Where Does the Responsibility Fall When the Creditor's at Fault?

Some of the PR challenges collection agencies face aren’t necessarily due to mistakes made internally. Some of that stems from the relationship with the original creditor.

Take, for instance, this ThinkProgress.com story about Bank of America.

In 2006, Kathy Stevens paid off close to $2,000 in delinquent credit card debt to Bank of America. However, rather than closing out Stevens’s account, they sold it to a collection agency with no documentation that she had settled her debt with the bank.

Stevens, of course, sued. But, as the article points out: “Bank of America is not directly involved in the lawsuit.”

Who is directly involved in the lawsuit? The collection agency to whom Bank of America sold the account.

I’m curious — and would love to hear from those willing to talk about this on the record or off (email: editor@insideARM.com) — how do you manage the relationship between your agency and the creditor? Do you feel empowered to ask for better documentation? Or is it better to just take the accounts they give you and do as much as you can internally?

Hit us up via email or in the comments below.