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Having also been a collector, I have to agree. At least 90% of my "business" was repeat business, that is, customers I saw month in and month out and collected every single payment. For most of these people, the whole collections effort turned into a giant game of let's beat the system as long as possible. I was fair with those that needed help, but the true deadbeats (habituals) were the ones that I had to turn it up a notch on. Still, it appears that I played by the rules.

A college once claimed I owed them money for a course I'd taken. Over time, the date of the course I supposedly owed for changed from 1988 to 1990 to 1992. The short story is that it was quite obvious that I couldn't have owed the money.

It went to a collection agency that kept after me for years despite my telling them how they could easily determine that I didn't owe the money. Did they persist in believing I would fold under pressure and pay up?

Their tactics included a practiced slurring of names and a feigning of indignance when asked questions. That would be followed by hanging up on me.

I finally got rid of them after calling and recalling each time they hung up and demanding answers to my questions.

I used to Repo lease vehicles with my Dad.Lots of big fancy cars, parked at very modest homes. I took dozens of them, and don't feel particularly bad about it. Every person who is behind on their credit should go see the creditor and tell them things aren't working. Odds are, they'll take the goods back or offer you some kind of new arrangement. If I took your car because you didn't want to address a problem, boo hoo.

That said, I have spoken to phone 3rd party collectors that needed a good punch in the throat. The little couple that lived next to my brother were a prefect case. He was a house painter and she was receptionist or something. They were behind on their mastercard, and really not in a position to deal with it. Inevitably, they started getting calls. I'm not sure there was one thing the jerk that had their file didn't accuse them of being or doing. Abusive, dishonest, and threatening, just a grade-A pr-ck.

Eventually, I has a word with him and pointed out that all of their debt was unsecured and how much easier their lives would be if they went bankrupt. Then we discussed the finer points of Canadian credit laws, pointing out that he could not garnish either of their wages because they didn't make enough income and had children to support. *Then* I pointed out exactly how unlikely it was for the courts to rule against an attractive, struggling couple in favor of his company. Further, they would get legal aid and the collection agency would have to pay their lawyer. Sounded to me like a jerk with a grudge could make getting the two grand they owed a three to five grand proposition.

All this eroded the tough-guy thing pretty quick, and nicer people started calling. They drew up a proposal, got a debt loan and hopefully aren't in debt anymore (doubtful, I've never seen worse financial skills). It's very easy to slap people around when they don't know the rules to the game. Moral? Know the rules of the lending game, what kind of debt you have, or don't take credit. If you do end up in debt, remember that it will not get better by itself. Get help sooner, not later.