Are Bill Collectors Getting More Aggressive? – It’s Not Your Imagination

USA Today reported in today’s edition that complaints against debt collectors have reached an all-time high.  The Better Business Bureau reports at 26% increase in complaints in 2007, and attorneys general in many States are pursuing actions against collection agencies for false and misleading activities.

In discussing debt collection tactics with our bankruptcy clients, it appears that there are some debt collectors that will do or say anything to intimidate a debtor into paying an overdue bill.  Some of the misleading collection activities we hear about include:

• suggestions that your failure to pay a credit card debt can land you in jail
• threats by credit card collectors that they can seize your bank account without filing a lawsuit
• threats by collectors that they will contact your employer
• claims by collectors that they are lawyers and are prepared to file suit immediately

With Tennessee leading the nation in the rate of bankruptcy filings, it is not surprising that bill collectors are very active here and that they are aggressive in their dunning activities.  If you are the recipient of collection phone calls – even those that do not cross the line into illegal threats – you probably have questions about your options.  Feel free to contact our law firm – we have offices in Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga – we’ll be happy to answer your questions without any obligations.