Report shows rise in complaints of abusive debt collectors

On behalf of Ellett Law Offices , P.C. posted in 1. Credit Card Debt on Monday, January 23, 2012
We discussed the debt collection practices of Capital One in December, outlining the aggressive and harassing methods they used to recover money from debtors. In quite a few of the situations involving Capital One, the debtor was being pursued in an illegal fashion.
Well, new evidence founded by the Federal Trade Commission shows a 17% increase in the number of complaints about debt collectors filed by consumers in 2010. The total number of debt collection complaints – a staggering 140,036, nearly 400 a day – is the highest amount for any industry in the FTC’s report.
Debt relief is something so many Americans are striving for nowadays. Given the economic climate, the number of debtors has increased across the nation, but that does not mean debt collection companies can abuse their consumers. Remember that you do have rights as a debtor to not be harassed by a collector, as stated in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The FDCPA protects consumers from a wide range of abusive practices employed by debt collectors, including continuous or repetitive engagement in telephone conversation, threatening arrest or legal action, reporting false information and calling debtors when they are represented by an attorney.
According to the FTC report, around 50% of the complaints were in regards to repeated or harassing phone calls. Such a statistic shows the illegal lengths debt collectors will go to, and it serves as a reminder to secure an attorney when you think a collector is infringing on the FDCPA. Not only will a reputable legal representative in the area of bankruptcy law provide you with the support and guidance necessary to build your potential case, but it protects you from abusive collectors under the FDCPA.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Complaints about aggressive debt collectors on rise,” Kavita Kumar, Jan. 15, 2012
Tags: Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Federal Trade Commission, debt, debt collection, harassment