Debt Collection Weblog

© YoTuT

The Illinois Collectors Association is collaborating with state leaders to put an end to illegal and deceptive debt collecting activities. The association seeks to ensure a balanced debt collection system that protects consumers and allows for the legitimate collection of debt.

They believe that bad actors in the debt collection business need to be held accountable because their behavior tarnishes the entire industry. They recommend that Illinois residents should not avoid debt collectors or dismiss being contacted as a scam without verifying it first. Most debt collection activity is legal, and it's important to address it head-on because failure to act could have a negative impact on their credit score. The consumer-focused website AskDoctorDebt.com is supported by the association for its quality content and answers to many consumer debt collection questions.

© jurvetson

A debt collections agency has been barred from using Facebook or any other social media site to locate or contact a woman about a $362 unpaid car loan. A Florida judge also ordered Mark One Financial LLC of Jacksonville, FL to refrain from contacting the woman's family or friends on Facebook.

The woman filed a lawsuit against the agency, accusing them of contacting her and her family via Facebook messages. The woman's lawyer argued that the debt collectors had violated her privacy, and that they also violated a provision of Florida's consumer protection law that prohibits debt collectors from harassing people. The lawyer said that in the past four months, nearly a dozen people have contacted him because debt collectors have been using social media sites to track them down.

© lemonjenny

For many people that have lost jobs in this recession, and haven't been able to find new work right away, dealing with debt collections becomes a fact of life. They will call and email and send countless letters in pursuit of their money, so the question is what is the best way to deal with this unfortunate situation? First, it's important to realize that while debt collectors may threaten you with all sorts of legal action, you cannot actually be put in jail for failure to pay a debt.

Furthermore, if a debt collector threatens you with imprisonment they are breaking the law. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, to be specific, protects consumers from harassment by collectors. They cannot garnish your wages or take your home or possessions without a court judgement (except in the case of federally guaranteed student loans).