Sleazy Tactics Alleged By Washington State AG In Civil Suit Against Debt Collector

From the Office of the Washington State Attorney General:

• The Attorney General’s Office is suing an Everett-based collection agency accused of harassing, threatening and cussing at consumers. Representatives of Topco Financial Services, Inc., allegedly called debtors names such as “loser,” scum,” “plight on society,” “no good,” “lowlife,” “deadbeat,” “worthless,” or “terrible parents,” as well as profane names not suitable for print. That kind of language isn’t just abusive – it’s illegal. It’s also the type of unfair business practice that can make it harder for legitimate collectors who play by the rules to do their job.

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• The state’s complaint(1) submitted [...] to Snohomish County Superior Court accuses the company, president Tracey Austell, of Mill Creek, and secretary/treasurer Harry Packer, of Desert Hot Springs, Calif., of violating the state’s Consumer Protection Act.

For the entire press release, see Debt collector to consumer: “&#$%*!” (Attorney General sues Everett collection agency for harassment, threats).

For the lawsuit, see State of Washington v. Topco Financial Services, Inc., et al.

In a related post, see Tough Economy Triggers Sleazy Collection Practices As Threatening, Humiliating MySpace Messages, Profanity Alleged In Civil Suits.

(1) The complaint states, among other things, that while attempting to collect on debt, Topco or its representatives frequently have used harassing, threatening, intimidating, embarrassing and offensive language, including (see Complaint - paragraph 7.2(a) thru (e)):

• Disparaged debtors with comments including, “You got yourself into this [profanity] situation,” and “What kind of mother is she to raise a daughter like you?”
• Threatening to “bi*ch slap” a debtor.
• After having been informed by a debtor that she was undergoing tests for possible cancer, representatives allegedly replied, “Aren’t you dead yet? I’m going to collect the money from you dead or alive,” and “Why don’t you just die from cancer because you are a low-life deadbeat?”
• Using offensive language by calling debtors names, including, but not limited to: "worthless f**king loser, "piece of sh*t," "bi*ch," and "dumb a**."