77% of Americans have debt, from college loans, a car, or a house. Even if you make a monthly payment on time and have a good credit score, you still likely own tens of thousands of dollars.
The average amount of debt every American holds is over $58,000. Pamela Hernandez of the Better Business Bureau in Springfield, (Missouri) says that scammers monitor this and share the story of one southwest Missouri resident fooled by a debt scammer.
“There was someone from the Joplin area that made a report to BBB Scam Tracker, that someone called claiming to be a compliance officer of the court and trying to get them to pay on a debt; they actually did have a debt with the company. So they convinced them to start paying on this debt, but after the person made a few payments, they tried to reconnect and realized that it was a scam. The number was no longer in service.”
The resident lost $975. If you receive a telephone call about debt, the BBB recommends requesting proof of the agency calling and the debt. Or a validation note in writing, which is required by law.
