As a former telephone solicitor for a debt collection agency I have to call [***] on your comment. In fact, most debt collectors work on a commission basis - many for collection firms that has bought stale debt for pennies on the dollar, with much of that legally uncollectable as it is aged passed statutory limits for legal collection. I've even worked accounts where the debtor had actually PAID the debt to the original lender or vendor and the collector will continue to harass the alleged debtor.

Collectors are TAUGHT methods for extorting debtors, including threats, humiliation, and harassment. Many will ignore even written demands for ceasing contact with the debtor, or will simply pass it on to a different collector requiring the alleged debtor to initiate yet another round of confrontation.

Debt collectors seldom if ever make any attempt to verify the information that they have is correct before harassing people. I myself once got a new cell phone with a new number that apparently belonged previously to a person that had many unpaid bills. For MONTHS I was inundated with calls from a half-dozen different debt collectors looking for the previous owner of the cell number, not one of which ceased calling even AFTER I informed them that they had the wrong number and the wrong person. Two continued to call and harass me even AFTER I sent them Cease and Desist letters by registered mail.

Frankly, "honest" debt collectors are rare because there is no incentive to be diligent or honest and every incentive to harass alleged debtors.

BTW, as a collector I was taught that it is nearly impossible for an alleged debtor to prove harassment unless they record the call, which the debtor cannot legally do in most states without informing the collector that the call is being recorded. We were taught to behave ourselves if the alleged debtor indicated the call was being recorded, and to terminate a recorded discussion.

So, "Friend of Collectors", I have to call your comment [***].