i do collections for a living....attack me now

[bk4sky]

i notice alot of pre-judgement on the boards about debt collectors calling them the scum of the earth and every thing else under the sun, and it bothers me. ive done various types of collections for years. i really dont feel the need to defend myself, i just think more people need to realize that the very debt collector that calls you is probably going through financial problems of their own. so go ahead guys....say what you want to say. this board has been a great source of support. but if someone here is going to judge me because i call people to let them know they are behind on bills than owell. the bottom line is this: if you dont or cant pay your bills the company is going to collect on their money...right? so people are just doing their jobs. i was never in prision, i never felt like my paychecks were blood money, and i also have a college degree.

[bmrigs]

i notice alot of pre-judgement on the boards about debt collectors calling them the scum of the earth and every thing else under the sun, and it bothers me. ive done various types of collections for years. i really dont feel the need to defend myself, i just think more people need to realize that the very debt collector that calls you is probably going through financial problems of their own. so go ahead guys....say what you want to say. this board has been a great source of support. but if someone here is going to judge me because i call people to let them know they are behind on bills than owell. the bottom line is this: if you dont or cant pay your bills the company is going to collect on their money...right? so people are just doing their jobs. i was never in prision, i never felt like my paychecks were blood money, and i also have a college degree.

Why the guilty conscience then? You shouldnt let it bother you what people say because you work for Darth Vader, I mean collection agencies. Lighten up, people are mostly frustrated with persistent phone calls and the abusive strategies they use to harass people.

[Scott50]

nothing wrong with your profession- companies have a right to collect on what people legally owe to them.. I'm not sure how you put up with b.s.- you're just trying to earn a living..

[Flamingo]

We never had a nasty bill collector call us. In fact, many stated they were sorry that we had to file because they saw we had fantastic credit with that specific creditor for many, many years and most wished us the best and good luck! Bill collectors are just doing the job they are paid to do like everyone else in their profession.

People need to put themselves in the other persons place to actually realize things about a situation. If a person lent money to someone and the person they lent money to does not pay them back within the specified/agreed time, you can bet the person lending the money will take steps to attempt to get the money back. Simple as that.

[bk4sky]

Why the guilty conscience then? You shouldnt let it bother you what people say because you work for Darth Vader, I mean collection agencies. Lighten up, people are mostly frustrated with persistent phone calls and the abusive strategies they use to harass people.

no guilty conscience at all....all im trying to say is the debt collectors didnt get us in the situations we are in, they are only doing their job, and now they call me as well but that doesnt make them the scum of the earth. i just wanted to get it out in the open yes i am a debt collector ( very soft collections tho) ive never let what other people thought of me phase me in the least and im not going to start now

[bmrigs]

no guilty conscience at all....all im trying to say is the debt collectors didnt get us in the situations we are in, they are only doing their job, and now they call me as well but that doesnt make them the scum of the earth. i just wanted to get it out in the open yes i am a debt collector ( very soft collections tho) ive never let what other people thought of me phase me in the least and im not going to start now

LOL "phase you the in the least"...you just said it bothers you in your original post what people are saying on this forum about debt collectors. And you started now when you posted this thread. Since your going thru bankruptcy, have you come across your file and had to call yourself to demand payment??? Sorry, just couldnt resist.....LOL

[arkienurse]

doesn't matter to me. You are family. And someone has to do this job.
Course I would still be hanging up on you if you call asking for my son . Standard answer from any of us is " No, I am sorry, he doesn't live here. <click>

Could someone please tell me why a cc will issue a card to an 18 yr old with no job???

[Flamingo]

Could someone please tell me why a cc will issue a card to an 18 yr old with no job???

Don't ya hate that? They are also on college campuses like vultures each fall giving trash trinkets to those who apply for a credit card and you can get the card with the School Mascot on it or a picture of your college to show off to all your friends! The reason they do that is because their thinking is that the majority of the time the parents will pay the bill if the student/young adult cannot. Or they require a co-signer.

