Taking debt collection too seriously?
I just read something that disturbed me a little. I guess this happens most days to many people, but this was particularly surprising.
Apparently, harassment complaints against debt collectors have skyrocketed since 2007, rising 50% last year alone, and already aiming for a another 13% increase this year. Now the fact that complaints has risen doesn't bother me. In fact, it doesn't surprise me, given the financial situation we've been in. What bothers me is that complaints of threatening - or using - violence rose to over 2,500. Now I understand that debt collection can be a frustrating job, but if you can't do it without being violent then I think you should consider a new line of work...
In any case, if you find yourself in a situation where you're being harassed, then you may be able to retaliate through the legal system, according to the article linked above. Of course, one debt collection industry rep. claimed that this is exactly why complaints have risen - and I'm not surprised he did.
Have you had any violent experiences with debt collection? Tell us about them...
