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How to beat First Progress

George Simons | January 08, 2025

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Fact-checked by Patrick Austin, J.D.

Patrick Austin
Attorney from George Mason
Patrick Austin, JD

Patrick Austin is a licensed attorney with a background in data privacy and information security law. Patrick received his law degree at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief for the National Security Law Journal.

Summary: First Progress credit card is a great way to establish good credit, but missed payments can lead to collections. If you owe a First Progress debt, respond to collectors fast, know your rights, and negotiate to settle the debt.

Getting credit can be a chicken-and-egg scenario. You can't get credit cards and loans if you have bad credit or no credit, but you can't build your credit without a credit card or loan. Secured credit cards, like First Progress, are a win-win: the lender takes almost no risk, and you build your credit history.

But life happens. You miss your minimum monthly payment, and your card issuer calls you. If you don't pay for at least six months, your issuer may pass it along to one of over 7,000 third-party collection agencies active in the US. If you are among the one in three Americans with delinquent debt, understanding your rights and how to get help when you are in need is a big step in the right direction.

If you owe a credit card debt to First Progress, they might have sold the debt to a collection agency that will contact you aggressively until the debt is satisfied.

Settle debt with First Progress Credit Card

You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.

Settle with SoloSettle

What is First Progress?

First Progress is a company offering lines of credit designed to help consumers establish credit records with the major consumer credit bureaus.

Is First Progress credit card legit?

Yes, First Progress credit card is a legit Mastercard that offers a practical solution for individuals looking to establish or improve their credit history. The First Progress program is specifically designed to help consumers build their credit profile by reporting account activity to the three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—on a monthly basis.

To get started, borrowers simply provide a security deposit, which determines their credit line. This deposit acts as collateral for the card, ensuring that they can manage financial obligations responsibly while building a solid credit foundation.

How do I get my money back from First Progress?

If you want to close your First Progress credit card account, you can still get a refund of your security deposit, but you must first pay off any outstanding amount on the card first. After you close the account, you will receive a check with the deposit within 10 weeks via mail.

Read First Progress reviews online

If you are interested to learn what other people have said about their experience with First Progress on a debt collection matter, then take a moment to read these reviews:

Despite online reviews of First Progress being pretty mixed, this should not deter you from taking steps to engage with them in an effort to resolve the debt collection matter. Many debt collectors, including First Progress, are open to working with individuals to resolve their concerns and get their debt paid in a manner that works for them, based on their current financial situation. Proactive communication is the key.

If calling a debt collector to negotiate doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, try using SoloSettle to negotiate online and resolve your debt through the digital settlement platform.

Check the accuracy of the debt

You shouldn't assume that a debt is valid just because it appears in the court Complaint of the company suing you. If you are sued for credit card debt, it is advisable to ask the collector for proof that the debt belongs to you. Debt collectors and creditors sometimes sue by mistake.

There may also be inconsistencies in debt collection lawsuits (e.g., incorrect information about the balance, dates of late payments, etc.) and, occasionally, fraud. Creditors, collection agencies, and debt collection attorneys often make mistakes in the details.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act permits you to demand proof of debt in writing. This proof is known as a debt validation, and creditors/collectors should send it to you within 5 days of initially contacting you about a debt. If they don't, you can demand that they validate the debt by sending them a Debt Validation Letter. If First Progress contacts you about a debt that you think is invalid (i.e. wrong amount, past the statute of limitations, fraud, etc.), send them a debt validation letter, before they file a suit against you, at the following address:

First Progress Card
P.O. Box 9053
Johnson City, TN
37615-9053.

SoloSuit can help you draft a Debt Validation Letter in minutes.

If you get sued by First Progress, respond to the Summons and Complaint

If First Progress is suing you, pay close attention to the details when you receive the court paperwork. The court Summons and Complaint outline several important points such as the deadline for you to respond (14-30 days, depending on which state you live in), the contact info for the attorney representing First Progress, the specific allegations against you, etc. Since you only have 30 days at most to respond, the first step to take is filing your Answer with the court and sending it to the opposing attorney. Failing to respond can result in a default judgment, which can cause further financial problems like wage garnishment.

You can draft and file your own Answer in less than 10 minutes with SoloSuit.

Even though laws differ from state to state, First Progress may not use unfair practices like adding fees and interest on top of what you owe (since they're already making a profit), nor can they take your property without a court order. They may, however, take advantage of the legal system in unexpected ways, such as suing you or freezing your assets.

Once you've filed your response, here are some other potential actions to consider.

