This year, America's enormous, poorly regulated debt collection industry will make more than 1,000,000,000 collection calls. They will threaten. They will lie and mislead. They will intimidate. Over the past five years, they've racked up more than 300,000 complaints to the Federal Trade Commission: more than any other industry regulated by the FTC. Financial reporter Fred Williams knows more about the industry than anyone else. Not only has investigated America's debt collection agencies, he spent three months working for one of the largest firms in the business. In Fight Back Against Unfair Debt Collection Practices Williams reveals what he learned and shows you exactly how to fight back and protect your rights. Williams weaves indispensable practical advice together with stories straight from his collection agency cubicle. You'll learn what to do first if a collector calls; what collectors can and can't do; which debts you are and aren't responsible for; how collectors choose accounts to focus on; how to stop harassing or abusive calls; how to keep the advantage in a negotiation for a lucrative debt settlement; even how to take the offensive with a lawsuit that can halt collection and win yourself a $1,000 penalty!

Williams, Fred O., 1961-

Globe Fearon Educational Publishing

Longman Publishing

Cengage Gale

1st ed., Upper Saddle River, N.J, New Jersey, 2010

United States, United States of America

Upper Saddle River, N.J, c2011

1, 2010-08-10

Debt collection secrets -- Lessons in deception -- Credit is king -- Anger can be power -- Closeout : "no tomorrow" -- The shakedown industry -- Pif means payment in full -- Payday, the tables turn -- Debtors' rebellion -- Debt for sale -- The golden rule : money today -- Strengths and weaknesses -- Collector of the week -- Retention -- A complaint -- Data minefield -- Graduation day -- On the floor -- NLE means no longer employed -- Solutions -- Coping with collections -- Stopping collection calls -- Checking out a collector -- Using collection law -- Reading your credit reports -- Preparing a complaint -- Negotiating a debt settlement

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Inside the collection game -- Lessons in deception -- Credit is king -- Anger can be power -- Closeout : "no tomorrow" -- The shakedown industry -- Pif means payment in full -- Payday, the tables turn -- Debtors' rebellion -- Debt for sale -- The golden rule : money today -- Strengths and weaknesses -- Collector of the week -- Rretention -- A complaint -- Data minefield -- Graduation day -- On the floor -- NLE means no longer employed -- Solutions -- Stopping collection calls -- Checking out a collector -- Using collection law -- Reading your credit reports -- Preparing a complaint -- Negotiating a debt settlement

An insiders' report to help you protect yourself from debt collectors, by learning what really goes on inside a collection agency

2023-06-28