T-MOBILE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES
- Telecom carrier T-Mobile might be in some hot water for its “uncarrier” campaign. While the company promises to free consumers from service contracts, the program requires customers to make monthly payments for the phone itself, and if they end those financing agreements before the phones are paid off, can be placed in debt collection with little or no notice. The Attorney General of New York and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are reportedly investigating the company and its claims.
GUIDE ADVISES CONSUMERS TO KEEP LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN
- One of the most important lessons from a new guide published by the state of Maine’s consumer protection office is for consumers to keep the lines of communication open when contacted by debt collectors. The guide, called “Downeaster Common Sense Guide: Debt Collection” is available here.
HOW IRS WILL USE COLLECTION AGENCIES
- A comprehensive overview of the plan that will allow the Internal Revenue Service to outsource debt collection to private agencies. There is currently $380 billion in unpaid tax debt, up 23% from 2009, according to the General Accountability Office. Under the program, the IRS will be required to submit two reports to Congress. One would summarize the amount of debt outsourced to collection agencies and how much those companies were able to recover; the other would be independent performance evaluations of the companies in the program and a comparison of best practices between the IRS and those agencies.
WORTH NOTING: Oil prices collapsed yesterday, falling to levels not seen since the recession six years ago … Business owners are not as optimistic about the future as they were a few months ago but still admit they have to hire more employees … How to make new hires feel welcome … The U.S. Navy mixed photos from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor with present-day photos from the same locations to create some cool illustrations … A company is giving employees $10,000 to pay off their student loans … Bill Gates lists the best books he’s read this year … Airbnb valued at $26 billion … A mining company is laying off 85,000 workers worldwide … Citigroup is reminding employees of what is OK and not OK to wear … Buffalo is the hottest construction market in the Northeast.
Best gadget gifts this holiday season
You’re not getting enough sleep and this is why it’s bad for you
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