A recent article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer put the spotlight on phantom debt collectors.  The Federal Trade Commission has shut down bogus debt collectors in the past, but this continues to be a significant problem.  If you are in debt, you need to be sure that any debt collection efforts against you are legitimate. 

Anyone who feels they may have been the victim of a bogus debt collection scheme should notify the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Better Business Bureau. 

Many Americans have incurred crushing debt in recent years.  Pressure from legitimate debt collectors is bad enough.  We should certainly not have to tolerate bogus debt collection schemes.