Let's Share - A comment posted on our BLOGS regarding debt collectors

Just wanted to share with you - about a couple comments that were posted on our  BLOG regarding aggressive debt collectors.  Unfortunately, I had to delete the comments because they were rated X.

However, it made me think (imagine that) and I did not want to ignore them. 

It was very obvious that the reader who posted the comments had a few issues.  Mainly this person was offended that consumers had the nerve to contact an attorney and file lawsuits against debt collectors - when they weren't paying their bills.  Commenting that if consumers would pay their bills, they wouldn't have to worry about abusive debt collectors.  The reader also stated that debt collectors should have the right to take what ever means necessary to collect their bills owed to them.

Exactly my thoughts......No, not anymore.  But honestly, I used to feel that way sometimes, until I educated myself and started to really get to know our clients and their stories.  It put things into perspective on how a debt collector could put someone "over the edge" so to speak.

Let's be honest, it would be great to have a great upbringing, gone to college, been lead in the right direction, to the right career path, to the right marriage, and of course being an expert on today's economy and knowing credit inside and out.  But that wasn't me, was it you?   No, it wasn't most of us.

Society makes us hungry for credit, society has made consumers dependent on credit NO, wait NEED credit to survive sometimes.  And unfortunately, banks used to make it so easy for people that only made below average income to obtain loans, to obtain credit cards ....... and once that consumer was late on any payments BANG!!!  Up went the interest rates, then BANG can't pay a couple months, then BANG - the bill is sold off to a debt collector for pennies on the dollar.  Unfortunately, this has happened to so many Pennsylvania consumers.  This is one of the underlying reasons why in today's economy it is almost impossible to get a loan with a great job and almost perfect credit!!!! 

I do think that consumers should try and maintain a "credit line" that they can afford.  I do think that consumers should not take out credit card accounts that they know they might have difficulty paying back.  However, I DO NOT think it is okay if.......

A consumer is involved in a car accident and cannot work for 3 months and decides to feed his family instead of paying credit cards until he is back to work....and a debt collector calls to harass and berate this person WRONG!

A consumer is going through a divorce, is going back to school, and is trying to pay off debts, just not at the pace of the debt collector's wish - does this make it okay for a debt collector to threaten jail time and call up neighbors to embarrass this person - NO THIS IS WRONG.....

Come on now, do you really think that consumers want bad credit?  Do you really think we want debt collectors calling our neighbors and embarrassing us, NO! 

Behind every late bill there is a story.  A real story, about a real human being.  And these real human beings do not deserve to be harassed by aggressive debt collectors. 

So, to all the debt collectors out there who may want to pick up the phone and call someone a "deadbeat", stop to think first - maybe this person just lost their spouse, or got a divorce, or lost their job. 

And, to all the debt collectors who follow the FDCPA and try their hardest to understand the person behind the other line, Thank you.