DAYTON — Complaints about aggressive debt collectors are on the rise as more people find themselves living paycheck to paycheck.
Sam Brashears, a single mom working as an appointment scheduler, has struggled with debt for over a decade, relying on credit cards to make ends meet.
After missing a payment, Brashears began receiving calls from debt collectors.
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Thomas Nitzche, a financial educator at Money Management International, explained that consumer debt is at an all-time high, and collectors are incentivized to recover as much debt as possible.
Brashears had accumulated about $40,000 in debt across five credit cards, paying only the minimum balance each month.
Medical emergencies for her two teenagers added to her financial burden, totaling about $5,000 in unexpected expenses.
Debt collectors must adhere to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which prohibits them from calling in the middle of the night, calling more than seven times a week, showing up at a debtor’s doorstep, or discussing the debt with family members or coworkers.
Brashears is now working with credit counselors to negotiate lower rates on her credit cards and has managed to cut her debt in half.
With the help of credit counselors, Brashears hopes to pay off her debt within two to three years and start saving for the future.
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