Consumers call tactics of debt collectors abusive

An investigation by Mc Nelly Torres, of ConsumerAffairs.com, found consumers complaining of illegal, abusive conduct as collectors defy federal and state enforcers. “There’s no doubt that the debt collection industry is thriving. You can’t get blood from a rock, but these guys are trying,” said Ira Rheingold, executive director and general counsel of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, a consumer advocacy group based in Washington D.C. Consumer advocates say stronger federal laws -- and much more aggressive enforcement -- are needed. While debt collector abuses are nothing new, Torres reports that consumer advocates fear the abuses will grow more widespread in numbers and scope at a time when millions of Americans are struggling to pay their bills.