Putting UU principles into action: Debt Buyer Legislation

[John Gear]

Please consider adding your name to the sign-on letters, and contacting your legislators in support of this important bill, and spreading this as far and to as many people as possible.

 UUs are often not among those being hammered by debt collection suits, so there may be less awareness in UU circles of this important issue and great prospective reform.  HB 2826, yes!

I’m working with a group of consumer advocates to make long overdue changes to Oregon’s debt collection laws and I need your help.

Wrongful debt collection lawsuits and consumer complaints about debt collectors have risen astronomically over the past ten years. The debt buying industry takes advantage of lax rules and regulations to run roughshod over consumer rights.  

Last year the largest debt buyers sued more than 32,000 Oregonians. As reported in a Willamette Week cover story, one firm out of Eugene averaged a new lawsuit every 15 minutes court was open in 2010. The sheer volume of lawsuits combined with the scant evidence and questionable quality of the data has lead many to call this robo-signing 2.0.

HB 2826 would address these issues by requiring the debt buyer to include basic proof about who owes, how much is owed and the age of the debt.  

I’m asking my friends, colleagues and former clients to contact their legislator today to voice support for HB 2826. Click here for step-by-step instructions. 

Three ways to help:

- Contact your legislator. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

- Sign on to the letter from faith leaders across Oregon. Click here 

- Sign on to the letter from consumers who had to deal with a debt buyer lawsuit. Click here

If you have any questions email Adriel Hsu-Flanders, Economic Fairness Oregon, at adr...@economicfairness.org

John Gear Law Office. A values-based Oregon law practice serving consumers, elders, and nonprofits. 503-339-7787