Old debt gets written off, then sold, then parceled out to debt collectors where it comes back to life.
Source: Zombie debt eats lawyers’ ethics — and your money
This is actually a great article and an interesting look at the unethical practices in the debt collection industry. I remember the first time as a law clerk for a judge I got a filing from a lawyer who (because of state law) had to stamp a “This document is from a debt collector” on all their stationary. It shocked me at first. I had thought there was a clear difference between a debt collector and an attorney, but for many firms in this kind of business, those lines blur. Trying to help stop these debt collectors can be a full-time job all on its own, for example the consumer financial protection bureau.
Some firms are filing thousands of lawsuits a month to collect on consumer debt. Most of these lawsuits are baseless. Many of the debt collection practices are outright illegal. And they’ve almost never, ever, done the paperwork correctly and have a clear and legal claim of title to the debt. Often times, literally all you have to do is show up and say “Prove It”. But so many consumers are scared into paying, or just ignore these kinds of summons hoping they’ll go away. I know, I’ve been there myself. When consumers are unsure what to do, they need help stopping debt collectors.
The community in the areas that Justice Unlocked serves, won’t have to worry about ignoring this kind of zombie debt. We’ll be willing to fight for you, the lending industry may be predatory, but now you’ll have a friend on your side. The poor and disadvantaged populations that we serve are often the number one targets for this sort of unethical practices, and I’m really looking forward to doing what we can to give people help stopping debt collectors and taking their lives back – for less than they’d have to pay regular attorneys.
