Debt Relief Information

Debt Collectors: Men or Mice?


Who are these people anyway? They viciously harass you and call you bad names. They embarrass you beyond belief by leaving detailed messages with your neighbors and at your workplace. In extreme cases, they have been known to stalk you!

Debt collection agencies are hired by your creditors to do their dirty work. If they get you to pay, the debt collector usually gets a percentage of what you owe, plus added fees. Some debt collection agencies buy your debt from the creditor for a low fee and attempt to collect double and sometimes triple what you owe on your original debt by attaching high penalties, interest and other processing fees.

Basically, debt collectors make a living trying to scare and intimidate you into paying your bills. They don't care that your finances are in limbo because you have recently divorced or that your employer informed you in the eleventh hour that you were being laid-off. All debt collectors care about is that they will get a slice of the pie-if you pay.

Debt collectors convince themselves that you are a deadbeat, sitting on a stack of cash and refusing to pay. By painting a negative mental picture of you in their mind, they feel justified harassing you into paying a delinquent bill. Most debt collectors are just downright mean, nasty, heartless individuals who make a living scaring "the pants off" of people who are simply broke and trying to survive.

One lady reported that after she vehemently tried to explain to an unrelenting debt collector that she was recently divorced, underemployed and didn't have the money to pay the $12,000 credit card bill her ex-husband left her, the debt collector replied, "Look, fat lady, it's obvious that you could stand to skip a few meals. Just send me your food bill for one week to wipe out this debt!" The lady was horrified-not so much by his remarks because she was accustomed to the debt collector being rude to her on the phone-but by his comment regarding her size. How did he know she was overweight? Had he been stalking her?

Debt collectors use many tactics to research you, especially if you owe a large debt. Remember, their livelihood depends on how many people they can get to pay overdue bills-the bigger the debt, the bigger their payoff.

Despite what debt collectors believe, most people are not faced with buying a ticket to Tahiti versus paying their credit card bill. People who are broke find themselves faced with real-life problems like putting food on the table versus paying a credit card bill!

Keep in mind that debt collectors are no different than you are. As the saying goes, "they put their pants on one leg at a time." They cannot physically harm you and the mental abuse they throw at you can be easily avoided (visit www.brokemansurvivalguide.com)

A.M. Harris is he author of The Broke Man's Survival Guide: 50 Clever Strategies to Use When You Are Unemployed, Underpaid or Just Dead Broke and Can't Pay Your Bills. Visit http://www.brokemansurvivalguide.com for more information.


MORE RESOURCES:

Ivory Coast Could Get Debt Relief Mid-2009 –World Bank
World Bank Group, DC - 29 minutes ago
“Ivory Coast could reach a decision point on getting debt relief under a program for poor countries by the end of the year and then clear over $3 billion of ...


The Associated Press

US mortgage bailout brings relief to Asia
CNNMoney.com - 1 hour ago
By injecting cash into the debt market, it is also expected to stabilize global markets. The government may buy up to $100 billion of preferred stock in ...
World stocks soar after Freddie, Fannie bailouts The Associated Press
Fan-Fred Plan Pleases Global Watchers Wall Street Journal
Europe and Asia Follow Wall Street Lower New York Times
all 296 news articles


Gulf Times

Ivory Coast could get debt relief mid-2009 - World Bank
Reuters South Africa, South Africa - Sep 6, 2008
This is Ivory Coast's third attempt at HIPC debt relief. According to Economy and Finance Minister Charles Diby Koffi, external debt repayments amount to ...
W. Bank says Ivorian aid tied to cleaning up cocoa Reuters South Africa
all 12 news articles


Botswana, Japan sign debt relief agreement
Dailynews, Botswana - Sep 7, 2008
By Puso Kedidimetse GABORONE - The government will use the proceeds of debt relief to undertake projects that address poverty and promote social and ...


Citizen

Sweet Relief In Asia At GSE Bailout
Forbes, NY - 6 hours ago
Asian financial institutions are among the largest holders of long-term debt of US government agencies, led by China and Japan, which held $376 billion and ...
The Bailout of Fannie and Freddie: Temporary relief but a real ... BloggingStocks
US Takeover of Mortgage Giants Lifts Stock Markets New York Times
Stocks surge in Europe and Asia after US mortgage takeover International Herald Tribune
guardian.co.uk - Los Angeles Times
all 394 news articles


Washington Post

A Sigh of Relief, but Hard Questions Remain
New York Times, United States - 13 hours ago
What is more, the plan will do little to stem losses in risky home loans, commercial mortgages and debt used by private equity firms to acquire companies. ...
Video: Mortgage Meltdown Q & A CBS
The move could give a boost to the US housing market BBC News
Short-term relief for Freddie and Fannie Otago Daily Times
Moneyweb - CNNMoney.com
all 7,087 news articles


BBC News

Progress seen in debt relief for poor countries
Pakistan Dawn, Pakistan - Sep 4, 2008
By Masood Haider UNITED NATIONS, Sept 4: A new UN report finds significant progress in providing debt relief to the world’s poorest countries. ...
Poverty-reduction aid lags, study finds Los Angeles Times
DEVELOPMENT: UN Warns of Faltering Goals on Aid, Trade IPS
Donors’ Aid to Poor Nations Declines, UN Reports New York Times
UN News Centre - Reuters South Africa
all 184 news articles


Boston Globe

Hurricane Relief Efforts Create Red Cross Debt, Nonprofit Says
Washington Post, United States - Sep 5, 2008
By Philip Rucker The American Red Cross said this morning it is going deep into debt to fund a $70 million Hurricane Gustav relief effort, ...
Red Cross National Relief Fund In The Red First Coast News
all 345 news articles


Handloom weavers may get debt relief
Business Standard, India - Sep 2, 2008
After the debt waiver scheme for farmers, the Union government is hoping to extend a similar scheme for handloom weavers. The Union textiles ministry, ...


Graduation, then first job, now it’s payback time
TheChronicleHerald.ca, Canada - 9 hours ago
According to a report by the Millennium Scholarship Foundation, the average Canadian student debt load for an undergraduate degree as of 2006 was just over ...

debt relief - Google News

home | site map
© 2006
web www.worldbizinfo.com