Being contacted by a debt collector in North Carolina can be very upsetting. Financial problems are a major source of stress for many people and collection agencies are not always friendly. Medical debt is quite common among people in the United States and is the source of many debt collection calls. However, a new study has found that many people do not actually owe the medical debts they are being contacted about.
According to the Penny Hoarder, it was found that 63 percent of complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding medical debt were from people who did not actually owe the debt they were contacted about. Many people were also upset about medical debt appearing on their credit report.
Of those who complained about medical debt they did not owe, seven percent said that amount they were given was incorrect, reports Consumerist. 15 percent of people reported that they were unable to verify the debt with the information they were given. In addition, 21 percent of people said they already paid the debt off in full and 24 percent said that the debt belonged to somebody else.
Many of the complaints were filed against a core group of companies. In fact, over 20 percent of the complaints were about 10 companies in particular. People also reported that these companies used harassing tactics, such as legal threats and contacting loved ones about the debt. Collection agencies are prohibited from harassing people about outstanding balances and the CFPB has taken action against companies that engage in illegal practices.
