So you’re under some perceived harassment from Credit Corp and want some advice? Our guide might shed some light on what to do.
Debt collectors in Australia are becoming more aggressive and loud-mouthed every year. I wish the government would do something about their behaviour.
It seems every week there’s a new report about Credit Corp Harassment. We decided to create a guide to help hit back at these perceived bullies.
Read this to the end so you’ll be more aware of what you can do.
Credit Corp Harassment on everyday people
It’s almost like a David and Goliath battle, isn’t it? Except it’s 2020.
I guess you could say it’s Evil Corp vs Aussie Battler. We’re doing it tough here.
Truth be told that often Credit Corp isn’t actually harassing people. It’s true.
Many people think that Credit Corp Harassment is happening to them. Those endless rude phone calls, letters of demand and unhelpful text messages just keep arriving. Here is what you can do to report the bullying and finally regain control again of your life!
The thing is…they have a job to do. They need to recover some debts.
Sometimes that requires raising their voices or calling you all the time.
It’s just how they operate. They can’t be Mr Nice Guy after all.
The debt collection industry is one that sucks for everyone.
But there are a few agencies doing the right thing.
While others aren’t and totally flouting the laws.
So if you think you’re being bullied, read this:
1. You can speak to the National Debt Helpline
This is always a good idea. They provide a non-bias government-supported service for people who are up to their eyeballs in debt and just want someone to talk to.
You can call them during the week between 9am and 5pm. That said, they will often tell you that Credit Corp isn’t doing any real harassment, which is true.
2. Ask to speak to someone nicer
If the person you’re speaking with at Credit Corp is rude, unhelpful or just feels like they’re trying to harass you, then you can request to speak with someone else.
It might take 3 to 4 people before you finally get someone that will listen to your stories. Some of them are commission-driven and just want to fish out some money, while most of them genuinely want to help you in this situation.
3. Communicate with letters/emails instead of the phone
Did you know that you can opt to communicate with Credit Corp via emails or letters instead of phone calls? Not that many people know that.
Even better is that they now allow you to check your account online and sort out your debt situation through their online portal. It’s very helpful actually.
4. Get someone else to represent you
You can engage someone like our recommended mediator to talk to Credit Corp on your behalf. It’s generally FREE and you might get a discount on the debt amount.
This takes all the stress, fear and anxiety away. A suitable payment plan can also be arranged over the phone.
5. Submit a complaint to them
Credit Corp Australia has its own complaints resolution process and even an email address. If you genuinely feel that you’re a victim of harassment, then submit a formal complaint to them.
The only catch is that you need genuine evidence so they can speak to the staff member who is troubling you. This can be hard to obtain especially as it’s them recording the phone calls, not you.
6. Propose a payment plan
As soon as you say “Hey! I can pay a little bit each week” then their tonality will change substantially. They will go from evil dragon to Mr Nice Person instantly.
See – they are used to people dismissing them all day long. You know – trying to get away from their debts. Instead, taking this approach gets them on your side. Plus – you really gotta sort out this debt situation.
7. Speak to the Ombudsman
Communicating with the Ombudsman is a good idea but only for very isolated cases. Quite commonly they will tell you that Credit Corp is operating within Australian laws…which they almost always are!
8. Get someone to screen your voicemails for you
Have you been terrified of listening to yet another debt collector phone call, especially from Credit Corp? If so – we recommend that you get someone that you know and trust to listen to the voice messages for you.
That way they can assess the severity of the situation but also take away the emotional part. Instead of hearing an angry debt collector, they just see the important facts – size of debt and what they want from you etc.
9. Tell them you can start paying a little bit
This ties in with the payment plan. If you can say something like “Hey can I just pay $300 today.” then again, they will become a lot nicer. It shows to them that you’re actually getting on top of this and taking things seriously.
Sometimes throwing them a little money will help ease the situation and make the person on the phone turn into the best friend you ever had.
10. Our recommended mediator can talk to them for you
Are you petrified of picking up the blocked number or random mobile number? It’s probably Credit Corp, isn’t it? Those text messages and demanding letters are piling up there.
Instead of ignoring this HUGE situation, you can take all that weight off your shoulders and get someone like our recommended mediator to do the hard work for you.
Next steps
Don’t ignore what’s happening here. You clearly have a debt that needs to be repaid. Don’t wait until it’s simply too late, as they can take you to Court.
Debt collector harassment is a real thing, though it seldom happens with the big boys in Australia like Credit Corp. Often it’s merely mistaken for their normally tough stance because they are trying to retrieve money here, not make friends over the phone.
The biggest problem is Facebook stalking. Debt collectors including Credit Corp do this all the time. They know who your friends and family are, they stalked your photos already. Now they can start talking to them too about your debts. Very embarrassing!
If you need some help through this process, then please get in touch. We’d love the chance to make this all stop for you today.
The mess, the chaos and finally let you sleep peacefully tonight.
At the end of the day, the best way to stop them is to talk to them personally about the harassment. Raise your concerns to higher levels of management and get it addressed professional. Most importantly – explain your personal debt situation and organize a payment plan today.
Thank you