By: Jeffrey Lapin
At a meeting of debt collectors last week in Atlantic City, it was noted that the current state of the economy has created even more business for debt collectors. In a article published today in the Lincoln Journal Star (Debt collectors: Business great but hard as ever) debt collectors at the meeting state that aggressive tactics, such as threats and repeated calls “just don’t work.” In addition, they allege that unpaid debt is never truly written off; it just gets passed on to new customers.
Debt collectors purchasing debt from the original creditor and then collecting it on their own behalf has grown significantly in recent years. Debt collectors who buy personal or family debt fall within the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is the primary federal agency that regulates debt collection, received more complaints from consumers about debt collectors than any other industry. Last year, the FTC received 140,036 complaints about debt collectors, which is significantly higher than the 119,609 it received in 2009.
The FDCPA provides consumers with the ability to fight back against debt collectors who violate the law in trying to collect a debt. A person whose rights are violated by a debt collector under the FDCPA can receive money from the debt collector as well as having their attorney fees and legal costs paid.
ABOUT LAPIN LAW OFFICES
Lapin Law Offices represents clients that have been abused, harassed, threatened, and lied to by debt collectors. You can learn more about your rights by calling us at 402-421-8033 (Lincoln), 888-525-8819 (Toll Free) or submitting your case online by chatting with us online or submitting your case to us: Contact Us. We offer a free initial consultation and do not collect a fee unless we get money for you.
