Mr. Nashville appears to be expert in the field of understanding the debt collector mentality. His excellent review of debt collectors and their integrity speaks volumes about his ability to understand the mentality of the specie. And as was to be expected the scumbags all started cackling about how it was such bad advice to be giving out and most especially as it pertains to the advice about not giving them access to one's bank accounts through electronic or any other means. That predictably pissed the flock of debt collectors who regularly infest the forum known as "collection industry.com" off badly and understandably so since the ability to con consumers into giving them such acces or information means that they get whatever money they can get out of a consumer as rapidly as possible and without any hinderances or impediments whatever. These days, with the advent of the program known as "CHECK 21" which went into effect in October this year, even sending them a personal check is indeed dangerous since they will now all have one of the check processing machines and can simply run the check through over and over and over again until the consumer's balance comes up goose eggs and forces them to stop dinging away. And since they don't have to lose control of the check by depositing it anymore they can just keep it until they get a judgment against the consumer and then ding the account lots more by simply punching in the routing and account numbers and a new
amount and they are in like bandits all over again. And despite their denials of those accusations, the evidence is available in great numbers to tell us all that such is exactly what happens in far too many instances. So if you are a consumer, you should read the advice below and heed it to the max.
This author feels that the new Check21 system now in place will benefit us all because it should put people like Telecheck, chex systems and other such vermin out of business. Who needs them if you can simply run a customer's check through a machine which instantly cashes the customer's check. Either he has the funds in his account at the time he writes the check or he don't. Simple indeed. If Check21 puts telecheck and their ilk out of business so much the better.
Junior Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Nov 2004
Tuesday 11/23/04 10:23 AM
Hello, all. I'm new to this site (I'm not a collector; I actually work as a financial planner and occasionally help people work through their debts).
I came across the below posting on a consumer dedicated site which is supposed to help consumers fight unfair collection tactics and I'm wondering, mostly for my own curiosity, what some of you think of the points made; agree, disagree, or any other comments, etc.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
-----------------------------
Based on some of the questions I've seen and answered, I thought I’d share some thoughts with anyone who might be interested…if you are suffering from “Collector Abuse”, perhaps this will help you understand and better cope with what you are going through.
By the way, I'm just another guy who has been through this...this isn't "my site" nor have I contributed to it in any way other than to try and share some of what I've learned (and learned mostly the "hard way").
First, some observations…
It used to be, and not all that long ago, that “debt” was actually shameful…there was a time when people actually lived on less than they earned and, believe it or not, they SAVED up to buy things. All that has changed in the past 40-50 years.
THE most heavily marketed product in the United States today is not, homes, or cars or personal electronics or any of the other things we usually think of with respect to “marketing”…the truth is, the most heavily marketed product today is DEBT including car loans, second mortgages, and especially credit cards.
Millions upon millions of credit card offers go out to people every year…credit cards are sent to dead people, minors, students with no jobs and even cats, dogs and pot-bellied pigs. Consequently, millions of people have credit cards that, frankly, really have no business playing with credit or taking on debt.
SO….guess what happens…people get into debt and then life happens (they have a car wreck and can’t work or loose their job or a spouse dies) and surprise, surprise…they can’t pay their CC payments anymore.
And so we wind up with a large, multi-billion dollar industry revolving around debt collection and boy, do these folks take their jobs seriously.
When dealing with a collection agency (especially those collecting for credit card debt), it’s important to remember that about 99.99% of the time, you are dealing with scum; and I MEAN scum. These people (and I use the term “people” loosely), have a shelf-life in their job of about 180 days….those few that have a real heart and feelings don’t usually even last that long! If you are speaking to a “supervisor”, it is usually just a person who has been there 30 days longer than the new hire you were speaking with in the first place.
Collection agencies/collectors don’t care if you have the money to pay your debt or not…they don’t care why you didn’t pay your bill…they don’t care if you are on your death bed…they don’t care if you are old, young, healthy, in poor health, married, single, gay, Christian, atheist, black, white, red, yellow, green or orange; they don’t even care if the debt is REALLY YOUR debt or if it belongs to someone you once knew in high school or just someone with a similar name. THEY DON”T CARE.
All they care about is one thing; to get you to pay them so that they can make money so that they con concentrate on their next dead-beat debtor. And they will do or say just about anything and I mean ANYTHING, to make that happen regardless of what the FDCPA says…they can say or do these things because they know most of the time, they can do it and get away with it but mostly, they do it because it works!
Their main tactic is to get you emotional and they don’t care which emotion it is, either…they just want emotion. That’s because they know that if they can make you angry enough, or guilty enough or depressed enough or (fill in the blank, here), that they can then get you to pay a stupid credit card debt using your rent money or the money you need to put food on the table or gasoline in your car.
They know if you stay calm and logical, that you will NEVER pay the debt they are collecting before paying for the essentials.
Now, least anyone not understand, I believe that if you owe a debt, even one past the SOL, that you should pay it or at least try to work out a payment plan. However, ultimately, the only way for you to “win” is to stay in control. Don’t let yourself get emotional…if you feel yourself getting emotional during a phone conversation, HANG UP THE PHONE! If they call three times a day and you’ve already talked to them once in the past two weeks, DON’T ANSWER THE POHONE. Stay in control!!!
The best way for you to pay your debts is to stay in control, do a real budget, live on what you make and keep the essentials covered.
Don’t let them intimidate you…don’t let them control you…when they are talking don’t believe them…if their lips are moving, THEY ARE LYING. Deal with them by mail, be honest with them…don’t make promises you can’t keep and be sure to keep those promises you do make.
