Ask Doctor Debt Aims To Educate The Public On Financial Literacy And Debt Collections

It is about time that someone stepped up in an effort to tutor the public on legal debt collection practices and general financial literacy. With a multitude of fake debt collectors throughout the United States preying on unwary consumers, Ask Doctor Debt serves to solve this ever growing situation by giving consumers an outlet in which to ask questions concerning their rights and any and all debt related questions.

The ACA International Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose continuous purpose it to improve financial literacy among the non-financially savvy. Also known as the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, ACA International is a fundamental resource for all those in the credit and collection industry and not just for consumers. This association circumscribes over 5,500 members throughout the world including attorneys, creditors, collection agencies, and asset buyers to name a few.

Ask Doctor Debt is the flawless solution to this ever expanding issue. The ACA International Education Foundation created this user friendly website in an effort to educate consumers with this speedy, easy, and free solution. In order to do so, the website melds a typical question and answer article segment into the online universe by enabling users to search standard questions and answers in a all-inclusive database, ask their own anonymous questions for more experienced members to answer, and research tools and tips on helping average consumers get out and stay out of debt.

John Nemo, ACA Internationals Public Relations Director commented on the new Ask Doctor Debt initiative by simply stating that an enlightened consumer who understands his or her rights and responsibilities when it comes to the credit and debt collection process is far easier to work with than someone who does not.

In addition, dealing with debt and credit issues can be an emotional and sometimes intimidating process. It doesn’t need to be. If you know your rights, fully recognize the situation you’re in and what alternatives are available, you can avoid unnecessary stress while making the best decision for you and your family’s financial well being.

ACA Internationals Ask Doctor Debt is a solid effort at educating the public and helping collection agencies in the process. It aims to not only protect consumers from fraudulent debt collection companies with illegal practices but also to assist those reputable collection agencies in handling consumers that are more knowledgeable in the debt collection field.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a credit collection agency.

Different Ways To Collect Debt

The fact of the matter is, the more time that passes between the time the payment was unpaid and the time the customer is contacted, the less likely you are to be given any sort of payment. If you’re serious about making a profit, there are three ways to handle collection on past debt; in house efforts, hiring a collection agency, or taking legal action.

Collecting the debt by yourself: If the debt is new or small, you’ll most likely start by trying to collect the debt yourself before hiring a collection agency or a lawyer. The most efficient way to start the process of collecting an unsettled debt is by calling the debtor. Many nonpaying customers can talk a great talk on the phone, but then never deliver. If the business is local, aspire to make an appointment with their finance manager to talk face to face.

Another useful way to motivate consumers to make a payment is by using a 10 day demand letter. Some collection agencies offer a free 10 day demand letter service that includes postage and mailing of a demand letter sent on official collection agency letterhead. Many times, this is enough to get your customer to part with their payment.

Hire a Collection Agency: Many small businesses don’t initially think of hiring a collection agency to collect overdue debt, but of the outsourced solutions, a collection agency is usually the most cost effective and gets the best results. With a collection agency, you don’t pay until they collect the debt, meaning that the collection agency is highly driven to find a way to get the customer to pay. Because they don’t get paid unless you do, a collection agency tends to work fast and much more efficient when working on a contingency basis.

Today’s modern collection agencies don’t use scare tactics or bully customers. Besides, not all consumers who are behind on payments are deadbeats. When you choose a collection agency, make sure one of its goals is to maintain extreme professionalism and one that fallows the FDCPA diligently.

Taking the legal path: Another alternative to collecting a debt is to take legal action whether by taking the debtor to small claims court or by hiring a lawyer to pursue the debtor.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a New York collection agency.

What To Search For When Looking To Hire A Collection Agency

When scouting for a Business Collection agency, it is critical for businesses to find a collection agency that services their specific needs. Some corporation’s may rely on collection agencies more than others. For example, a freelance graphic designer may only need to use a Collection agency’s services once during his or her entire career. However, a larger company, such as a credit card company, may require the services of a Collection agency more repeatedly.

There are a few things that institutions should look for when selecting the right Business Collection agency. These include:

Price. Not all Collection businesses will charge the same rate or the same way. Remarkably Collection agencies do, however, set their fees depending on a percentage of the total amount of the monies to be collected. For example, a collection company may charge ten percent of the total collection amount to the business that contracts it. Some collection agencies charge on a contingency basis, meaning they only charge once funds have been collected, while others can charge a upfront fee for their services.

