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The Dos and Don’ts of Paying a Debt Collector
Photo by sleepyneko — Slide 1 of 10 When you’re trying to put a collection account behind you, the biggest hurdles are coming up with the money to pay the debt and negotiating a payment plan or...
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Reader Question: Collection Agency Garnishment Threat Raises Red Flags
We received the following reader question this week… Q: I keep receiving calls from PDLR group saying they have a court order for a wage garnishment. They do not tell me who the creditor is—just that I...
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Who’s Killing the CFPB? We Are.
The Honorable Richard Shelby, Mitch McConnell and—to quote Spiro Agnew, “those nattering nabobs of negativism” (by which I mean the 43 Senators who always say “never”)—sure had their turkey shoot last...
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FTC Cracks Down on Payday Loan Debt Collector
At Credit.com, we’ve heard from consumers across the country who have been harassed by phony debt collectors who threaten to have them arrested for debts they may not even owe. While the threats are...
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8 Things Debt Collectors Won’t Tell You
It should come as no surprise that if you’ve fallen behind on your bills, you may be hearing from debt collectors. If they do call, you will almost certainly hear that you need to pay them and that you...
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Court Halts Alleged Fake Debt Collector Calls from India
We’ve been warning consumers about fake overseas payday loan collection scams for a few years now. So it can be disheartening when we hear stories, like this one that was posted last week on our blog:...
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Why Is This Decade-Old Debt Still Hurting My Credit?
Most negative information can stay on your credit reports for no more than seven years, or ten years in the case of certain types of bankruptcy. Then why is an old collection account still appearing on...
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Surprise Medical Bill? Here’s How to Respond.
What happens when you discover an unpaid medical bill after it’s already destroyed your credit rating? A reader of Credit.com using the screen name “Sarah” told us in a comment on our blog about her...
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7 Ways to Stop Overseas Debt Collection Scam Calls
Some debt collectors can be ruthless, calling all hours of the day and night, and threatening arrest and violence if they don’t get paid. Speaking in heavily accented English, they may use foul...
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Help! My Identity’s Being Used to Buy Video Games
Sherry knows she’s getting conned, but she can’t tell by whom. And while there’s a lot of fishy stuff happening on her phone lately, the only definitive proof she has of a scam is that somebody used...
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What to Do When Debt Collectors Break the Rules
Getting a call from a debt collector is never pleasant. But Credit.com reader Sara Shannon is getting a double threat. Not only is a collections agency threatening her with a lawsuit, it also plans to...
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True Confessions of Debt Collectors
For many Americans struggling with managing their debt, the simple act of picking up the phone can be terrifying. Why? Debt collectors. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the debt collection...
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Seven Ways To Defend a Debt Collection Lawsuit
What happens when you are sued by a debt collector? While it may feel like the end of the world to you, it’s a pretty routine occurrence in courts across the country. “Most debt collection law firms...
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Debt Collectors Chasing Defaulted Student Loans
Millions of consumers across the country have outstanding student loan debts in their name and therefore owe as much as tens of thousands of dollars on them. Now, many of those loans that have fallen...
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How to Work with a Debt Collector
Ring, ring. As soon as you hear the ringing of your phone, you break out into a cold sweat. Is it a debt collector who is about to call you and harass you to pay your bills? You ignore the call. Later,...
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The Secret Ties Between Debt Collectors & DAs
Of all the debt collection scams, the ones that inspire the greatest panic come over the phone. A menacing, often almost incomprehensible voice, claiming to represent a creditor, demands immediate...
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Debt Collectors Getting New Federal Oversight
The federal agency in charge of helping consumers to protect their finances and credit recently issued its final regulations for how it will oversee the debt collection industry, which will take effect...
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Will Banks Change Their Collections Methods?
In recent months, the federal watchdog tasked with protecting consumers’ finances has cast its regulatory spotlight on how bank and nonbank financial institutions handle delinquent and defaulted debt....
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9 Ways to Turn the Tables on Debt Collectors
If your phone is ringing off the hook with calls from debt collectors, it’s not likely that you feel in control of the situation. But letting yourself feel scared or intimidated isn’t a good option,...
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What to Do When a Debt Collector Demands a Full Payment
A Credit.com reader recently wrote in with this issue: I have been paying a collection agency $100 per month for a hospital bill for 7-8 months now. They now want me to settle this debt in full and say...
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