It is true that Americans with outstanding debts will usually suffer from a number of punishments. Collection letters, phone calls, unfavorable credit scores and a chance to wind up in court are examples of retributions for non-compliance.
However, a new trend that is growing is debtors suing debt collectors first. Any violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act can be valid reason alone to take a collector to court. It might be true that in a declining economy suing a debt collection agency instead of paying off what you owe may be your only choice. There were 8,347 consumer lawsuits filed against collection companies in 2009. That’s a 55 percent increase over 2009 and double that number filed in 2007.
A portion of the debtors are plaintiffs suing for the first time, who suddenly find themselves unable to pay debts, and they feel that they have been wronged by aggressive collectors. Others compulsively sue. Usually these people have debts worth tens or hundreds or thousands of dollars. It is their hope that favorable judgments may put them on a “collections blacklist.” If he has sued 4 out of 5 debt collectors, debt collection agencies are probably going to want nothing to do with this strange character who puts time and effort into lawsuits when he could be looking for a sense of structure, and a job.
One example of a current lawsuit in action was from a woman who alleges that the collection agency never offered her proof it was entitled to collect. Seriously? Most debt collection agencies adhere closely to FDCPA laws, but even that law is foggy on certain practices such as whether it’s legal or not to leave a voice mail. Basically, the FDCPA hit the scene in the 1970s and needs desperately to be updated to today’s technology.
You might not want to know my opinion, but here it is. I was contacted by a debt collector who left a message on a third party phone, asking for me and letting me know she intended to collect a debt. This is a big no-no. I could have called her and given her hell, but I know why I have the debt and even though I may be broke, I intend to pay it back. To me, it seems like the economy is not getting better any time soon as the number of people who refuse to hold themselves accountable for financial decisions they made in the past grows. I hate to say it, but a debt is a debt, whether we are in a recession or not.
Mallory Megan works for a debt collection company. She also writes pieces on business and finance, consumer spending and debt collection
