A former debt collector has become a viral sensation on TikTok for sharing videos that aim to help consumers be better prepared when taking calls from collection agencies.
Collection agencies should take note of this because a lot of people are watching the videos and will be attempting to follow her advice.
Shaunna Burns has nearly 140,000 followers and her videos have garnered more than 1 million total likes on TikTok, the social media app.
A published report says Burns is a former debt collector who has been receiving calls from other agencies because of medical debts related to treating her daughter who was kidnapped and held captive for 13 months. One collector was particularly rude during a call learning Burns to publish a video about the experience and share some advice to those who might be facing similar situations.
Not all of the advice being given by Burns appears to be accurate, however. In one video, she says that if a debt collector contacts an individual any other time other than Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. “they are wrong for that and you need to report them,” she says. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Some of the language and gestures used in the video might not be safe for work.]
https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunnaburns3/video/6766248889717722374
The published report said Burns worked at a collection agency in Florida for four years before she left because the company was engaging in what she described as “shady” tactics, such as collecting on debts where the statute of limitations had expired.
In another video, Burns warns that collectors will try to collect on debt “that they legally can’t collect on.” She also informs consumers that it costs collectors $1,000 to report an unpaid debt to a credit bureau so if someone owes less than that amount, “they ain’t putting it on your credit,” she says, calling it an “empty f—— threat.” She goes on to warn individuals that if a collector does not know your address, it’s a “big clue” that the debt is not valid. “If they can’t tell you why they are calling, what doctor’s office they are calling for, the address on file … that’s shady.” [EDITOR’S NOTE: Some of the language used in the video might not be safe for work.]
https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunnaburns3/video/6766305282290142469
