What do you think of bill collectors?

Question

Be honest.. do you just hang up? Do you lie and say you'll pay your bill just to make them happy? Do you avoid the calls?

Do you worry that not paying will ruin your credit rating?

scum of the earth.. annoying? But if you pay your bills why would you have this kind of thought of them?

I ask because I am a bill collector. And yes, if you dont pay your credit rating goes to shi*... so why dont people care? I understand circuumstances happen, but I tell ya.. the worst thing to do to a collector is to hang up or cuss them out.. when that happens to me, I send the file for adverse action to include legal.. which means leins, wage garnishments.. etc.. So my advice is to speak to them and be honest.

Every answer is great.. thanks for all the feed back.

I'm not a threatening collector, nor am I collecting illegally. I do know the laws. I have been in bad situations in my life and have had them calling me before. I know what its like to be in hard times. Thats why I am understanding to those who dont have the means to pay. The ones that I KNOW have the means to pay even a little bit are the ones that I will be more aggressive with.

I agree that banks are out of control when it come to loaning money, giving credit cards or credit limits. They really arnt protecting themselves.

So thank you everyone for your feedback and not just one word 2 point answers. Thats what I was looking for and thanks for being honest as well.

Answer 1

This is a great example of how bill collectors like you work.

First you call demanding your money. Then the threats come.

You automatically assume every person who owes a debt is a deadbeat.

In your "additional detail" you start to say how some people run into difficult circumstances....but then you jump right in to how you threaten them! The very few "decent" bill collectors don't do that! They find out how they can get their money within the budget of the debtor...even if it can take several years. The rest simply demand it right away...and toss in the threats for good measure.

No, I'm not in debt and have never missed a payment. But I live in an area where a lot of people are having very difficult times....and they come to me for advice. It usually starts with the stories about the threats and lies they are told by the bill collector.

And CivPro....it is the responsibility of the banks to ensure that the people they lend money to are responsible to pay it back. That is not what has been happening over the past several years, and that is why the banks are in such a serious situation now.

Edited:

Remember, you people chose this job because you are rude and arrogant. Yes it's true, because collection agencies do not go out looking for nice, polite, honest, hardworking, and charitable people. You qualified, so they hired you. It was that, or be a used car salesman. Are you now feeling guilty about your profession?

I've had a few local agencies try to recruit me. I know the law, and I know how these places work. Read my answers...I'm rude and arrogant! I am a perfect candidate for the job. But I still wouldn't stoop to being a collection agent.

Answer 2

This nation (USA) and the world runs on credit. Not paying bills, while it seems small and insignificant in an individual case, really starts to add up when many dont pay their bills.

Bill collectors have been known to do some pretty scumy things. Most from my experience are professional and simply trying to get people to pay their debts. I am sure people don't want to hear from them, but money flowing back to creditors is important so that they can loan more and keep the sale of goods running.

Imagine if credit stopped. How many people could buy a house, a car, major items, or maybe even go on a vacation? If you enjoy being able to buy these high dollar items and make payments over time, you should give some thanks to the credit industry and those who work in it, including debt collectors.

Most of my work is as a creditor's rights attorney. Sometimes I go to court and feel very bad that we are attempting to collect from a old woman for a debt that she simply got in over in head with. But honestly, these folks are willing to pay something, even $10 per month, as they were instilled with a sense of responsibility. For these situations, I often waive the attorney's fees and will enter into a consent judgment that has no interest so long as they pay. (All judgments in Missouri run at 9% by statute)

What bothers me is young able bodied people who simply don't have any sense of personal responsibility and work harder to avoid paying debts than simply getting up and paying their debts.

So I guess I am a bill collector too. My job is not popular, but it is important. I would never defend improper tactics by collectors. My experience is kindness and manners gets you a lot further than threats. I have the (dis)advantage of speaking with debtor face to face at court and often simply being kind and listening for a few minutes allows a solution to the payment of the debt.

Sorry to preach but credit, paying your debts, and the collection from those that do not pay is important.

Answer 3

Scum of the earth. I pay my bills so I never hear from them.

edit: cause many will work for places or place calls that are wrong, illegal or lies, just in attempts to collect free money. being a business owner for over 15 yrs, I clearly know the practices of such industries.

if you, yourself are one, and willing to take the time to listen, talk to a person on the other end, well then, you are 1 out of 5 million in the industry. if this is the case, I'd quit your job and start your own personalized, NICE collection agency. such an agency would get more response in such a negitive world today, to where people would be more willing to pay.

Answer 4

well i think bill collectors for the most part are awesome....probably because i've done this job for almost 10 years... i'm only 26 years old and i've heard it all i agree with if you are a debtor to not avoid the collector again they are just doing their job... how would you feel if you had to make over 100 calls a day just to get someone on the phone and then they called you every name in the book before you even asked them to pay their debt...it's not a "fun" job and yes there are some in the industry that are rude and ruthless but it just makes it 10x's harder for us nice ones to do our job.

Answer 5

I wouldn't exactly say that bill collectors are scum of the earth. They are just trying to do their job, and as long as the are polite, they are no worse than anyone else.

Anyway, you should try calling a credit counseling company to see if they can help you figure out how to manage your debt. You should worry that not paying will negatively affect your credit rating - it is.

Answer 6

yes ppl worry that it will ruin their credit. but sometimes feeding your family and keeping a roof over their head is more important. you have your job and thats fine. but you cant just be a total jerk about it the way you are saying that people dont care. they do. its just most ppl without the means to feed and cloth their family are in a bad situation if youve ever been in that situation before then maybe you would understand. sometimes being a little sympathetic would be nice. its nice to be hated then...yes!!

Answer 7

Never had a bill collector call since I don't let the bills go long enough for that.

Answer 8

They're annoying, but they have to do their job so I make sure I pay my bills on time. Yes, it will bring your credit rating down if not paid on time.

Answer 9

Sorry, I don't understand the negative comments.

Bill collectors are simply doing their jobs.

If you pay your bills, you don't have to worry about them, if you don't, don't blame them for doing their jobs.