In a business column dated January 20, Baltimore Sun writer Jay Hancock seems to delite in the fact that a prominent accounts receivable management firm filed bankruptcy in the midst of an unemployment-driven recession. Speculation suggests the underlying message of the article was to threaten violence against collectors.

Hancock writes that collection agencies are working poorly to recover money because in a recession people owe more money. Unfortunately this argument runs in circles, many collection agencies protest. Yes, debt collectors will get much more work when credit defaults are on the rise. But the collections industry, like any other, depends on the financial stability of consumers. If they do not have the money to pay back the debt, collection starts to seem like a moot point.

While many of his economic theories and beliefs are erroneous, later in the article Hancock discusses the bankruptcy of debt collection law firm Mann Bracken, suggesting that violence against debt collectors might be an acceptable path to justice. Because Mann Bracken had an order to stop debt collection activities, thousands of cases filed by the firm against consumers will be tossed out.

Hancock’s reaction is a little bit shocking. “A firebomb tossed into the company’s offices could not have been as effective.” Really? You want to firebomb the office?

People take their interactions with collectors very personally. Some handle it well, some do not. It is hard to believe that there are droves of consumers out there wishing physical harm to debt collectors and their offices. On the other hand, unfortunately, debt collectors are people with emotions as well. Your debt is their commission. While most collectors follow protocol, there is that one occasional jerk that gets you really angry. Founded or unfounded as these feelings may seem, it seems things have taken a turn for the worst when violent threats pass as a business column.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a national collection agency .

When you find yourself in a situation that may lead to bigger complications down the line, you try to find the fastest and most headache-free solution to the problem. It is always the best way to nip the problem in the bud before it even starts.

The same principle applies when you’re dealing with accounts that have lagged on payments, whose checks have bounced, who have totally stopped making their payments and have deemed themselves unreachable and a dozen other scenarios that will surely make your head spin. The role of your credit manager if you have one, at this point, is to decide whether to deal with these problems in-house or pass on these accounts to a collection agency that will then be tasked to follow-up and, at best, recover the money owed to your company.

Usually, a debt collection agency is called upon when you really have an overwhelming problem with your customers’ payment backlog. You’ve already tried resolving the issue using your in-house crew and having them initiate non-threatening appeals to your accounts by making phone calls, sending letters and even making personal visits. Or, sometimes, the problem has persisted and you find that your whole business has reached its danger zone and its plight hinges on whether or not you can recover some of the money that you lost. Whatever the case, hiring a collection agency seems to be the best way to deal with the situation.

However, extra care must be exercised when you finally decide to place your past dues with a debt collection agency. You have to remember that hiring a collection agency means that you are turning over a part of your business to someone totally on the outside. First of all, when you choose a debt collection agency you have to be sure that they come highly recommended by someone who has made use of their services and have been highly satisfied with them.

It is just as important that you check with an accrediting organization like that of the Better Business Bureau. This just makes sure that the debt collection agency that you’ve hired is regulated and subject to a higher power if they fail to deliver on their promise.

Second, when selecting a debt collection agency, you have to consider their technological capacity and equivalent manpower to handle your demands. When you say technological capacity it means that the agency will have the call center in place to handle any communication between your customers and the agency, with reporting to be done on a regular basis to you as the ‘mother’ company.

You also have to make sure that the agency’s staff is trained to represent you as the client and not be seen as a third-party provider. It has been reported that most people are adverse to collection agencies and are more prone to shying away from them which will make it harder for you to go after them.

Their experience and customer-related orientation need to be as good as the fees that you’ll be paying. You need to negotiate a good compensation package that will take into account all of these conditions mentioned so you’ll at least be assured that you’re getting your money’s worth. It doesn’t make sense for you to be spending so much and not getting anything in return.

Rapid Recovery Solution is a third party debt collection company.

Exactly who is trying to get me to pay up? The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was unleashed in the 1970s and provided many protections for consumers. There are strict rules and regulations that a debt collector must abide by, and if any of these regulations are violated, there is a good chance that you could sue that agency. But what about that friend of yours who owes you five bucks? Do you have to grant them thirty days to refute the claim? Clearly, you do not.

The point is that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act applies to collectors, and only collectors. For example, take a look at Morency v. Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Corp, a district court case in Illinois from 1999. In an attempt to collect debt, a hospital issued and sent out pre-collection notices, which is a no-no for third party collectors. But the court ruled that the hospital was merely a creditor, not a collection agency, so the FDCPA did not apply to it.

Courts take many factors into consideration to figure out whether the creditor should be deemed the actual debt collector. A collection agency’s participation in the actual debt collection would have to be minute. Is the collection agency a mere mailing service? Do the letters state if the debtor does not pay the debt will be referred for collection? Is the collection agency paid only for sending letters, rather than commission?

If the collection agency does not receive any payments or forward any payments to the creditor, that is suspicious. If a debtor fails to respond to the letter and the collection agency has no further contact with the debtor, or if it does not get the files of the debtors, they probably aren’t going to be considered debt collection agencies.

The lesson you should walk away with is that it is important that you know who you are paying your money to. It’s always wise to be vigilant when it comes to your finances.

Mallory McGuinness is employed by a debt collection. Also, she does articles on consumer spending, business and finance, and debt collection.

Your credit history. It could be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Most of the time it’s like a nosy mother in law coming to visit. You know that she’s coming, and that’s always bad news, but you are too afraid to ask or even consider how long she will be staying. Even though that was the worst analogy ever, read on to see how long negative marks stay on your credit history!

In my humble opinion, there are two records that really count in life. Your criminal record and your financial record. Unlike your criminal record which will sway over your head for a very long time, your credit report and scores are not permanent, thankfully. But how long can these negative records exist on file?

First, errors in your credit report will be removed immediately. It you find a mistake, or a negative account that doesn’t belong to you, contact the credit reporting agency and the creditor. You should be able to have the negative account removed within 180 days.

Anytime your credit report is pulled at your request, a thing called an inquiry is put on your report. An occasional inquiry wouldn’t hurt, but if you have placed a large number of inquiries within a short time period, this typically lets prospective creditors know that you need the cash and you need it fast. The bottom line is that the more inquiries that show up on your report, the lower your score will drop. These will usually last only up to two years.

But here’s the skinny about inquiries. Not all inquires will do harm to your credit score. Soft inquiries, like when you get your credit score, or when companies check your credit for purposes of making unsolicited credit offers do not hurt it. When you apply for a credit card, the creditor pulls your credit report that will result in what is a hard inquiry. This may potentially lower your score.

Mallory McGuinness-Hickey works for a debt collection company. Also, shecomposesarticles on consumer spending, business, finance, and debt collection.