Some other tips…
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
If they say they can only take a payment electronically or by wire DON’T BELIEVE THEM.
I hope I’m not unclear.
When/if you pay a collector something, buy a money order and send it by mail but don’t even do that until whatever you’ve agreed to do is IN WRITING and you have a signed copy of the agreement in your hand.
Use the information on this site…use other sources…knowledge is power.
I hope the above is helpful.
amount and they are in like bandits all over again. And despite their denials of those accusations, the evidence is available in great numbers to tell us all that such is exactly what happens in far too many instances. So if you are a consumer, you should read the advice below and heed it to the max.
This author feels that the new Check21 system now in place will benefit us all because it should put people like Telecheck, chex systems and other such vermin out of business. Who needs them if you can simply run a customer's check through a machine which instantly cashes the customer's check. Either he has the funds in his account at the time he writes the check or he don't. Simple indeed. If Check21 puts telecheck and their ilk out of business so much the better.
Junior Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Nov 2004
Tuesday 11/23/04 10:23 AM
Hello, all. I'm new to this site (I'm not a collector; I actually work as a financial planner and occasionally help people work through their debts).
I came across the below posting on a consumer dedicated site which is supposed to help consumers fight unfair collection tactics and I'm wondering, mostly for my own curiosity, what some of you think of the points made; agree, disagree, or any other comments, etc.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
-----------------------------
Based on some of the questions I've seen and answered, I thought I’d share some thoughts with anyone who might be interested…if you are suffering from “Collector Abuse”, perhaps this will help you understand and better cope with what you are going through.
By the way, I'm just another guy who has been through this...this isn't "my site" nor have I contributed to it in any way other than to try and share some of what I've learned (and learned mostly the "hard way").
First, some observations…
It used to be, and not all that long ago, that “debt” was actually shameful…there was a time when people actually lived on less than they earned and, believe it or not, they SAVED up to buy things. All that has changed in the past 40-50 years.
THE most heavily marketed product in the United States today is not, homes, or cars or personal electronics or any of the other things we usually think of with respect to “marketing”…the truth is, the most heavily marketed product today is DEBT including car loans, second mortgages, and especially credit cards.
Millions upon millions of credit card offers go out to people every year…credit cards are sent to dead people, minors, students with no jobs and even cats, dogs and pot-bellied pigs. Consequently, millions of people have credit cards that, frankly, really have no business playing with credit or taking on debt.
SO….guess what happens…people get into debt and then life happens (they have a car wreck and can’t work or loose their job or a spouse dies) and surprise, surprise…they can’t pay their CC payments anymore.
And so we wind up with a large, multi-billion dollar industry revolving around debt collection and boy, do these folks take their jobs seriously.
When dealing with a collection agency (especially those collecting for credit card debt), it’s important to remember that about 99.99% of the time, you are dealing with scum; and I MEAN scum. These people (and I use the term “people” loosely), have a shelf-life in their job of about 180 days….those few that have a real heart and feelings don’t usually even last that long! If you are speaking to a “supervisor”, it is usually just a person who has been there 30 days longer than the new hire you were speaking with in the first place.
Collection agencies/collectors don’t care if you have the money to pay your debt or not…they don’t care why you didn’t pay your bill…they don’t care if you are on your death bed…they don’t care if you are old, young, healthy, in poor health, married, single, gay, Christian, atheist, black, white, red, yellow, green or orange; they don’t even care if the debt is REALLY YOUR debt or if it belongs to someone you once knew in high school or just someone with a similar name. THEY DON”T CARE.
All they care about is one thing; to get you to pay them so that they can make money so that they con concentrate on their next dead-beat debtor. And they will do or say just about anything and I mean ANYTHING, to make that happen regardless of what the FDCPA says…they can say or do these things because they know most of the time, they can do it and get away with it but mostly, they do it because it works!
Their main tactic is to get you emotional and they don’t care which emotion it is, either…they just want emotion. That’s because they know that if they can make you angry enough, or guilty enough or depressed enough or (fill in the blank, here), that they can then get you to pay a stupid credit card debt using your rent money or the money you need to put food on the table or gasoline in your car.
They know if you stay calm and logical, that you will NEVER pay the debt they are collecting before paying for the essentials.
Now, least anyone not understand, I believe that if you owe a debt, even one past the SOL, that you should pay it or at least try to work out a payment plan. However, ultimately, the only way for you to “win” is to stay in control. Don’t let yourself get emotional…if you feel yourself getting emotional during a phone conversation, HANG UP THE PHONE! If they call three times a day and you’ve already talked to them once in the past two weeks, DON’T ANSWER THE POHONE. Stay in control!!!
The best way for you to pay your debts is to stay in control, do a real budget, live on what you make and keep the essentials covered.
Don’t let them intimidate you…don’t let them control you…when they are talking don’t believe them…if their lips are moving, THEY ARE LYING. Deal with them by mail, be honest with them…don’t make promises you can’t keep and be sure to keep those promises you do make.
Some other tips…
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
DON’T EVER give them electronic access to your checking or savings accounts.
If they say they can only take a payment electronically or by wire DON’T BELIEVE THEM.
I hope I’m not unclear.
When/if you pay a collector something, buy a money order and send it by mail but don’t even do that until whatever you’ve agreed to do is IN WRITING and you have a signed copy of the agreement in your hand.
Use the information on this site…use other sources…knowledge is power.
I hope the above is helpful.
posted by Creditwrench at 10:02 PM
