Collection Practices Gone Mad?

Given the economic downturn, it is certain we will see more aggressive collection practices take place.

However, I would never have expected the extent of the following example:

AARONS RENT TO OWN SMACKED WITH $1.2M VERDICT: 'SA Debt Collector Gone Wild'

Mega-corporation Aarons Rents got its collective hiney spanked to the tune of a $1.2 million verdict yesterday, after a pitched battle in San Antonio.

Aarons has been using thuggery and violence to collect late charges from many of its customers when they fall behind on payments for over-priced merchandise, which Aarons rents to folks with bad credit.

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Adding to the stun-gun pop was the fact that local attorney John Dwyre and his small staff were forbidden by the court to tell the jury of other Aarons tactics, which included purposely hiring convicted felons as collectors, the stalking of children,knifing one customer, and other evil practices. (See stories below.)

More...

If you follow that link, there is some amazing evidence of what is alleged...



Makes the Mafia look like pushovers.

Jeez Loam this is some pretty creepy information.....just when I think people play by the rules and standards we are all HELD TO BY LAW you learn the rules are different for different people.....

I've just looked through the .pdf link...



Here it is.

Here's another from a different company:

What a nasty letter for a $16.96 debt!

A collection agency tried to collect a $16.96 debt with an letter that addressed its recipient with a four-letter word for excrement. "Dear S---," began the letter attempting to collect from an old record club membership. The word was spelled out in the letter, which arrived in an envelope addressed to "S--- Face."

"I've never seen anything quite so brazen," said attorney Kenneth Hiller.

He said his client plans to sue Nationwide Collections Inc. of Fort Pierce, Fla., next week.

More...

And you aren't gonna believe this one:

76 year old Staten Island woman hit for $5 co-pay on ambulance gurney

As she lay on an ambulance gurney, ready to be taken to the hospital after suffering a heart attack, 76-year-old Barbara Antonelli saw a receptionist from her Sunnyside doctor's office running toward her.

Mrs. Antonelli figured she had left something behind or that the employee simply wanted to wish her well.

Instead, the stricken woman was asked for her $5 co-pay, and the ambulance was held up while she scoured her purse for the money.

More...

:shk:

With the spiraling economy and tanking dollar, these stories will become more and more common as people try to hold on to what few assets they have or that are owed to them. Debtors will become like a scourge, second class citizens.

I remember one time a few years ago when we moved and got a new phone number, almost the day we got it we started getting collection calls from Aarons for the previous person who had that number. They called day and night, i was working 3rd shift at the time and cuseed them out multiple times. Whoever had this number before, was a true dirtbag, i had calls from multiple collection agencies, bail bondsmen, and almost every type of collection one could have. Aaron's was by far the most persistant. After everyone else had quit calling Aaron's still called looking for this person. They quit for almost a year and started calling again right before we moved.

reply to post by jefwane


I had a similar situation when I moved into my home. I was literally called a liar. They repeatedly demanded to speak with so-and-so, who didn't live there. I had to threaten them with legal action to quit calling us.

The "Dear Sh** Face letter" was an admitted error. The company had bought 350,000 accounts and the subsequent mailing was automated. That doesn't mean its right if anything its sheer lazyness not to have verified account information beforehand. Still I got a good laugh out of it.

brill

reply to post by brill


But it looks like may have gotten themselves into trouble nonetheless.

See link.

I cannot say why, but you can guarentee no one should have debts. I will just leave it at that.