General question about the debt industry in the UK

mr.ton

Forgive me if this thread seems/sounds a bit bizzare - but i'll give it a go
It never ceases to amaze me when i read this forum & others like it, just how wretched DCA's are in this country.
Without getting too deep here....humans by their very nature will react to threats...thats how we've survived for umpteen thousands of years.
DCA's have this attitude (and i never know were it started from in the 1st place?) that if you send a threatening letter to someone demanding money then they will get that money.
Now common logic says that if you want something off someone, you ask nicely for it - thats what i was always told as a kid & no always meant no.
Why the debt industry in this country seems to think its above that basic principle is a mystery?
(For the record - this is not a thread about debt evasion or anything like that, merely the attitude/approach that DCA's adopt)
So i just wonder if DCA's are nothing more than the adult version of playground school bully effectivley - in that if you didnt hand over your pocket money then action would taken against you

DVardysShadow

You can arrive at the answer by logic.

The world is divided into 3 types of people

• Those who do pay. By the time the debt has reached the DCA, these will have paid, so the majority of people who respond positively to being asked nicely [those who do pay] have been eliminated.
• Those who can't pay. These are the remainder of those people who respond positively to being asked nicely - but if a DCA asks them nicely, it makes no difference.
• Those who won't pay. These people need something stronger than being asked nicely.

So the DCAs know their best chance is to get money out of those who won't pay - there is no money in those who can't pay. But they can't distinguish those who can't pay from those who won't pay - particularly if one of the tactics for those who won't pay is to appear as if they can't pay. And the result is that the tactics employed by the DCAs are best matched to those who won't pay.

I am reasonably certain that the tactics of the DCAs have evolved to, along the lines of survival of the fittest. Week in week out you see people here who fear debt and have been bullied by a DCA into paying more than they can afford and who have been bullied into giving bank details for direct debits. So this means that the DCA tactics are often also effective in getting money out of those who cannot pay.

While we are on the subject, mr.ton, you are no shrinking violet. Which of my 3 groups do you belong to?

Happytogetdebtfree

I'm in group one, but I haven't experienced a dca thank god

mr.ton

DVardysShadow wrote: »

While we are on the subject, mr.ton, you are no shrinking violet. Which of my 3 groups do you belong to?

To answer that for you....i dont agree with debt evasion, but i fully endorse DCA evasion
I agree with the basic principle of if you owe a debt then you should repay it, but only on the basis that you have it to repay....if you dont, then no amounts of DCA threats is gonna change that quite frankly.
98.9% of DCA's are full of cr*p anyway - there's more chance of seeing Lord Lucan at your front door than someone from a DCA & most of them wont go anywhere near a court because it costs them money to take someone there & the person will have numerous legal rights/protections from the start anyway etc....
Some people say "well you shouldnt have borrowed in the 1st place"...thats all fine & well, but none of us can cater for what happens months/years down the line.
The 3rd option you mentioned in your choices was "Those who wont pay"....as much as you may not like this comment - but that is their choice.
Its for the court system to make them in effect - not a DCA.
When you say "something stronger than being asked nicely"...there is a careful line that must not be crossed there

downnotout

They are plain and nasty and threatening by design. They have heard all the sob stories in the world (often genuine) so they become immune to it. Especially when the mentality is if they don't pay today I can't pay tomorrow.

mr.ton

DVardysShadow wrote: »

And the result is that the tactics employed by the DCAs are best matched to those who won't pay.

By that comment....would you not agree that more & more DCA's are finding it a struggle to obtain a payment from anyone these days because the person can simply tell them to "get lost" effectivley?
The most they can do is....errrr go to court, which despite what the DCA industry would have you believe is not like being on trial.
The explosion of the consumer forums on the internet has caused a serious headache to the DCA industry - this is evident because you even hear them talking about it when they meet up for their credit summit meetings.
I can remember watching 1 meeting online & one of the people on the panel said he would try to get these so called "vigilante websites" shut down...they seem to think they can even control the internet these days

downnotout

so if we can just tell them to "get lost" then why do "Vigilante sites" exist?

mr.ton

downnotout wrote: »

so if we can just tell them to "get lost" then why do "Vigilante sites" exist?

Because there are still millions of people in this country who are unaware that they simply can say that to DCA's & are still terrified of them

barbiedoll

Many years ago, I worked for an electricity company and spent several months in the collections department. We always spoke politely to customers even if they did owe us money. And in those days, there was no competition for custom, everyone had the supplier in their region whether they liked us or not! I cannot believe the attitude of the staff in similar positions now. They can be so rude and they treat everyone as a debt-dodger. Utility companies, along with mobile phone providers, simply cannot see that sometimes their system is at fault, if you have a bill that you know is not correct, they seem to think that by bullying you, you will pay it anyway. DCA's are the same, their staff have absolutely no manners and their bullying tactics should be outlawed. They prey on some of the most vunerable people in society and if it wasn't for sites like this, most of us would be unaware of our rights and of their limitations. It's a disgrace that in a so-called civilised society, these companies can hassle people to such a degree that their day-to-day lives are seriously affected, this practice of telephoning at all hours is horrendous. They should be much more carefully regulated at the very least, many of them should be shut down immediately.. :mad:

downnotout

the only good use for a dca is when you feel really like you want an argument, just give them a call and press their buttons, then be sarcastic, tie them up in knotts and NEVER give them ANY INFO over the phone. It has become one of my favorite past times it beats arguing with the kids or girl friend

mr.ton

Ive tormented DCA's for years now...a few of us over on CAG forums used to make a hobby out of it
From my experience, those who actually want to be taken to court by a DCA never do - i for one have begged & pleaded with them over the years but they never have :rotfl:
The latest goons im having to deal with are Fairfax - now this lot really are a law unto themselves on the phone and are not for the faint hearted shall we say :eek: