Consumers in December filed 1,254 complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against a total of 383 debt collectors, according to data talled by WebRecon LLC, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company.
The status of the complaints include 1,246 with timely responses (or 99.4 percent of the total). A further breakdown includes:
815 (65 percent) - closed with explanation
219 (17.5 percent) - closed with non-monetary relief
158 (12.6 percent) - in progress
32 (2.6 percent) - closed
23 (1.8 percent) - closed with monetary relief
Of the company responses, consumers accepted 1,106 (88.2 percent), and disputed 148 (11.8 percent).
The top complaints cited included: 534 (or 42.6 percent of the total) for continued attempts to collect a debt that isn't owed; 246 (19.6 percent) for communication tactics; 214 (17.1 percent) for disclosure verification of debt; 97 (7.7 percent) for improper contact or sharing of info; 85 (6.8 percent) for false statements or representation; and 78 (6.2 percent) for taking/threatening an illegal action.
The top five secondary issues were:
? 324 (25.8 percent) - debt is not mine
? 167 (13.3 percent) - frequent or repeated calls
? 143 (11.4 percent) - debt was paid
? 140 (11.2 percent) - not given enough into to verify debt
? 63 (5 percent) - right to dispute notice not received
The top five types of debt behind the complaints included:
? 357 (28.5 percent) - other (phone, health club, etc.)
? 275 (21.9 percent) - unknown
? 255 (20.3 percent) credit card
? 156 (12.4%) medical
? 63 (5 percent) payday loans
The top states complaints were filed from are:
142 Complaints: CA
119 Complaints: TX
105 Complaints: FL
100 Complaints: NY
54 Complaints: NJ
48 Complaints: PA
44 Complaints: GA
41 Complaints: IL
37 Complaints: VA
36 Complaints: MI