Reliability. Not all Collection agencies are identical when it comes to reliability and effectiveness. One of the most fitting ways to decide how trustworthy a Collection agency is likely to be is to carry out a simple background check on the agency using Internet searching tools or search with the Better Business Bureau. Also, many Collection agencies will offer references or have a list of clients that they have provided services for that new clients may check before hiring the agency.

Contracts. Some Collection businesses offer contract work or a retainer for their clients. In such a case, the agency may work a defined number of hours each month for a set fee. Enterprise’s need to be sure that they require a Collection agency’s services before they sign a long-term contract or retainer contract so that they can be sure that they get what they pay for.

Methods. It is important to ensure that a Collection agency is able to use a variety of methods when contacting non-payees. For example, Collection agencies should not only be able to approach a non-payee diplomatically through letter writing and phone calls, but the Collection agency should also be able to use legal courses of action, if necessary. May Collection agencies are part of law firms, which enables them to file legal cases easily and quickly, if necessary.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a commercial collection agency.

Changes Make It Rougher To Give Credit Cards To College Students

Due to the fresh credit card modifications that are starting up next year, card issuers will have a hard time getting teenagers on college campuses to apply for credit cards without their parents’ knowledge. As students arrive on campus, card issuers will be there to speak to them at many schools.

“Issuers will try to continue to market to college students between now and the time the legislation takes effect,” said Bill Hardekopf, chief executive of LowCards.com, a site that tracks cards. That means instructing them to budget and handle a checkbook and debit card precedent to having a credit card.

Card issuers main target goal are young adults because people tend to be attached to their first card, said Christine Lindstrom, U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s higher-education program director. Plus, young adults are more expected to carry revolving debt and pay late, creating more interest and fees for the card issuers, she said.

Card issuers also will need a co-signers approval to increase credit limits of a cardholder younger than 21. And issuers won’t be authorized to offer T-shirts or trinkets to entice students. Some credit experts say students need a card to start building a credit history and score.

But there’s no need to rush this, and it can ricochet if students mismanage cards. Young adults should worry less about their credit score and focus more on building good financial habits between ages 16 and 21, said Craig Watts, a spokesman for FICO, the company that created a generally used credit score. “The credit score will take care of itself,” he says.

A survey made public in April by Sallie Mae reveals that many young adults aren’t knowledgeable managers of credit. Undergraduates on average carried record card debt of $3,173, or 46 percent more than four years earlier.

Several schools, out of concern for students, don’t admit marketers to pitch cards on campus. After a few years of living on their own, paying bills and managing credit, they can apply for a credit card under their own name when they turn 21. Never co-sign, advises Janet Bodnar, author of “Raising Money Smart Kids.” Besides, she added, students are more likely to learn money skills if responsible for their own debt.

Mallory Megan works for a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. Also, she does articles on business and finance, the credit industry and collections agencies.

Massachusetts Toughens Rules For Small Claims Collection Lawsuits

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court revealed last week that it has amended some of the rules governing the use of small claims courts. The Court said that the changes were formed specifically to address the amount of debt collection cases that are filed in small claims courts.

The rule changes come on the suggestion of the Small Claims Working Group, a panel of legal experts that was assembled in 2006 to examine and improve current small claims practices. In a press release specifying the changes, the Supreme Judicial Court noted that While the rules apply to all small claims matters, there will be a major impact on debt collection cases. The changes address many of the issues selected by the Working Group in collection cases, and four in particular: increased validity of service, insufficiently detailed claims, increased inspection of default judgments, and notice to the court when a judgment is paid.

Adam Olshan, an attorney with Law Offices, Howard Lee Schiff, P.C. in Worcester, Mass., agrees that some collection law firms will be affected. This will impact the high-volume collection law firms.

But Olshan, who was on the Working Group representing credit card issuers, noted that most collection law firms ” including his own ” do not take advantage of small claims courts. If the plaintiff fails to validate the address, the court may not enter a default judgment if the defendant later fails to appear for trial.

The changes also add raised scrutiny to default judgments that are entered. New small claims laws require plaintiffs to notify the court in writing when a small claims judgment has been paid in full, or be responsible for any reasonable costs incurred by the defendant in later establishing that it was satisfied.

Another requirement is that the magistrate or judge is to study the terms of any agreement for judgment with the parties if they are present in court. This guarantees that the court does not order or otherwise endorse any private payment agreement that relies on exempt sources of income. This avoids any wrongful surprise to the defendant by delaying any levy on the judgment until the defendant has had an opportunity to pay as ordered or to attend a payment hearing.

Mallory McGuinness is employed by a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. She also does pieces on business and finance, consumer spending and collections agencies.

