• “I Will Threaten Bodily Harm,” A Loan Shark’s Confession
“I make threats of arrest, property seizure, wage garnishment, and sometimes (usually if it’s a woman) I will threaten bodily harm if there is no payment….”

• Debt Collectors Gone Wild
“”Collector: You’re so ignorant. Ignorant. You need to go back to Mexico.
Consumer: OK, ma’am.
Collector: Haha! Watch me big boy. Watch me. “

• Debt Collector Verbally Abuses Disabled Elder
“She said I was a mean, old disabled person. I was not a man because I am not paying, she know about my disabilities and said that since my legs don’t work, maybe my ears don’t work also. She then said, I’ll call you in 4 days, good luck with trying to walk and hung up.”

• Dealing With Abusive Debt Collectors By Phone
“1) Find a lawyer and fight back. 2) Play dumb on the phone so they think they can abuse you. 3) Take detailed notes and/or record the call. 4) Take them to court.”

• Pay Up, Deadbeat
“Learn about how the process works, what they can and can’t do and how to fight back if they overstep and start harassing you.”

• Zombie Debt Collectors on Rampage
“Some of them will sucker you in with low monthly payments, even though the statute of limitations has expired. Making these payments only reactivates the debt as current and then they’ve got you by the gills.”

(Illustration: Mark Alan Stamaty)

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