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The study found that Georgia also ranked first among all states for debt collection complaints on a per-capita basis.
Researchers said the increase reflects several factors, including growing consumer debt burdens, more aggressive collection efforts, and heightened awareness of the FTC’s complaint reporting process.
While debt collectors were the subject of many complaints, the report noted that not every case involved a legitimate collection agency. Some consumers said they did not believe they owed the alleged debt, while others suspected they were targeted by fraudulent callers posing as collectors.
On the metropolitan level, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Memphis joined Atlanta among the highest-ranking cities for complaints per capita. Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Miami generated the greatest overall volume of FTC debt-collection complaints.
Researchers said many people in those age groups are simultaneously managing mortgages, vehicle loans, student debt, and other financial obligations.
Consumer advocates encourage anyone contacted by a debt collector to request written verification before making a payment, avoid sharing personal or banking information until the debt has been verified, understand their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, report abusive or suspicious collection practices to the FTC, and use available call-blocking or spam-filtering technology to reduce unwanted calls.
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Source: Black Enterprise
