Getting calls from an agency you do not recognize is unsettling enough. When that agency turns out to have a $1.5 million Federal Trade Commission enforcement action on its record, the situation becomes more serious. Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (RAB) is a debt collection agency that has faced one of the more significant FTC penalties in the consumer debt collection industry. This guide explains who RAB is, what they collect, why they are calling you, and what your rights are under federal law.
If you are searching for RAB Inc, RAB Collections, RAB Patient Services, or RAB Patient Svcs, you are looking at the same company under different operating names. Note that Rabinoc Recovery Services and Regional Recovery Services are separate entities and not affiliated with RAB. This page covers the Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. specifically.
If RAB is calling you right now, call +1-844-638-1122. The Wood Firm PLLC works on contingency, and the consultation is free.
Key Takeaways
- Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (RAB) is a Memphis, Tennessee-based debt collector founded in 1971, specializing in medical and student loan collections
- The FTC imposed a $1.5 million penalty on RAB for deceptive and unfair FDCPA violations (W.D. Tenn. No. 2:14-cv-02522)
- RAB also operates as RAB Patient Services and RAB Collections. They are related to RAB Performance Recoveries, LLC
- Whitley v. RAB (E.D.N.Y.) alleged RAB failed to disclose whether the debt balance was increasing due to interest or fees
- Each unauthorized automated call to your cell may be a separate TCPA violation worth $500 to $1,500
- Whether you owe the debt or not, The Wood Firm PLLC can help. Free consultation, contingency basis
Who Is Regional Adjustment Bureau (RAB)?
Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (RAB) is a third-party debt collection agency founded in 1971 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, with additional operations in Plano, Texas (near Addison, TX). RAB is licensed to operate in all 50 states and specializes in medical debt recovery and defaulted student loan collections. They market their healthcare collections under the operating name RAB Patient Services (also abbreviated as RAB Patient Svcs), positioning themselves as an extension of their clients’ patient billing departments.
Key identifying details about RAB, Inc.:
- Full legal name: Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc.
- Also known as: RAB, RAB Inc, RAB Collections, RAB Patient Services, RAB Patient Svcs
- Related entity: RAB Performance Recoveries, LLC (separate but associated company)
- Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee (founded 1971)
- Additional office: 6504 International Pkwy, Suite 2100, Plano, TX 75093 (near Addison, TX)
- Phone: (972) 233-1131 / 972-233-1131 / 9722331131
- Specialty: Medical debt collections and federal student loan recovery
- Not affiliated with: Rabinoc Recovery Services, Regional Recovery Services
RAB’s “soft recovery” marketing positions them as professional and client-focused. Their FTC enforcement record and federal lawsuit history tell a more complicated story.
Why Is Regional Adjustment Bureau Calling You?
RAB contacts consumers about two primary debt categories: medical bills and student loans. If you are receiving calls from RAB or RAB Patient Services, the debt most likely originates from a hospital, physician group, or healthcare provider. If you are hearing from RAB about a student loan, the account may be assigned through a guaranty agency or federal servicer.
As a third-party collector, RAB must follow the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in every communication. Their FTC enforcement history confirms they have violated those rules at scale before. The FDCPA does not have carve-outs for agencies with “soft recovery” branding or professional marketing.
For medical debt, verify the balance against your insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) before engaging RAB at all. Billing errors, insurance coordination failures, and duplicate charges are common sources of incorrect medical collection amounts. Federal rules also prohibit medical debts under $500 from appearing on credit reports, and require a one-year waiting period before any medical debt can be reported to the bureaus.
For student loan debt, federal loans carry administrative collection tools that RAB can deploy on the government’s behalf without a court judgment, including wage garnishment and tax refund offset. Private student loans require a court judgment first. If RAB misrepresents which type you have or the procedures required, that is an FDCPA violation.
Whether You Owe The Debt Or Not, We Can Help You!
