Have you heard of “debt buyers?” Clark likes to refer to them as scavenger collectors because what they do is wrong. These people go to a credit card company or bank and buy that organization’s outstanding debt. They then contact people who owe the debt and threaten people to pay it back. Some even steal the money directly from your bank account. It’s unbelievable criminal behavior and it’s going on everywhere. According to the FTC, complaints about these unsavory debt collectors have jumped from 13,000 to 60,000 this year. It’s the No. 1 consumer complaint to the FTC right now. They tell people that they owe money on debts that aren’t really theirs. They seek out people with the same name as the actual person who owes the money and scare them into paying money they don’t owe. Another tactic is to contact relatives of the deceased who owed money. They claim it’s your responsibility to pay the debt, which is not true. It’s obviously an industry that is out of control. When you get a call from these people, remember that you do not have to pay the debt. They are not allowed to threaten you verbally or physically, and they can’t use underhanded tactics to get money out of you. It’s illegal. Collectors operate under the law of the jungle and you have to reign them in. You must tell these people that they can’t contact you unless you allow it. But you have to put it in writing. And when they call you, record the message. That is the proof you need to show they have broken the law. And, never ever give a collector your bank account numbers or credit card numbers. It’s time for the federal government go after the scavenger collectors who have infested the collection industry. But until that happens, it’s up to you to put them in their place. Get a copy of Clark's drop dead letter here.