NCO Group to Pay Largest FCRA Civil Penalty to Date

This is from the FTC websie at:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/05/ncogroup.htm

Now it is the time of NCO Group to undergo legal surveillance.

These are the results of the complaints filed by the consumers. The big guns are taking actions against such companies slowly but strongly.

The sad part is that there are so many companies like this that are doing unfair business. If one company is penalized, two new companies pop up from the other side. What can be done to change this entire system?

My suggestion is to contact your federal law makers. Encourage them to introduce legislation strenghening consumer protection. The credit industry got what they wanted with Bankruptcy Reform (good or bad in hind sight).

Among Needed Improvements:
-Original Creditors subject to fdcpa
-Limitations on the number of times a creditor/collector may call.
--Limit frequency of calls particularly once contact is made. For instacte call once every 7 days after making contact with consumer).
-Prohibit use of Auto Dialers, or require dialers to have their agent on the line when call is connected. (My time is just as valuable as theirs, and I will not wait for a dialer to connect. If you want to talk to me be there when I answer)
-Clarify that collection attempts must cease immideatly upon payment (no excuses like the computer updates once a day, once payment made, calls must stop)
-FTC required to take enforcement action at certain benchmarks (say 100 complaints in a year, etc).
-Raise limits / fine imposed against violators at least ten times.

Any other resonable ideas out there?

Clay, you have pointed out the things in very accurate shape. But the collection agency or the creditor might object to one or all of them since nothing goes to their favor. And the legislature will make decisions looking on both sides.

Ari, please express your matured views here so that we can understand the requirements from the viewpoint of collection industry also. Later a mail can be forwarded to the federal law makers and express our views.

While a letter from a group would certainly be effective, individual contacts (letters, email, phone calls even personal visits to district offices) will have a greater influence.

You are right many of the ideas I have suggested are pie-in-the-sky dreams, however when the (needed) bankruptcy reform law was passed; little or no concern was given to consumers, and there needs to be a leveling of the playing field.

The number of Creditors and Collectors doing what ever they darn well please because no one says anything, and because the FTC won't do anything is getting out of hand. Something needs to be done to address a rapidly growing problem.

Oh, heres is another thought. Prohibit collection of time barred debts all together.

I just thought of one here:

A debt should be sold only once. Multiple collection agencies purchase a single debt and continue collection efforts. Also, the creditors must authorize that the debt has been legally sold to xxxx collection agency. This way, we will be sure that there will be only one collection agency that will be making the collection efforts.

Clay, you have discussed a very nice topic here. Thanks for bringing such informative threads.

Another CA bites the dust! It's good to see news like this. This collection industry needs to be regulated.

I got one for you. My girlfriend contacted a collection agency (can't remember which one) because it was the last debt on her credit report. It is for a little under 1000 dollars and she wanted it cleared. She told the agency she would start making payments in October...I think they agreed on $70 a month. So he was going to send her something in the mail on where she should send her money or whatever. Which sounds kind of weird because don't collection agency's try to get you to pay big chunks at one time and not do a monthly payment plan?

Anyway..we NEVER got anything in the mail from them. We've been lazy and never called back yet...plus we are having some financial issues after christmas and all so we don't want to pay for a couple months anyway.

But have you ever heard of a collection agency not sending you something to pay money...hmmm little weird.

Yipee another agency nailed to the wall! . Finally they are having to pay for the hell they are putting people through.

Hmmmm, I hear from my own manager at Protocol to NCO is the largest CA in the world. Yet, according to their percentages, they're not doing so hot. Their collections figures are crap and they are bottom-rung in the rankings. I guess the bigger they come, the harder they fall.
They want to stay out of trouble and bring their numbers and approval rating up, the fdcpa all the way, verify ever contact, mini-miranda every contact, and keep an open mind! No more than twice a week at home, and twice a month at work, and keep it between 8am and 9 pm in the respective time zone of the borrower. Above all, watch the language!

They should be ashamed of themselves! Biggest CA worldwide and taking a shallacking from the little guy.

Does anyone know if NCO's number is 1 800 568 0052? They call me at work but never say who they are.

NCO's number is 800-873-5697... I have seen that other number somewhere, but I cant seem to recall where exactly.

The number I have is 800-569-9633

hah, there's a "cost of buiness" for ya.

NCO has multiple numbers, some are toll free and some appear to be local numbers with actual area codes before them. I'm currently going through issues with them. I'm not saying I'm not wrong, i'm just really poor at this time. I was called a liar multiple times today by a rep that didn't give me his name and was also given info on one day that they said they never gave, a few days later

You are recording the calls, aren't you?