Following a recent report on Missouri's "top scams" by the state's Attorney General Chris Koster, the Missouri Collectors Association issued a statement to clarify that debt collection is a legitimate, legal activity governed by federal and Missouri law.
"Missourians should not avoid debt collectors or dismiss being contacted as a scam without verifying it first," said Missouri Collectors Association President Roger Weiss. "We understand that consumer complaints are high and collectors are actively working to prevent, reduce and resolve them, but the vast majority of debt collection activity is legitimate. It's imperative to address a debt collection inquiry head-on because a consumer's failure to act could have a negative impact on their ability to get future credit."
The Missouri Collectors Association, the group states, is working with Koster's office and state leaders to help stop illegal and deceptive activities meant to intentionally "deceive or mislead consumers as it seeks to ensure a balanced debt collection system that protects consumers and allows the legitimate collection of debt to function."
"Anything less than the legal and respectful collection of duly owed debt is simply unacceptable and those bad actors that choose an alternative path should be held accountable for their actions," said Weiss.
The Missouri Collectors Association supports AskDoctorDebt.com
"With the multitude of scams and misleading or false information easily available at the click of a mouse, our aim is to provide consumers with a tool they can trust without fear of gimmicks or being ripped off," Weiss added.
The Missouri Collectors Association has more than 60 members and is a state unit of ACA International.