[sick of debt]

My kids are 5 and 1 and I have already decided to never give them their SS #.LOL

[justplaintired]

Hey it's ok, you're just doing a job right? You don't have to explain yourself. It's ok. We all have to make a living.

Besides you know what I have not had bad experiences with bill collectors. They all listened to our story, not one single one got nasty, all treated us with respect. But we were honest, we told the truth. We didn't say we'd mail a payment, we didn't lie, we told them the complete truth. We told them we are filing BK, gave our attorneys name and number, they took the info and wished us luck.

So anyway don't worry about it. It's just a job. It's a job I couldn't do only because of the stress. But I guess someone's got to do it right? I mean their are plenty of jobs I couldn't do, but as long as people have financial problems their will always be need for bill collectors, so atleast you have job security, which in this day and age is better then alot of us have.

You know maybe you could even help us all know how to handle those calls. I mean you know all the ins and outs, and that could be very useful info on this forum. Just my opinion, but I sure think someone who knows all about collection calls, it might be useful to some of those who are facing this, how to handle those calls.

[JollyGG]

My husband actually works a job where one of his responsibilities is loading the lists that the collectors for the credit card he works for calls from. He got the job right after our discharge. Just letting you know that you aren't the only one working in that field.

We figure that his company has a right to call about the debts owed them. It's nothing personal on either end and everyone is out there to earn a living and do the best they can for their families.

[arkienurse]

My kids are 5 and 1 and I have already decided to never give them their SS #.LOL

Mine actually had to know theirs in Junior High. The school, in all it's infinite wisdom, made their library card # the same as their SS #. I called and protested to the superintendent. He said he saw where I was coming from, but " You would be surprised the number of kids we have found that we had the wrong SS#. At any rate, the next year, they were not using SS# as library card #s

[AngelinaCatHub]

Welcome BK4sky. Flamingo is one of our best mentors. She has a point however, I wish she would say (and I am saying direct to ‘Flamingo’) that the job has to be done by someone. Actually, some of us our guilty in taking advantage of the system. Then some of us are seduced as ‘Falamingo’ stated. Others just got into trouble due to things they cannot control Now, may I ask, why are YOU here? Are you in this boat of ours?

I do not chastise those who have a job that is not always “nice” to do. We need, street sweepers, sewage workers, cops, LAWYERS, and all that stuff. “Someone, has to do it.”

So join us please in a community that will aid and help you without malice. And with understanding. ‘Hub

[Frogge]

AWW, I agree that it's just a job.. seriously don't feel bad. I've posted before that I worked in banking and did some collecting (and account debiting!) on past due accounts.. I hated it badly.. BUT, that's not to say that others can't do the job. I'm too much of a softy.

I also agree with justplaintired that you could be very useful here as many of us probably have questions about collections that you could help with.

WELCOME to the forum!!

[notsoHappyMomma]

Hey, BK4Sky!! I would hope nobody makes you feel bad...

This is the way I look at bill collectors...I promised to pay back a loan and I failed. For whatever reason, I failed to keep up my end of the promise. Most, when they learn our situation...are understanding. But, the companies who lent us the money want their money...and I can understand that.

Flamingo...you are so right. That is the exact way we BOTH got our first CC...freshmen in college..wide-eyed and clueless! They gave us the bait, we bit. We lived on credit. At first, we did pay them back...as both our parents taught us about credit...but as time went on and we started a family....it was just too easy to swipe the card. And they "rewarded" us by raising credit limits, lowering intrest...or offering special "0% for 12 months checks" with higher credit limits. Before we knew it, the one thing we never thought of happened...medical issues. And, between doc bills and just raising a young family...along with some very bad decision making...we are facing BK. Which is just stupid considering how much DH makes. If I could go back and change the day I signed up for that first cc...you bet I would! By the time it was over, we had a 15,000 limit on that one card....