The Debt Collector

Money Beggars

Liars, Lawyers,

Con-Men & Thieves

AGENCY COLLECTORS (Beggars)

Agency collectors have correctly been deemed the worst-type of collection agents! They operate from a computer database containing all your personal information, provided to them by the original creditor. When an outside agency gets your account, it has been 'charged-off' for non-payment. They make calls as fast as the auto-dialer can picking up the first one that hits a live voice and letting the rest go as annoyance calls.  That's why sometimes you get only a recorded message telling you to call about a very important matter.  Commission is their livelihood; they don't have time for pleasantries or obeying the law.

An agency collector's commission ranges from 15-25% of what they can extract from you. Most are paid bonuses if they hit a quota and steady, hard-working collectors can make $40-60K per year. The majority will bring in much less because they routinely step over the line to increase their take.

Who Seeks a Career as a Debt Collector?

In a industry where deception, craftiness, and deceit are rampant, you might imagine most honest people would seek work elsewhere.  And you're right.  My experience says the average debt collector is male, has a large ego, bounces from job to job, suffers low self-esteem and enjoys using the telephone as an instrument of empowerment. You shouldn't be surprised to find most of them have great debt problems themselves.

The debt collection business is plagued with high employee turnover. Constant training of new collectors puts great strain on the agencies and the employees.  Every moment someone is in training is time lost on the phone.  You can imagine the shortcuts that are taken to get a new caller on the floor as soon as possible.

Collectors see themselves in a position to take advantage of those they deem weaker, in an effort to overcome their own insecurities. They normally will talk-over any issues you may have, threaten and intimidate you, lie, misrepresent themselves, abuse, annoy and attempt to push you as far as they can. After all, a portion of what they collect from you becomes theirs.  Unfortunately, far too few consumers complain about debt collectors overstepping their bounds,  because they are intimidated or embarrassed about their dilemma.  Over the years I've dealt with literally thousands of collectors and suggest that only 2 out of 10 are honest and hard working. The greater percentage are deadbeat scum either just out of, or heading back into a jail cell.  Collecting is a male dominated business and because of the shortage of skilled workers, agencies are hiring anyone who can walk and chew gum to make their calls. Social skills, education and career orientation are NOT normally the prerequisites for a debt collector – money beggar position.

What Techniques Do They Employ?

You'll hear standard phrases such as: "what is your intent" or "I'm going to recommend that our client take immediate legal action against you." The innocent unsuspecting consumer feels threatened, even terrorized by the antics of unscrupulous debt collectors. The really bad ones will call you at work, violate third party disclosure, or worse, threaten you with arrest or wage garnishment if they don't have the money today! They'll try to persuade you to pay off old debts using your new credit card, via Western Union wire transfers, bank drafting, debit checks and cash.  They will tell you your credit report will be clean if you just send them the$ MONEY$.

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and the National Association of Consumer Advocates, (NACA) assist attorneys across the country in pursuing agencies and collectors who violate the law and your rights. Collectors are learning that the phone name they use and the perceived anonymity of hiding behind a telephone can easily be overcome with today's modern technology and investigative techniques. Some collectors are learning first-hand that they too, can be charged with making threats over the phone and that their employers don't provide bail money or legal representation. Creditors are increasingly becoming less tolerant of agencies that allow abuse and will drop those that don't comply.

I urge you to complain about collector abuse by contacting the FTC, the American Collectors Association, the original creditor and your state bar association (against attorneys), or me if you feel your rights are being violated. There is a nationwide group of professional consumer attorneys, skilled in debt collection laws that passionately defend the rights of consumers against these illegal collectors. No consumer should ever suffer abuse from a debt collector.

The laws WILL protect you!

ATTORNEY/LAWYER DEBT COLLECTORS

The law binds attorneys who engage in the collection of debts and the collectors that work for them. One of the worst attorney collection networks I have ever encountered is the Collect America/Refinance America franchise founded by Attorney P. Scott Lowery, of Denver CO. This is abuse at its absolute worst. The worst Collect America/Refinance America office that I have encountered appears to be Attorney James Anthony (Tony) Cambece, of Peabody MA. This group of misfits, brain dead, egotistical punks think collection laws don't apply to them. Their ring-leader, Tony Cambece, a Massachusetts Attorney can be dealt with legally if consumers will file a bona-fide, written complaint about him and his thugs with the Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston, Mass at: (617) 542-3602.  Many other law firms that engage in the collection of debts. One recent scam I've encountered is Attorney A. C. Donahue, of Somerset, KY. It appears that Attorney Donahue is NOT really an attorney in states that he is sending mail from, such as Oklahoma. When I tracked Attorney A. C. Donahue to his KY address, he told me over the phone that he would not speak to me and to contact his attorney.  Would you feel comfortable sending money to the Donahue Law Group of OK, (oh), and KY? I certainly would recommend that you DO NOT!  (At least until it can be determined just where Mr. A. C. Donahue is legally allowed to practice law. He seems a bit confused about this.)

A majority of law firm collectors I have dealt with in my business are usually the ones with the "big head" syndrome. They try to impress you with titles such as 'Head Legal Assistant to Attorney Smith', or use the most intimidation to force payment with such classics as, "the paperwork is ready to send to the courthouse for suit."  One of my favorites: "We don't have time to play games with you. Are you sending the money today or not?" These jerks seem to get their kicks convincing debtors that they have life and death power over them. They love to use the phone as a weapon of terror. 

You almost never are allowed to speak with the attorney who sent you the letter because he is always "in court." You are told that they never take calls from debtors. Well that's not correct. The law states that if an attorney places their name and/or letterhead on a collection notice, they MUST make themselves available to talk with you and they MUST have some knowledge of the debt. Don't be intimidated by these over-bearing jerks. THEY CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE UNDER THE LAW!  If you feel that your rights are being abused by a debt collection attorney/law office, file a complaint with your State Bar Association, the Attorney General, or the Federal Trade Commission, or contact me for a confidential referral to a consumer law professional in your area.