Boston Globe has a big investigative package on questionable methods used by debt collectors pursuing consumers in small claims court. Among recurring problems: default judgments against debtors who never were alerted to proceedings because notice was mailed to the wrong address, or who were told by creditors that they “might not” have to attend the court date because they had volunteered a payment schedule. Also in the spotlight: a now-disbarred lawyer named Daniel Goldstone who buys up low-quality debt to collect by way of hardball methods, and who appears to be no gem; his conduct provoked liberal U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner into applying Rule 11 sanctions, something she told the Globe she had never felt compelled to do in any other case in her twelve years on the bench (“Debtors’ Hell”, series home; Francie Latour, “For bare-knuckled collector, some harsh judicial reviews”, Jul. 29).
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