A front page article in yesterday’s New York Times (by Jessica Silver-Greenberg) reports that hospital patients waiting in an emergency room (or even convalescing after surgery) may find themselves confronted by a debt collector — right in the hospital! The Minnesota attorney general, Lori Swanson, claims that one of the nation’s largest medical debt collectors (Accretive Health)
Another Debt Collection Firm Agrees to Change its Collection Practices
Debt Collector NCO Financial Systems will pay $1.5 million and change some of its collection practices to end an investigation by 19 states, including Ohio. That is according to an article today in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, by its Consumer Affairs Reporter, Sheryl Harris. The article reports that consumers in various states may be eligible
Even Libraries Are Using Debt Collection Agencies
According to a recent article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cleveland Public Library has hired a national collection firm to recover fines and overdue items. Director Felton Thomas reported that the agency had collected $550,000 in fines and $2.6 million worth of outstanding material; and fees were less than $90,000. So it would seem that
Debt Collectors Sometimes Go Too Far
The Ohio Attorney General’s office recently settled a lawsuit filed against Allied Interstate, one of the country’s largest debt collectors. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Allied Interstate agreed to pay $150,000 and make changes in its practices. Allied faced two dozen allegations of misconduct after a state investigation — for instance, calling before 8:00
Debt Collectors: What They Can and Cannot Do
A July 31, 2011 article in The Sacramento Bee had a good summary of what a debt collector can and cannot do. The article was written by Claudia Buck (McClatchy Newspapers). It included excerpts from an interview with Robert Tavelli, former president of a private California debt collection firm.
Debt collectors are subject to a
Can a Creditor Freeze Your Assets Before Getting a Judgment Against You?
In the United States, a creditor usually has to
obtain a court judgment against you before attempting to seize any of your assets. But there are some exceptions to this general rule.
In some cases, a court can issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) or an injunction against a debtor that effectively freezes the debtor’s assets. This
Creditors Have Many Options Once They Have a Judgment Against You
An article in the September 20, 2009 Business section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer contains a good summary of the various remedies available to a creditor who has a judgment against you. Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Sheryl Harris is discussing a $3,000 judgment obtained in a small claims court in Rocky River, Ohio; but the