KCEN-TV out of Texas reports that aggressive debt collectors are bullying our troops overseas. An attorney tells them:
I hate to say it, but they're easy targets. They’re in Iraq. They’re in Afghanistan. They’re at bases across the world and the collectors realize that. They start going after spouses, they start calling commanding officers..
The report suggests that debt collectors "hope military members will quickly fold and hand over money, before they know their rights and realize they're being violated."
Comments
Any service member especially those on duty in war zones should be covered by "The Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act" This law states that they are under a hardship and that these bill collectors have to give them certain accommodations due to this hardship.
What they need to do is to contact Their JAG Officer and have them either file the proper paperwork, or to help them in resolving these calls or letters.
Even someone entering the service and going through basic training is covered. My information goes to a situation I had in the early 1980's so there may be changes since.
Posted by: Allen | September 9, 2007 5:35 PM