Book description
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!
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Introduction
-
Part 1. Debt Collection Secrets
- 1. Lessons in Deception
- 2. Credit Is King
- 3. Anger Can Be Power
- 4. Closeout: “No Tomorrow”
- 5. The Shakedown Industry
- 6. PIF Means Payment in Full
- 7. Payday, the Tables Turn
- 8. Debtors’ Rebellion
- 9. Debt for Sale
- 10. The Golden Rule: Money Today
- 11. Strengths and Weaknesses
- 12. Collector of the Week
- 13. Retention
- 14. A Complaint
- 15. Data Minefield
- 16. Graduation Day
- 17. On the Floor
- 18. NLE Means No Longer Employed
- 19. Solutions
- Part 2. Coping with Collections
- Endnotes
- Index
Product information
- Title: Fight Back Against Unfair Debt Collection Practices: Know Your Rights and Protect Yourself from Threats, Lies, and Intimidation
- Author(s):
- Release date: August 2010
- Publisher(s): Pearson
- ISBN: 9780132122153
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