Debt Collection Abuse Stories

According to the Attorney General, more complaints were filed in 2008 against debt collectors than any other industry. The FTC received more than 78,000 complaints about third-party debt collectors. We asked Dave’s Facebook fans to share their abuse stories—they didn’t hold back!

I lost my business when I became disabled and was told by a collector I was burning forever for not paying an $83 cell phone bill. The bill got paid, just not that day! –Crislee

Sallie Mae called my brother's mother-in-law (who had met me only twice) looking for me. I was mortified. —Alonda

I still get collection calls on my cell phone that I have had for six years for someone I have never heard of. They started calling the first month I had the number. —Jessica

One lady told me (about a debt that wasn't ours) "I will ruin your life." Nice. —K’lyn

I was told by a collector that my debt would be reviewed in court a week later (in a state I do not live in), and that if I didn't pay the debt in full, I would be arrested that day. —Amy

Bank if America agreed to put me on their special program and then dropped the ball when I called them on it. They said, “Oh, we don't have that program anymore.” So now they are harassing me constantly throughout each day. —Donna

We threatened to hire an attorney to get one agency to quit calling us. Once again it was a case of mistaken identity. They were looking for another person with a name similar to my husband's but with a different birth date and Social Security number. They tried to accuse my husband of lying on the application instead of admitting they were chasing the wrong person. —Glenna

The key to avoiding abuse is to know your rights. Check out the FTC’s debt collection facts for consumers.