Federal law protects you from abusive collection by RAB regardless of whether the debt is valid. You may be entitled to:
- Up to $1,000 per FDCPA violation
- $500 to $1,500 per unauthorized automated call under the TCPA
- Attorney fees paid by RAB if we win. Not by you
Free consultation. No upfront costs. RAB pays our fees if we win.
FREE Case Review: +1-844-638-1122
What RAB Cannot Legally Do
RAB’s marketing emphasizes professionalism. Their FTC enforcement record confirms that marketing and conduct can diverge significantly. Regardless of how RAB positions itself, these actions are prohibited by federal law:
- Calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone
- Using abusive, profane, or threatening language
- Threatening arrest, criminal prosecution, or property seizure for a consumer debt
- Misrepresenting the amount you owe or adding unauthorized fees
- Failing to disclose whether your balance is increasing due to interest or fees (a documented RAB violation from the Whitley case)
- Discussing your medical debt with your employer, family members, or coworkers
- Contacting your workplace after being told personal calls are prohibited
- Using automated telephone dialing systems to call your cell without your prior express consent
- Continuing to call after receiving a proper written cease-and-desist request
Each automated call or prerecorded message to your cell phone without consent may be a separate Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) violation worth $500 to $1,500. Review your full rights at the FTC’s debt collection rights resource and the CFPB’s debt collection consumer tools.
How to Respond to Regional Adjustment Bureau (RAB)
Given RAB’s documented history of improper collection practices, your first moves matter. Here is the right sequence:
- For medical debt: verify against your EOB first. Contact the original healthcare provider and your insurer before engaging RAB at all. If the balance RAB claims doesn’t match your documented patient responsibility, you have grounds to dispute before any payment
- For student loan debt: check studentaid.gov. Understand your rehabilitation and repayment options directly from the Department of Education before accepting any arrangement RAB proposes
- Send written debt validation within 30 days. Mail a certified letter to RAB’s Plano, Texas address requesting the original creditor, the itemized balance, and their authority to collect. Under the FDCPA, all collection must pause until they adequately respond. For medical debt, specifically request itemized billing with dates of service
- Document every call. Log the date, exact time, phone number, and content of each contact. If calls come from RAB Patient Services or other operating names, document those too. Automated calls to your cell are TCPA evidence
- Send a cease-and-desist if calls continue. Certified mail to their Plano address, keep the receipt. All contact must stop except to confirm cessation or notify you of specific legal action
- Call an attorney. Once RAB has legal notice you are represented, contact routes through your attorney and calls stop within 48 hours. Call +1-844-638-1122
Lawsuits and FTC Action Against Regional Adjustment Bureau (RAB)
RAB’s enforcement history is more substantial than most debt collectors. The FTC’s documented action against RAB is one of the larger FDCPA enforcement outcomes in the agency’s recent history. Combined with federal class actions targeting their specific letter practices, the pattern reveals systematic compliance failures rather than isolated incidents.
- FTC v. Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (W.D. Tenn. No. 2:14-cv-02522): The Federal Trade Commission imposed a $1.5 million civil penalty on RAB for deceptive and unfair practices in violation of the FDCPA. The full enforcement record is documented at the FTC’s official case page. This is among the most significant FDCPA enforcement actions against a single collection agency
- Whitley v. Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. (2:17-cv-05885, E.D.N.Y.): A federal lawsuit alleging RAB failed to disclose whether the debt balance would increase due to accruing interest or fees, and failed to provide an accurate amount to settle the account. These are foundational FDCPA disclosure requirements, and their failure is a documented RAB pattern
- FDCPA Class Action (November 2016): A class action alleging RAB’s student loan collection group used unlawful debt collection methods in violation of the FDCPA
- RAB Performance Recoveries, LLC cases: RAB’s related entity has also been the subject of federal litigation, including the Harari case (N.Y. Sup. Ct. App. T.). If you are being contacted by RAB Performance Recoveries, the same legal protections apply
How to Remove the Regional Adjustment Bureau from Your Credit Report
A RAB collection entry on your credit report can suppress your score significantly and stay for up to seven years. Your options depend on the debt type:
- Medical debt under $500: Federal rules prohibit these entries from appearing on credit reports. Dispute immediately with all three bureaus if RAB has reported a sub-$500 medical balance
- Medical debt reported within one year of service: The one-year waiting period before reporting is mandatory. Dispute any early-reported medical entry with documentation of the service date
- Inaccurate balance: The Whitley case established that RAB has documented issues with balance disclosure. If RAB’s reported balance differs from your original provider’s billing, dispute the discrepancy with supporting documentation
- Pay-for-delete: If the debt is valid, negotiate written deletion from all three bureaus as a condition of payment. Get a signed agreement before any payment is made
- FCRA grounds: Inaccurate RAB reporting is a separate claim under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, in addition to any FDCPA violation
Why The Wood Firm PLLC for RAB Cases
RAB already carries a $1.5 million FTC enforcement action. Additional federal court findings create escalating exposure that gives well-documented consumer claims real leverage. The Wood Firm PLLC has handled FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA cases exclusively since 2010. We understand both the medical debt billing process and the student loan collection framework. Contact stops within 48 hours of legal notice. You pay nothing unless we win, and when we win, RAB pays our fees.
