Bill Bartmann Takes Debt Collection Abuse Campaign to Minnesota

Nationally known debt collector and industry insider Bill Bartmann, CEO of CFS II, today took his 50-state “Stop These Criminals” campaign to the Minnesota capital where he presented recommendations to Attorney General Lori Swanson and others for reducing debt collection abuse to consumers in Minnesota.

This follows Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signing into law measures that Bartmann recommended for providing new protection for citizens facing collection calls for delinquent credit card bills. Consumer-minded elected officials across the nation are seeking Bartmann’s experience inside the collections industry to close loopholes and end predatory practices.

“My industry is overrun with scum bag collectors across America who repeatedly abuse consumers who don’t know their rights,” said Bartmann. “Fortunately, we can stop this abuse. And I know just how to do it.”

With about 50 million Americans facing late bills, complaints against bill collectors are skyrocketing nationwide. In 2010, consumer complaints against debt collectors reached 140,036, up 17 percent from 2009, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Minnesota has been a haven for abusive debt collector practices, and Bartmann hopes to help enact the same reform measures he has introduced elsewhere in America.

Bartmann met with Congressman Frank in June on recommendations for updating parts of The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1978, which is the guiding document for debt collection regulations across the nation. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Act established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the new policing agency for consumer financial services markets including debt collections.

The action is part of his 50-state campaign to draw attention to debt collection abuse and the need for sweeping regulatory changes to the $40 billion collections business. Bartmann has been called the ‘No. 1 Collection Industry Consumer Advocate’ in the world and was referred to by USA Today as the ‘Patron Saint of the Second Chance.’ He recently published the book Out of Control: Cases of Debt-Collection Abuse in America and What We Can Do About It. All proceeds will be donated to the National Consumer Law Center. The book documents clear patterns of abusive tactics used by unethical collectors.

For more information visit www.stopthesecriminals.com