“They are rude,” said Thomas Rodgers of Dayton. “They call you at all hours of the night.”
There were more than 9,600 complaints from September through November of last year from Ohio residents, according to a CFPB survey.
One in four consumers reported feeling threatened by a debt collector, a majority reported continued calls from collectors even when they asked them to stop, and more than half said they were contacted about a debt that was the wrong amount, a family member’s debt, or a debt that wasn’t owed, the survey found.
The collectors make consumers “feel like garbage, like they are worthless,” said Dayton bankruptcy attorney Clay Woods with Fox and Associates.
The CFPB has sued multiple collectors since 2011- winning $100 million in civil penalties and $300 million in restitution.
“What I tell my clients very simply is don’t answer the phone, hang up, you don’t have to talk to these people,” said Woods.
Consumers are also encouraged to submit debt collection complaints to the CFPB.
Dying with debt
You may see that little headline and think that being buried under thousands of dollars in debt will make you die earlier from the stress of it - but this is more about what you leave behind after you die.
There’s actually good news about death - maybe that’s a stretch - but let’s say there’s a better outlook when it comes to the mountain of bills we may leave behind when we pass.
There’s a drop in the number of U.S. adults who say they expect to die in debt - it is now 12 percent as opposed to 21 percent about a year ago, according to a Creditcards.com survey.
Plus, 24 percent of Americans say they are currently debt-free - the highest level in three years.
Best time to get a deal on a TV? Now
If you’ve been biding your time to splurge on a new TV for the big game or to see your new favorite video game in all it’s glory- now is the time to buy, according to experts.
“The 55-inch, 4K TVs are going to be some of the lowest prices that we’ve seen,” said Brent Shelton with FatWallet.com.
The reason for the deals - retailers are making room for newer models and hoping to get buyers ahead of the Super Bowl.
Here are a few of the deepest discounts right now, according to FatWallet:
Walmart: VIZIO 55” 4K 120Hz LED Smart TV- $409.99 (was $469.99) Free Shipping
Best Buy: Samsung 55” 4K 60Hz UHD Smart TV- $499.99 (was $799.99) Free Shipping
BEST BUY: Sharp 55” LED 1080p Smart Roku HDTV- $349.99 (was $499.99) Free Shipping
MicroCenter: LG 55” 4K 120 Hz UHD Smart TV- $499 Free Store pickup
PC Richard & Son: Samsung 55” 4K HDR LED Smart TV- $549.97 (was $797.99) Free Shipping
eBay: Samsung 65” 4K TV + HTCT390 Soundbar- $1,299 (was $2,699) Free Shipping
You can also find some of the best prices in January on large exercise equipment - ellipticals and treadmills - and on tax software, said Shelton.
Rachel Murray is a WHIO-TV consumer reporter. You can watch her reports on News Center 7, follow her on Twitter @RMurrayWHIO, and like her fan page on Facebook.
About the Author