Monday, June 18, 2012

Fighting Off Zombie Debt Buyer Lawsuits

From Public Citizen's Consumer Law & Policy Blog:
  • Peter A. Holland of Maryland has written Defending Junk-Debt-Buyer Lawsuits, 46 Clearinghouse Review No. 1-2 (May/June 2012). Here is the abstract:

    Junk debt buyer lawsuits have overwhelmed the courts all across the United States. These lawsuits wreak havoc on consumers and their families. Often overlooked is the fact that judgments against consumers which are based on junk debt are part of a zero sum game, where every bogus judgment deprives a legitimate creditor of the chance to get paid from scarce resources.

    Thus, the legitimate creditor to whom money is owed is materially harmed by the junk debt buyer who extracts money based on an illegitimate claim, or who causes someone to declare bankruptcy. Providing representation to this otherwise unrepresented population will not only help individual consumers. It could improve the entire U.S. economy, by preserving precious resources to pay what is legitimately owed, and avoiding paying for what is not.

    This article surveys the landscape of the junk debt buyer industry and provides advice for consumer advocates engaged in the battle against unscrupulous junk debt buyers.