
Source: Roadmaster Drivers School $400K Class Action Settlement
The 2024 Class Action Settlement
In 2024, Roadmaster Drivers’ School settled a $400,000 class action lawsuit covering students who paid tuition in connection with CDL licenses that were later declared invalid due to improperly conducted skills testing. The class covered students who attended Roadmaster between October 26, 2016, and May 10, 2024.
This is material information for every consumer receiving a Pathfinder Credit Services collection demand. If you attended Roadmaster during that period and your CDL license was affected by the improper skills testing, you may have a legal defense to the underlying tuition debt because if the services promised (a valid CDL license) were not delivered, the Retail Installment Contract’s consideration may be disputed.
Official settlement information: Roadmaster Drivers School $400K Class Action Settlement
What a Retail Installment Contract Means for Your Dispute
Roadmaster requires students and sometimes co-signers to execute a Retail Installment Contract (RIC) at enrollment to finance tuition. BBB complaint responses from Roadmaster confirm this is the basis for every debt Pathfinder Credit Services collects. Consumers disputing the debt often argue that they did not sign any contract, that the contract they signed was for a different family member, or that the services were not properly delivered.
Under the FDCPA, when you dispute a debt in writing within 30 days of first contact, Pathfinder Credit Services must stop collection activity and provide proper written verification including the name and address of the original creditor. When you request the original contract specifically, federal validation requirements do not compel production of every underlying document, but FDCPA violations can occur if the collector makes false representations about what documentation exists or whether verification was previously provided.
Why Is Pathfinder Credit Services Calling Me?
Pathfinder Credit Services is calling because Roadmaster Drivers’ School has assigned a tuition balance to PCS for collection. The most common scenarios documented in BBB complaints include:
- You attended a Roadmaster CDL training program, signed a Retail Installment Contract, and did not complete payments on the remaining tuition balance
- You co-signed a Retail Installment Contract for a family member, friend, or coworker who attended Roadmaster and did not pay their balance and PCS is now pursuing you as the co-obligor
- You attended Roadmaster, believe you paid your balance or had employer tuition reimbursement that covered it, but PCS is claiming an outstanding amount
- You are receiving calls for an account associated with someone with a similar name or Social Security number (wrong-party contact)
- A previous balance was charged off and reported to credit bureaus, and is now appearing on your credit report without your prior knowledge
In our practice, one pattern we see repeatedly in education-related collection accounts is the co-signer situation. A family member encouraged someone to attend a vocational school, signed as a co-signer on their financing contract, and then received no further communication about the account for years until a collection agency called. The FDCPA’s validation requirements apply equally to co-signers, and co-signers have the same right to request debt verification and to dispute the account.
Pathfinder Credit Services Phone Number
Pathfinder Credit Services contacts consumers from the following number:
| Phone Number | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| (727) 342-6429 | Primary office line | St. Petersburg, FL headquarters number |
If you receive a call you cannot verify, ask the caller to confirm the company name, the original creditor (Roadmaster Drivers’ School), the account number, and the amount owed — in writing — before engaging further.
Pathfinder Credit Services Consumer Complaints
The Better Business Bureau documents 8 total complaints against Pathfinder Credit Services in the last three years and 2 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Every complaint on the BBB profile follows a remarkably consistent pattern: the consumer asserts they are not liable for the debt and did not receive the original contract when requested. The responses consistently come from Roadmaster not Pathfinder Credit Services directly confirming the common-ownership relationship.
Source: Better Business Bureau — Pathfinder Credit Services Complaints
- “Im not liable for this debt with Roadmaster [I] dont have a contract with the collection agency. They did not provide the original contract as requested.” — BBB Complaint, December 2025 (Status: Answered — Roadmaster responded that complainant executed a Retail Installment Contract for CDL training from July to August 2024, and provided validation in October 2025)
- “i am not liable for this debt with ROADMASTER TAMPA RDSCO, i do not have contract with PATHFINDER CREDIT SE, they did not provide me with the original contract as requested.” — BBB Complaint, August 2024 (Status: Answered — Roadmaster confirmed consumer completed CDL program in December 2022 and passed CDL skills test in February 2023; offered to mail validation)
- “I am not liable for this debt with Pathfinder Credit Services, I do not have a contract with Pathfinder Credit Services. They didn’t provide me with the original contract as requested.” — BBB Complaint, May 2024 (Status: Answered — Roadmaster stated consumer co-signed a Retail Installment Contract dated June 27, 2019, for a friend’s tuition)
- “I am not liable for the debt with roadmaster. I do not have a contract with pathfinder credit services they did not provide me with the original contract as I requested.” — BBB Complaint, April 2024 (Status: Answered — Roadmaster stated consumer enrolled January 10, 2020, completed training January 31, 2020, and passed CDL skills test February 10, 2020; claimed consumer had never previously requested validation)
- “I am not liable for this debt with pathfinder credit services. I do not have a contract with the collection agency that is trying to collect and have reported this to my credit report. They did not provide me with the original contract as requested.” — BBB Complaint, August 2023 (Status: Answered — Roadmaster responded that they were “interested to know where complainant is seeing the name ‘Pathfinder Credit Services'” and why the complaint was directed to PCS rather than Roadmaster)
The August 2023 response is telling. Roadmaster asked why the consumer directed the complaint at Pathfinder Credit Services rather than Roadmaster — yet Roadmaster’s own prior BBB responses confirm that PCS is an affiliate under common ownership. That same interconnection means that when a consumer disputes a debt with Pathfinder Credit Services, they are effectively disputing with Roadmaster, and proper validation must come from the entity with the records.
