Debt Collector Basics Part Five: Getting Proof Of Payment And Avoiding Future Phone Calls
In the first four articles in this series I wrote about the definition of collections account, spoke about how sending late accounts out to an agency helps out a creditor, and described the practice of selling an old debt to a third party collection agency.
The Difference Between In House And Third Party Debt Collectors And Why It Pays To Know Who You’re Paying Part One
Anyone who has experience in the field of bill collection probably knows about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. This legislation was crafted in 1978 and provided a very decent amount of protections for consumers. There are a variety of guidelines that a debt collector must follow, and if any of these rules are violated, you should call up your attorney general’s office and complain. Examples of rules that third party debt collectors must follow include: a debt collector can only call between 8:30 AM – 9 PM, they cannot call a debtor repeatedly, and they must positively identify that they are speaking directly to the debtor before they proceed with their attempt to collect debt.
Just What Can A Debt Collector Do To Me If I Don’t Pay?
There seems to be a lot of misinformation about what collection agents have the power to do. Admittedly, some bill collectors may intentionally lie or insinuate that they can do more than they legally can to intimidate debtors. Typically the main factor that will motivate debtors to pay is the persistence of correspondence from the debt collectors. If they do not pay, they know that the letters and phone calls will not stop.
Debt Collectors Working From Home May Be A Reality Soon
Despite the fact that professionals in managerial positions at collection agencies should always be looking for more excellent workers to add to their ranks, they also must keep in mind that keeping the best employees around is crucial. These are the workers that have already proven themselves motivated and capable; often they are the hardest workers and bring home the biggest commissions. Trends in the collections industry have indicated that one way of doing this is allowing tenured collectors to work from home.