Consumers have been piling on debt, with consumer debt totaling $16.38 trillion in 2022, up from $15.31 trillion from the year before. Unfortunately, some consumers take on more than they can handle and are faced with aggressive debt collectors. Debt collectors can purchase debt for pennies on the dollar, so they love to make the consumer pay, sometimes even if the debt has been discharged.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received over 150,000 complaints about attempts to collect debt they didn’t owe or that was already resolved by court or paid off. Many of these complaints included aggressive behavior from the debt collectors, including screaming, intimidating language, threats to sue, and in one case calling a child for banking information while the parents were hospitalized.
If you’re faced with this situation, offer proof to the debt collectors and talk about the situation. You should also send a written notice to the debt collector to formally dispute the debt. Include proof of payments and any other correspondent from the original creditor or other parties to the debt.
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