What Is The FDCPA?

In order to skirmish the topics associated with harassing debt collectors and debt collection companies, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (also known as the FDCPA) was constructed. The laws and regulations determined by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act not only guard consumers, but they also assist debt collection agencies as well by encouraging them to act in a serious and professional manner when engaging in dialog with supposed debtors.

In most situations lenders are within their rights to pursue payment. This includes situations where the borrower is delinquent in their responsibilities and then consequently default on their financial obligations, and or if the borrower simply needs a little more time due to crude financial circumstances and strain. These above situations represent instances in which the lender is not acquiring his due payments from the borrower when they began with a reasonable expectation of being paid back in an adequate time frame. No matter the reason in these cases, the lender in question is legally within their rights to seek payment that they are due.

In these situations, many times lenders have no other appeal but to become involved with a collection agency. The goal of collection agencies is to recover and collect all of the monies that are owed to their clients (the lenders). Due to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collection companies can no longer act heedlessly and with neglect for the consequences of their actions when aiming to recover monies for their clients.There are several stipulations that come along with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act as enacted in 1978. These stipulations both protect debtors and enable collection companies to strongly pursue valid debts.

Even if a debtor tells a collections representative to stop all further contact with him there are other means by which a debt collection representative may attempt to collect the valid debt. For example, under the FDCPA, while the collection rep must abide by the debtors request to cease any further contact with them, they are also perfectly within their rights to make the debtor aware that they intend to pursue the debt via legal channels through an attorney.

If the collection agency responsible for recovering the delinquent account cannot communicate with or cannot reach the debtor, then they are legally allowed to contact third parties related to the debtor. However, under the FDCPA there are some boundaries to contacting third parties. First and foremost, the collection rep cannot harass the third party or be non-courteous. Also importantly, the collection rep cannot violate the right of privacy of the debtor by disclosing the nature of the call to this third party.

Among procedure for collection agencies to model on, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act also has a penalization system in place for those collection companies that do not agree with the aforementioned stipulations. These penalties against collection agencies found to be in violation of the FDCPA include: fines; license revocation; and even legal actions.

At first glance it appears as though the guidelines of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act are strongly skewed toward the debtor. However, these rules also protect the debt collection agency by helping them steer to wards fair practices and policies in a courteous and professional manner. Without the FDCPA, the unprofessional behaviors of some select few collection agencies would go unchecked and thus would undermine the entire reputation of the business of debt collection.

Mallory Megan is employed by a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. She also does pieces on business, finance, the credit industry and collections agencies.

Federal Agents Arrest Two In Buffalo For Debt Collection Scam

The U.S. Attorney’s office forwarded a criminal complaint Friday in U.S. District Court charging Timothy E. Arent and Neil G. Wieczkowski, both of Buffalo, N.Y., with mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Arent is also charged with bankruptcy fraud. The charge of mail fraud has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The bankruptcy and conspiracy fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse aforesaid the complaint claims that, from September 2005 through the present, Arent and Wieczkowski were engaged in a false debt collection scheme in which they pressed monetary payments from their victims by means of false pretenses, false impersonation and false representations. The complaint states that the victims were individuals who at one time or another owed some type of debt that had gone into collection status.

According to the office, Arent and Wieczkowski underhandedly told their victims that the victims had failed to respond to summonses, which would result in their imminent arrest. It is further alleged that Arent and Wieczkowski told the victims that the only way they could avoid apprehension and detention by law enforcement was to make substantial monetary payments, usually in a matter of hours. The complaint also charges that the defendants tried to avoid detection by altering the names of their businesses up to 18 times, and by using mail drops and “virtual offices.” Deposits into accounts used by the defendants’ businesses during the scheme were more than $8 million.

The complaint also alleges that Arent filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief in 2005, and that, during the proceedings, Arent fraudulently withheld information from the Bankruptcy Court. The complaint alleges that Arent failed to disclose to the Bankruptcy Court that he had bought a 4,700 square-foot residence in Buffalo worth $500,000 before the bankruptcy, and that, after filing for bankruptcy, he was actively engaged in debt collection work through two corporate entities. Arent’s debts, as well as two civil judgments that had been filed against him concerning his pre-bankruptcy debt collection practices, were discharged by the bankruptcy court in 2006.

Arent and Wieczkowski appeared before Judge Scott Friday afternoon. Ms. Kresse moved for pretrial detention. Judge Scott granted the motion pending a detention hearing scheduled for October 6, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST.

Mallory Megan works for a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. Also, she composes stories on business and finance, consumer spending and collections agencies.