“Officer” Coming to Get You: Shady Debt Collection Practices

The FTC shuts down three debt collection operations for such practices as sending texts that read "YOUR PAYMENT DECLINED WITH CARD ****-****-****-5463... CALL IMMEDIATELY..." without identifying themselves as debt collectors. They would also claim a "uniformed officer" was on the way to the consumer's home and they should "secure any large animals or firearms" before the officer arrived. "Legitimate debt collectors know the rules." [5/22/15]