Debt Collector to Disabled Veteran: “You Should’ve Died in the War”
A disabled U.S. veteran who is living off disability payments was highly insulted when a debt collector called his home and told him that he “should’ve 
died in the war” instead of “taking advantage” of other Americans.
The debt collector worked for the firm Gurstel Chargo, which is now facing charges for insulting the veteran over a defaulted $6,000 student loan.
“If you would have served our country better you would not be a disabled veteran living off Social Security while the rest of us honest Americans work our a***s off,” one of the agency’s debt collectors allegedly told the vet. “Too bad, you should have died.”
U.S. Army veteran Michael Collier was declared 100% disabled due to head and spinal injuries he suffered while on duty. The Social Security disability payments he receives from the government are not subject to liens from creditors, but the debt company froze the bank account of Michael Collier’s wife, who is also on disability.
The couple filed an objection against the garnishment on their account and the court affirmed that the couple’s income was not subject to liens or garnishments, but the debt collection company would not leave them alone and refused to release the money it had frozen.
“F–k you!” the paralegal allegedly said, “Pay us your money! You can’t afford an attorney. You owe us. I hope your wife divorces you.”
The couple is now suing the debt collection company claiming that it violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
Sadly enough, what the debt collector said to the disabled veteran sounds a lot like what CNBC’s Rick Santelli said during his rant against working class people on the floor of the stock exchange. The only people who are blamed during this Great Recession are regular people, like the Colliers, but no one is blaming the people who sent men and women to war or those who engineered Wall Street’s spiral to the bottom.
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I am at a complete loss… I got behind on my student loan once, I’m a single mom, and the woman told me I should get a second job… Those people are so insensative… I jumped in her case, called back, and spoke to her supervisor… I don’t know if anything happened to her but I used to hope I recognized her voice on the street… Now, I got God in my life so I just pray for her…
What is it with debt collectors acting like you stole their money? That comment is going to bite him in the a*s!
Those debt collectors act like you took their personal money, they get paid a percentage of the money collected but that sure does not give them the right to disrespect people.They make you sin your soul the way they think they can talk to you.
These people are trained to say mean and nasty things for the soul purpose of intimidation a scare tack in forcing you too some how pay what you owe just recently a man in Flordia won a large settlement because of this he recorded what the collector said as evidence and used it in court so I hope this couple have some evidence that this was said otherwise it will be a he said she said thing
The debt collectors act like Nazis because they get a piece of the pie. The more money they get, they get paid more.
But, that’s Amerika for you
The cowardly worthless person should be thrown into Afghanistan. He would probably s–t his pants. He is too stupid to get a better job.
More harmful word have come out of these debt collector mouth. This is a case where I would seak a lawyer and see who gets the last laugh. I think he had a good case.
Earlier this century, I might believe that there would be some repercussion for said actions, but given the consistent disrespect, insults and false accusations that are allowed via the GOP and Tea Party that has not been confronted by any major media outlets or even anyone with half a brain is simply ridiculous.
Before I get any “Republicans” that would like to respond, please know that I already realize that the Democratic party does participate in attacks of GOP members and the republican party, however comparatively, the remarks are starkly different in taste and in demeanor.
That’s so sad to read about a selfish debt collector, to insult our service men who i highly believe in who served for our country. I would like to thank all the men & women who served. That person is evil and I pray the couple sue & hit that company with a major law suit. Unbelievable!!! I had to tell one debt collector off years ago. They are very nasty.
Gurstel Chargo: 6681 Country Club Drive, Golden Valley, Minn 55427, 763-267-6700; 9320 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, Ariz 85260, 480-966-9300; 500 E. Court Ave ste #104, Des Moines, Iowa 50309, 515-866-0462.
Let’s all show them the respect they are due.
UNBELIEVABLY CRUEL! Rather than trash this vet, the company should obey the law and also thank the vet for his service to our country. He stopped bullets with his body so that we here at home won’t have to. What a crumb!
Memorandum to POTUS Re-Elect Barack H. Obama.
TO: POTUS Barack H. Obama
The White House – 1600 PA Avenue, N.W. – WDC
FROM: Black Americans
America Nationwide
SUBJ: Black American Unemployment & Youth Violence
Mr. Obama African American unemployment at 14.3% for black adults and over 40% for black youth is shameful, unacceptable, dangerous, and also undeniably the first major problem with the second being youth violence that Black America needs and expects you to urgently and effectively address.
There is something else that must be mentioned to you in possible correlation to disproportionately high African American unemployment as a pertinent reminder and a fact that also can not and should not be ignored. The overwhelming vast majority of large employers and business owners in America are still White Americans.
President Obama as you must or should well know already, extremely high and long term unemployment in the black community nationwide is not only devastating, but also fast breeds a host of other extremely serious and grave problems for many African American families, young adults, youth, and older citizens in every former income class across the board ranging from the formerly upper-income and middle-class to moderate and low-income. Herein we remind you of those problems.
The serious and grave problems from extremely high and long term African American unemployment includes wiped out life savings and college tuition funds representative of rapid complete and irrevocable loss of years earned financial gains, home foreclosures, forced sale of other valuables to pay utility bills and purchase bare basic necessities, tremendous anger, depression, domestic violence, poverty, increased government spending for Food Stamp, Medicaid, and Homelessness social service programs, increases in divorce and broken families, alcohol and drug use, suicides, homicides, other crimes, re-occuring and first time jail and prison sentences, and absolutely quite full and unmitigated despair and hopelessness.
President Obama with all due respect, Black America hereby trusts that you get the picture. We also know that a sincere congratulations to us and to you for your re-election is in order. Congratulations to you President Obama. Black America now for a second time again much hopes, looks forward to, and indeed very fully expects to see rapid emergency results of your new out-of-the-box-thinking to seriously address a powder keg of already 14.3% and steadily rising disproportionately high African American unemployment on both our and this nation’s behalf.
Undeniably, African Americans nationwide faithfully, graciously, and overwhelmingly helped you to not only gain, but to also keep your job. Please do something bold to ensure that we are not repeatedly denied the same opportunity. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Black America