When is it Time to Fuck the Collector?

The PA Attorney General says that “if a debt collector breaks the FDCPA once, they will do it again.” Turns out they’re right. My early problems with the latest collector to get a hand on my electric account, IC System, weren’t really problems, even if they were violations. My first letter from them came about two weeks after my first phone call from them. Do I care? Nope. One of the first phone calls came in at quarter after 9pm. Do I care? Nope.

Both are violations of the FDCPA, and in turn also violations of PA’s Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act. Neither has caused me any actual harm, or even annoyance. Doubling my balance, however, does. The FCEUA prohibits “collection of any amount not agreed to by the agreement creating the debt or authorized by law.” Now, I have no idea what I may have agreed to with the electric company when I moved in to my apartment, but I highly doubt that it was that. Pennsylvania law allows for 6% interest on debts, which certainly doesn’t double anything after 3 years.

Wolfram Alpha gives an interest rate of 23.11% to double a balance in 3 years. That sucks even for a credit card. Fuck. That. Shit.

I was on the fence before this, teetering between just paying the damn thing, or letting the statute of limitations run out. But for such a gross violation, one that does adversely affect me, is it time to fuck the collector? While I could report them to the AG, that wouldn’t benefit me directly, if the AG were to even take action in the first place. Is it time to sue, and play the $1,000 per violation lottery? If I did, there is of course a chance that they would settle it right away, but if not, I’d either have to grow some pretty big balls to take them on pro se, or find representation that would be willing to work on a contingency basis (and also take a hefty chunk of the proceeds [which would probably be worth it for pants-pissing prevention]).

What would you do?

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