Debt collection agencies may hassle family of the deceased, Star-Tribune reports

09/24/2010

Outstanding debt can act as a black cloud hanging over a borrower's head, but it can also follow those related to the individual as well, even after they are gone. As many Americans are learning, debt collecting agencies are resilient and will do whatever it takes to obtain the lost money. In some cases, it means confronting grieving families.

"I remember thinking, 'My God, how can anyone actually do this?'" former debt collections attorney Todd Murray told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "The whole idea of calling someone still grieving from the loss of a loved one, over some credit card debt, seemed so repulsive to me. I just couldn't do it."

But many companies still do. Elderly individuals are the most vulnerable to debt collector phone calls, the Star-Tribune reports, because they are willing to write out a check to stop the continuous calls.

"The firms that do this are experts in all the psychological persuasion techniques," elder law attorney Sally Hurme told the newspaper. "The first impulse is to just make it go away."

Individuals struggling with bills from outstanding debt can consider counseling to create a repayment plan with an expert. Seeking assistance does not negatively impact a credit score.

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