Call +1-844-638-1122.
About Attorney Jeff Wood
Jeff Wood founded The Wood Firm PLLC exclusively for consumer protection: FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA cases. With over 15 years of experience and Of Counsel relationships in Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia, he has never represented a creditor or collection agency.
We Have Helped People Like You
“RAB Patient Services called me 42 times over three weeks about a disputed hospital bill, including calls to my workplace where I was a nurse. They disclosed my medical debt to my supervisor. The Wood Firm PLLC documented the FDCPA violations for excessive calling, workplace harassment, and third-party disclosure. The case settled for $6,800 plus full credit deletion.”
Client, Tennessee
“RAB was collecting on a private student loan and threatened immediate wage garnishment without going to court. That was a false threat. The Wood Firm PLLC pursued the FDCPA false representation claim. The case settled for $4,500 and the debt was later found to be time-barred.”
Client, Texas
“RAB Inc was calling 8 to 12 times daily across three separate accounts. The Wood Firm PLLC documented the pattern across all three accounts, showing clear intent to harass. The case settled for $7,200 covering violations across all three collection efforts.”
Client, New York
Whether You Owe The Debt Or Not, We Can Help You!
Free Consultation. No Upfront Costs. RAB Pays Our Fees If We Win.
Common Questions About Regional Adjustment Bureau (RAB)
Is Regional Adjustment Bureau (RAB) the same as Rabinoc Recovery Services or Regional Recovery Services?
No. Rabinoc Recovery Services and Regional Recovery Services are separate, unaffiliated companies. RAB refers specifically to Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc., which also operates as RAB Collections, RAB Patient Services, and has a related entity called RAB Performance Recoveries, LLC.
What was the FTC enforcement action against RAB about?
The FTC imposed a $1.5 million civil penalty on Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. for deceptive and unfair FDCPA violations, documented at case No. 2:14-cv-02522 in the Western District of Tennessee. The full record is available through the FTC’s case database.
Can RAB garnish my wages for a medical debt without suing me first?
No. For medical debt, credit card debt, and private student loans, RAB must obtain a court judgment before wage garnishment. For federal student loans only, administrative garnishment without a court judgment is possible. If RAB misrepresents this distinction, that is an FDCPA violation.
What is RAB Patient Services?
RAB Patient Services (also abbreviated as RAB Patient Svcs) is an operating name used by Regional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. for their healthcare collections division. If you are receiving calls from RAB Patient Services, the same FDCPA protections and legal options apply.
Should I pay RAB before speaking to an attorney?
No. Verify the balance against your original provider’s records, confirm the debt type, and call +1-844-638-1122 before paying anything. Whether you owe the debt or not, we can help.
How long do I have to sue RAB for FDCPA violations?
One year from the date of the violation, not from when you discovered it. Each violation has its own one-year clock. If RAB called you at 10 p.m. six months ago, you have approximately six months left to act on that specific violation.
