Bankruptcy Attorney | Why People Get Harassed More Than Others Pt. 1
Bankruptcy Attorney | What drives many clients to my Bakersfield bankruptcy office is the constant harassment of debt collectors — daily phone calls, collection letters, contact at work and home, etc. In fact, I would say that the annoyance of dealing with constant creditor/collector contact is a major factor in motivating my clients to pick up the phone and give me a call.
Some delinquent consumers are actually harassed more than others. This is because large collection companies pay for research on which debtors are more likely to pay an outstanding bill. Armed with such valuable data, the debt collectors can then use their resources more efficiently. That means that some unlucky people will be harassed much more than others. Certainly, analytics and “big data” are the goldmine of modern business, and the collections industry is no different.
Collection Scores Are Often the Reason for Aggressive Bill Collecting Harassment
The three main credit reporting agencies (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax), as well as FICO, offer credit scores which most consumers are familiar with: the higher the score, the easier it is to obtain new credit. However, what most people do not know is that these agencies also offer “collection scores.” These are analytics based on a statistical analysis that they claim will help collection companies prioritize accounts to determine who they should concentrate their resources on to collect.
As an example, Experian calls their version “PriorityScore for Collections”. The company refers to this as a Debt Collection Scoring and Recovery Model. That is to say that Experian (and the rest) have algorithms that determine both the chances of repayment as well as the expected dollar amount that can be recovered based on the debtor’s credit scores, amount of debt, typical repayment patterns, etc. They even break down the types of debts in addition to the amounts and “ripeness”; different types of debts (even in different industries) and the age of those debts get paid back with differing frequencies and in different amounts.
This data helps collectors be more efficient by aggressively targeting debtors who-the analytics and the models based on those analytics show-are most likely to pay delinquent debts and in higher amounts.
The Higher the Collection Score, the More Aggressive the Debt Collector Can Be
All large collection agencies use highly specialized computer software that essentially determines which consumers to target by using an account prioritization system that relies on these collection scores. These debt collection mills can actually have the software automatically dial the calls (“robocalls”). Debt collectors sitting in cubicles then take one call after another, all day long.
Experian sells collection services in addition to the analytics/predictive recovery models. For a monthly fee, Experian can leverage their data collection and offer collection agencies an internet-based back-end that targets consumers who have these high collection scores. Experian touts 1.3 billion updates per month to their database. Over 1.3 billion updates made each month, including new phone numbers, new addresses, employment data, and payment history.
Our office can assist you in determining whether bankruptcy is the right choice for you, and which chapter under the Bankruptcy Code would provide you with the most relief. To schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable Bakersfield bankruptcy attorney about filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Kern County, please call our office today at 661-888-4335 .
