Debt collectors changing tactics

[Seadragon]

I found this article on a famous Accounts Receivables Management magazine while looking for collections industry stats.

http://www.insidearm.com/go/arm-analysis/understanding-debtors-in-a-new-technology-environment?pg=2

This is far more than a minor nuisance to debt collectors. In 2008, an average of 455 FDCPA cases were filed against ARM companies in U.S. District Courts every month, according to numbers from LexisNexis. In the first four months of 2009, that number has skyrocketed to over 600 cases filed per month.

While far from a comprehensive solution to misinformation, collection professionals would be well served to familiarize themselves with at least some of the online forums for news, rants, advice, and falsehoods about the services they provide to creditors. As a next step, agency owners, collection managers, marketing staff, or in house counsel might consider becoming active participants in one or more of the online discussion venues referenced above.

The first step will exponentially broaden an understanding of how debtors truly regard the collection industry, and may provide strategic insight into how those assessments impact debtor behavior. The second step builds on that new knowledge base and creates an opportunity for those working within the collection arena to achieve visibility outside it -- to debate, to educate, and to play a non-adversarial role in shaping conventional wisdom about debt collection companies.

this will UNDOUBTEDLY lead to different collections strategies. I am worried that leaving messages on social sites and such will be the new harassment technique.

Is contacting on a cell phone when the number was gleaned from other sources actionable as an illegal access of a computing device IE: "computer hacking" ? with smartphone technology could anti-hacking and junk fax laws be brought into play in collections defense?

I think these avenues deserve a closer look.

[Seadragon]

if debt collectors use a device to get cell phone numbers then use them isn't that a violation of Hacking laws?

I think that we should look for violations outside the FDCPA and FCRA to kinda sweeten the kitty for debt collectors IE: mandatory minimum sentencing, even bigger fines than the FDCPA allows, which each individual snotty collector who does this would be personally liable for.

It is kinda funny to think how one of these gung-ho collectors would fare in jail or prison. would they be high fiveing their friends if they knew that at the end the would have to wear smokey eye makeup and booty shorts.

Just a thought:roll: I think when we focus just on the FDCPA alot of higher $ fines will get away. How far will a collection agency go to protect their individual collectors?

any way I am looking into this maybe it will pan out.