In our practice, the pattern of consumers requesting validation and being told it will be mailed — only to continue receiving collection activity without any documentation arriving — is the most actionable FDCPA scenario we see with education-sector collectors. Each time collection activity continues past the point of a written dispute without providing proper verification, that is a potential statutory violation.
What Are Your Legal Rights Against Pathfinder Credit Services?
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): Requires written validation within 5 days, identification of the original creditor, and cessation of collection after a timely dispute → Pathfinder Credit Services may violate it by failing to clearly disclose Roadmaster as the original creditor, continuing collection activity after a proper written dispute, or not providing full validation of the alleged CDL tuition debt.
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Requires accurate, verifiable credit reporting and mandates deletion of unverifiable or incorrect tradelines after investigation → Pathfinder may violate it by reporting inaccurate Roadmaster tuition balances, failing to correct disputed information, or continuing to furnish unverifiable or outdated collection data.
- Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA): Prohibits harassment, deceptive practices, improper disclosure, and false representations of legal rights → Pathfinder may violate it by excessive or harassing contact, misrepresenting collection authority, or disclosing debt information improperly.
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): Prohibits autodialed or prerecorded calls to cell phones without prior express consent → Pathfinder may violate it by using robocalls, automated dialing systems, or prerecorded messages without valid consent or continuing calls after revocation.
FDCPA Violations
| Violation Type | Federal Statute | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| Failure to provide debt validation notice | 15 U.S.C. § 1692g | No written notice within 5 days of first contact |
| Failure to identify original creditor | 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(a)(2) | Not disclosing Roadmaster Drivers’ School as the creditor |
| Continuing collection after written dispute | 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(b) | Calls or letters continuing while written dispute is pending |
| Failure to verify debt before resuming collection | 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(b) | Resuming collection activity without providing written verification |
| False or misleading representations | 15 U.S.C. § 1692e | Claiming a previous validation request was never received when consumer has documentation |
| Misrepresenting the character, amount, or legal status | 15 U.S.C. § 1692e(2) | Collecting on a debt where the underlying contract is disputed or cannot be produced |
| Reporting disputed debt without noting dispute status | 15 U.S.C. § 1692e(8) / FCRA § 1681s-2(a)(3) | Furnishing a charged-off account to credit bureaus without noting it is disputed |
| Inaccurate credit bureau furnishing | FCRA 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2 | Wrong balance, date of delinquency, or original creditor on credit report |
| Failure to investigate credit bureau dispute | FCRA 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(b) | Verifying disputed information without conducting a reasonable investigation |
| Excessive or harassing calls | 15 U.S.C. § 1692d(5) | Repeated calls with intent to annoy or harass |
| Calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. | 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(1) | Calls outside permissible hours |
| Continuing contact after written cease request | 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c) | Calls or letters after certified cease-communication letter received |
| Robocalls to cell phones without consent | 47 U.S.C. § 227 (TCPA) | Automated or prerecorded calls to cell phone |
What to Do If Pathfinder Credit Services Is Calling You?
Step 1: Determine If the Roadmaster Class Action Applies to You
If you attended Roadmaster Drivers’ School between October 26, 2016, and May 10, 2024, and your CDL license was affected by the improper skills testing, you may have had rights under the 2024 class action settlement. Even if the settlement’s claim deadline has passed, the underlying facts, that Roadmaster failed to deliver a valid CDL may provide a defense to the tuition debt claim. Contact an attorney to evaluate your specific situation.
Step 2: Request Written Debt Validation
Send a certified-mail written debt validation request to Pathfinder Credit Services, Inc., 11300 4th Street North, Suite 200, Saint Petersburg, FL 33716. Under the FDCPA, all collection activity must stop until they provide proper written verification including: the name and address of the original creditor (Roadmaster Drivers’ School), the amount of the debt, and the basis for the claim. Keep your certified mail receipt.
Step 3: Do Not Pay Before Reviewing the Original Contract
If Pathfinder mails you a document claiming to be the original Retail Installment Contract, review it carefully before paying anything. Verify that the signature on the contract is yours. Check whether you signed as a primary borrower or co-signer. Confirm the amount, the interest terms, and the date. If the contract does not match your records, dispute it in writing.
