What NOT to do when a bill collector calls (by a former bill collector)
For those that want to clear up debts and obligations, it is important to know what steps to take. However, it can also be vitally important to know what NOT to do. I thought I would share tips to what to avoid if you want the bill collector to work with you and not against you:
The first step is simple, yet crucial: Do not lie. Ever. Most bill collectors have a built-in lie detector and can immediately tell when someone's lying. Do not say your father, mother, sister, brother or pet goldfish just died, unless it's absolutely true. Do not lie about your work situation either. For many people, their place of employment is listed on their credit report, so trying to hide your source of income can destroy your credibility. Remember, bill collectors are much less likely to negotiate terms if they have to wrestle the truth from the borrower.
Secondly, never EVER have your child screen your calls. Do NOT, under any circumstance, put your son or daughter on the phone and then have them lie for you. This is one of the surest ways to raise the contempt and ire of the typical collector, most of whom have children too. It is stressful enough for grownups to deal with debt, do not expect your child to handle the tension any better than you do. The typical collector's attitude is, "You ran up the bill, you should be adult enough to face the situation."
The third step, do not be disrespectful to the other person on the line. Now, I'm not saying to bend down and kiss their toes, but try your best to keep your part of the conversation as civil as possible. Talk to them like you'd talk to the clerk at your local grocery store. Despite rumors to the contrary, most bill collectors are human and have a family to go home to at night. As a collector, I had some latitude as to how each situation was handled. If someone treated me fairly, I would work with them as much as the situation allowed. However, if someone started each conversation with profanity-laced insults, then I usually didn't give them any more leeway than what was required.
Fourth, do not make empty threats. Never say you are going to call your lawyer, unless you actually have one on retainer. The average collector hears that line at least once a day, if not more. The collector is also aware that if you don't have the money to pay your debts, then you probably don't have enough to hire a lawyer. Generally speaking, threatening to complain to their manager is futile. Odds are, the collector learned their techniques from their boss, and the supervisor may be less willing to make payment arrangements than the original collector. Don't use threats to report them to the FTC as a way of sidestepping the issue. Parenthetically, if you do have a bona fide complaint, most collectors prefer that you file a report because it helps clear the bad eggs out of the industry. But most experienced collectors are experts at staying within the boundaries of the FDCPA.
Being past due on your obligations can be trying and difficult. It is in your best interest to maintain a level head, keep your ego in check, and work with the collector so that both of you can feel like you've achieved a win-win situation.
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