Something all of you need to understand

[divemedic]

The purpose of the courts is not to be the new american lottery. That includes the JDB's and all of the CIC'ers. I don't think anyone here is telling you to go get rich. The purpose of the courts, stupid juries aside, is to right wrongs. Mostly it works, except for a few abuses.

The methods here on this board are not get rich quick schemes, nor are they a way for you to get away with stiffing creditors. What they are is a way to return a sense of fair play to an abused debt collection system. Is it fair that a $50 medical bill left unpaid by my insurance will cause me to pay $8000 more for my home? How does a bounced check at a supermarket justify my auto insurance going up by 35%?

It doesn't matter if you pay those bills. Once they go to a collection agency, the methods on this board are the only hope of fixing it. The credit and banking system are raping the American consumer, stealing his income and they are using the law to do it. In many cases, their activity is illegal, they know it is illegal, but they also know that it is profitable because most people don't know how to fight.

I have taken on over 50 different companies for myself and a few other friends/family members. Of those companies, I have nowfiled suit against 5 of them. Only one has gone to court. In every other case, the company has backed down and written me a check, either because they knew they were wrong or because they knew what they had done was questionable. Every company I took to court was given at least 4 chances to fix what they had done before suit was filed and chose not to.

I do not and will not run out and sue everyone simply becasue I can. I do it only after months of trying to fix the problem with no results. To those that think we are too litigious or that we are deadbeats ask yourself why the debt collection industry make billions every year and why every major bank in the country has a loan program designed for troubled creditors. It isn't because they are big hearted.

[DocDon]

Bravo! Nicely put, sir.

[codename_fortyseven]

I agree 100%. The courts shouldn't be a tool to bludgeon someone with or anything, BUT when there is zero enforcement for the laws on the books, it is up to individuals to fight back.

The credit system is a racket designed to error on the side of lower scores rather than correct and true information. What is it, half of all credit reports have some incorrect info one them? Do you see the CB's in some great hurry to fix things? Of course not. They only move when a class action forces them to.

Debt collectors? HA! Don't get me started. They trample the laws on the books RIGHT NOW. What they do is an organized hustle that includes the courts.

I don't want to sue anyone. I am as pro business as they come, and I understand SOME mistakes happen, but when companies/individuals just willfully roll over the laws, you have to do something.

Unfortunately, a lot of companies don't take you seriously until you DO sue. Sucks to be them, from my view because once I do, I am going all the way.

Some of these companies are just bad at business, IMHO. I stated before and I will again, if all I had to do was shuffle some paperwork to clear up some bad debts that I had a 90% chance of collecting 0 dollars on, I'd do it in a second.

You are correct about CA's. It may be illegal, but it is good business to break the law until it isn't.

I usually go with the call, write, customer service route until it is apparent that it won't work. Then what else can you do?

[DocDon]

You know what would alleviate most of this CA/consumer angst? FICO offering relief for paid collections.

[divemedic]

The funny thing is, I have 1 paid collection on EQ and 2 on EX. I paid them several years ago, when I grew up and decided to take care of things. I was astounded when I found out that it did nothing to fix my credit.

That was when I found this site and the old faircreditmovement.org site. Had they not done it that way, I would have just paid all of my old debts....

[radarbeam]

Don't assume Judges are going to right your wrong.