Step 4: If You Were a Co-Signer, Understand Your Rights
If you co-signed a Retail Installment Contract for another person’s CDL training, you are a “co-obligor” on the debt but you have the same FDCPA rights as the primary borrower, including the right to validation, the right to dispute, and the right to cease communication. If the primary borrower’s debt was discharged in bankruptcy, verify whether that discharge also covers your co-signer liability.
Step 5: Pull Your Credit Reports
Visit Annual Credit Report and pull your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports. Look for any tradeline listing Pathfinder Credit Services, Roadmaster Drivers’ School, or any variation of those names. Check the original creditor, the date of first delinquency, the balance, and the account status. If any element is inaccurate, file a formal written dispute with each bureau.
Step 6: Send a Cease-Communication Letter
If you want all calls to stop while you evaluate the debt, send a written cease-communication letter to Pathfinder Credit Services by certified mail. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c), all contact must stop except to confirm cessation or notify you of a specific legal action.
Step 7: Contact Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC
You do not pay our fees. The FDCPA requires Pathfinder Credit Services to pay attorney fees if we prevail on your behalf. Call (877) 700-5790 or visit our website for a free case review.
Step 8: File Regulatory Complaints
- FTC
- Florida Department of Financial Services
- Florida Attorney General
- FCC (for robocall violations)
Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC
Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC is a law firm that specializes in helping clients who are facing harassment from debt collectors in any form, including telephone communication. Rather than suffer alone, contact our office to begin the process to stop the Pathfinder Credit Services harassment. Our office has been assisting consumers since 2010. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
If you are interested in learning more about how to safeguard yourself and prevent harassment from Pathfinder Credit Services. call us at 877-700-5790 for immediate assistance or visit our website.
Success Stories
- I never thought dealing with a law firm could be this easy and stress-free. From my first call with Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC, they made me feel valued and heard. The process was straightforward, and they did all the heavy lifting—collecting documents, filing the paperwork, and handling the legal back-and-forth. They were respectful, knowledgeable, and genuinely wanted to help me. If you’re being harassed by a debt collector, don’t wait—call them immediately. They’ll take care of everything.
- I was receiving dozens of calls each week from a company that wouldn’t stop—even though I had already asked them to. It was affecting my work and my mental health. I found Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC online and filled out a short form. Within 24 hours, someone called me and walked me through everything. They sent a cease-and-desist letter, gathered evidence, and filed a legal complaint. Soon after, the calls completely stopped. I even received a small settlement. I can’t thank this firm enough for what they’ve done.
- After doing some research on law firms that specialize in consumer rights, I found Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC and decided to reach out. It turned out to be the best decision I could’ve made. Their lawyers were incredibly knowledgeable about FDCPA violations, and they quickly built a solid case for me. I didn’t realize how many rules debt collectors have to follow until this team explained everything. They stood up for me when no one else would and made sure the harassment ended for good.
FAQs
1. What type of debt triggers persistent phone calls from Pathfinder Credit Services?
They handle consumer loan servicing and specialized trade collections, heavily targeting vocational programs like Roadmaster Drivers School and similar student/training account tuition balances.
2. What specific corporate phone lines do their Florida collection offices dial from?
Their main outbound collection pipelines route through their toll-free service number at 800-307-5919 and their Saint Petersburg regional branch lines at 727-342-6429.
3. What is a common billing phone violation reported specifically against Pathfinder?
Consumers frequently report that Pathfinder agents continue auto-dialing for payment plans despite the consumer having documented proof of a consistent monthly payment history dating back months or years.
4. Do Pathfinder Credit Services phone collectors frequently file lawsuits?
No, lawsuits are very rare for them; if a phone collector threatens an immediate court summons or lawsuit to scare you into paying over the phone, they are likely making an illegal empty threat.
5. Why do their agents often dodge questions about written debt verification?
They try to keep you trapped on the phone because once you invoke your legal right to a written debt verification, federal law forces them to completely halt their collection dialers until they physically mail you the records.
6. Where is the exact mail drop to send a cease-and-desist letter to block their outbound dialers?
To permanently legally freeze their phone outreach, send a certified letter directly to their executive tracking mailbox at: Pathfinder Credit Services, PO Box 22467, Saint Petersburg, FL 33742.
7. What should I do if a Pathfinder agent calls my cell phone before 8:00 AM?
Note the exact date, time, and caller ID display; dialing consumer cell phones before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM local time is a clear, actionable violation of federal time restrictions
8. Can a Pathfinder collector call my friends or relatives to force me to answer?
They can only contact a third party exactly once to locate you; if they disclose any details about an alleged debt to your relatives or call them repeatedly, they are violating third-party contact laws.
9. What happens if they keep calling my workplace after I tell them to stop?
Once you verbally state on the phone that your employer prohibits personal collection calls, any subsequent workplace dial from Pathfinder acts as a direct, fineable violation.
10. Can they pull automated funds from my bank account based solely on a phone call?
No, under federal banking rules, if they set up a recurring debit plan over the phone, they must issue a written confirmation before pulling funds, or the withdrawal is entirely illegal.