Negotiate a debt settlement offer with First Progress

It is possible to negotiate with credit card companies. After filing your Answer in court, you should determine if you have the means to settle the defaulted credit card debt. This option may or may not be affordable, depending on how much debt you owe. But a settlement may save you a lot of money, not to mention the hassle and stress of fighting a debt collection company. Luckily, you can settle a debt on your own, once and for all.

Collectors often purchase debts from First Progress for pennies on the dollar. Because of this, collectors usually accept a settlement offer of less than the original amount. If a debt collection agency is suing you for your First Progress debt, they will usually accept a settlement of 10-60% of the debt. So, if you owe a debt of $1000, you can likely negotiate a settlement of $100-$600.

If the original creditor is suing you, or First Progress, in this case, you can likely work out a settlement of around 20-70% of the debt. In this instance, if you owe a debt of $1000, you can likely negotiate a settlement of $200-$700.

Settle with SoloSettle

Make an Offer

SoloSettle helps you negotiate a debt settlement agreement so you don't have to do it on your own.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you negotiate the ideal settlement for you:

Be careful what you sign and agree to, if you choose to negotiate a settlement the last thing you want is to relinquish any rights or to agree to a judgment by accident, nor do you want to sign something you can't afford. Seek legal advice if you plan to speak to your creditors independently.

Solo’s CEO, George Simons, explains the best tactics to use when negotiating a debt settlement:

Contact a credit counselor

If your credit card debt has already defaulted before your trial date, there might be another viable option for you. You can set up a debt management plan (DMP) with the help of a certified credit counselor to pay off your credit card debt. A credit counseling agency can negotiate with creditors on your behalf when you sign up for a DMP.

Creditors might waive late fees, lower interest rates, or adjust payment amounts occasionally. You may also add other unsecured debts to the DMP, and you will make a single, consolidated payment each month to the credit counseling agency.

A creditor might accept a DMP and drop their collection activity under certain circumstances. It's essential to act quickly if you decide to establish a DMP. Doing so allows your creditors to be notified in writing and helps stop further collection activity, which may help relieve much of the stress you might be feeling.

Having bad credit or being new to credit limits your options

The Federal Reserve Board published that, in October 2020, 21.3% of credit card applications were denied. By applying for a secured card, you can build your credit in a few months so that you can use it for an unsecured card that offers lower interest rates and greater rewards. Renting an apartment, buying or leasing a vehicle, getting a mortgage, or even some jobs may be impacted by your credit.

Review your credit report at least once a year to reduce unexpected collection calls. Sometimes, people are unaware of how much debt they owe. Every year, each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) offers a free copy of your credit report.

Keeping a close eye on the shape of your financial health will help you repair existing credit problems or avoid them altogether.

Attorneys are expensive—represent yourself

Attorneys can be hard to find and very expensive. In some cases, it costs more to hire an attorney than to pay off the debt. Thanks to SoloSuit, you can represent yourself in a debt lawsuit and win.

Check out this handy guide that outlines how to win a debt lawsuit in all 50 states.

What can happen in a debt lawsuit?

Check out this flowchart that outlines all the possible routes a debt lawsuit can take:

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Debt collector guides

Are you being contacted by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

Arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a great way to legally resolve debt, but it's usually best to consider it as a last resort. Here are some bankruptcy guides to help you decide which debt resolution option is best for you.

Check your case status

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created state guides on how to check the status of your case throughout the US, complete with online search tools and court directories.

Credit

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt, along with other credit-related resources.

Debt collection FAQs

Find answers to some of our the most commonly-asked questions about debt collection below.

Debt collection documents and templates

If you're dealing with debt, these documents and templates will help you respond, protect your rights, negotiate, and resolve your debts.

Debt relief

We’ve created a specialized guide on how to find debt relief in all 50 states, complete with steps to take to find relief, state-specific resources, and more.

Debt settlement

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created state guides on debt settlement. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

Eviction

Facing an eviction? The following guides will help you navigate your situation with confidence.

Federal debt collection laws

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Legal aid

Helping people find access to justice is at the heart of Solo's misison. If you're dealing with a legal debt issue, the following guides will help you through it.

Medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing with medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Personal finance

Learn how to manage your finances and overcome crushing debt. Check out our personal finance guides below.

State debt collection laws

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote guides on each state’s statutes and more.

Stop collection calls

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Wage garnishment

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in your state, plus other wage garnishment resources.

The Debt Hotline

Hosted by Team Solo, The Debt Hotline breaks down debt and personal finance topics with help from attorneys, financial experts, and industry pros. We respond to real questions to help you navigate debt with knowledge and courage.

Other debt resources


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