European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 8, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Join Down some Cui Ivis by George Koberl staff writer indebtedness is not a stale of v corps attorney John whimsically paralleling a gis in  Pou and pans with i Rich mails yacht or his own Jaguar said that despite the commonly found Middle class disdain for i Undt treat my clients As human As a Legal assistance specialist in us own a credit Junkie who alloys store housing bizarre debt collection Martenson has More than his share of Laid to he remarked that a persons state of indebtedness often inspires the Middle class presumption of particularly if the indebtedness is found among the lower economic tills it etude is no different within the military he ii creates Fertile territory for creditors operating in the military mar he remembered Liliu Case of a letter of indebtedness from Arnsburg furniture company in which the manager sought a s per cent Penally fee from a customer because of his payment when Martensen talked with Arnsburg Herbert Ryttel told him the Penally claim was based on information contained in a Legal assistance guide used by Usa eur Pylley said it required him to seek the penalty not said i among this Many observations about debtors and Marten Tea Cald that most indebtedness will Nyer result in a Tew he told a gathering of his fellow Legal As distance attorneys thai use of the Apo in the collection process on debts May and a loot in tiie lawyers Protection of know where Apo said Marten its North o i ii the Apo a used by collection Agen their practices come under Federal and there Are strict rules about what can us cannot be he recalled a Bill collector who used to age on the envelope which reflects injuriously on a said a Allty practice by some debt col Acton i to convey the impression super officially for using a it May suggest the government itself is hounding the you know what i mean the collection is being made by the United Stales of America credit Washington said Marten he said the Federal Trade commission has against using collection notices which intend to simulate a Legal Doc he rattled off a string of legalistic where ases and parties of the third part what he called gibberish an exam he said a Case occurred in Georgia where a collection Agency document was found to be a simulation of a Legal Docu ment and a claim of fraud was finding a debtor who has a part of the collection Busl Nen and some ingenious Gim micks an used in the final stages of tic the collector May claim to be represent ing a Job hiring service or be holding a valuable package any pretext to confront the delinquent debtor and Nail him with his Martenson noted that he had run across cases of doctors and hospitals almost Casu ally initiating Dunning procedures Over some medical admitting they were not doing it to collect us but just to substantiate their tax loss claims to the internal Revenue he said that use of the Telephone to harass debtors should be combated by first reporting such harassment in the to the Telephone then to the nearest Federal if neither Contact gets re he advised getting in touch with the local the collection Agency could lose its Tele and Martensen a col Lection Agency without a plane is like a Bookie without a he told the that it is unlawful to continue harassment of a debtor after be or has gone through a ticklish question Eru Pird up after Martensen remarked that some states have Laws preventing creditors from notifying a debtors employer of payment delinquencies and bum the question is it Job Syible that makes practice of notifying an individuals com Mander in Case of a bad Check might be against curtain state thus grounds for a suit the general feeling among the gathered attorneys it would have to be Martensen was a by the Quick presumption by agencies that a debt claim is singling out army Community Martensen said its volunteers too often Are concerned Only that the i Start immedi ate As he put they instruct the i in take your then Divide by the National it might be that some debt claims Are in or that the debtor can be spared the crushing financial Burden of credit in some other he advocated fighting ire with ire in the clients credit i a firm is using a Dunning form he recommends the lawyers put together a form letter of their own and use it on behalf of the Martenson admits he finds the whole subject fascinating which is he concluded were not advocating but we have a responsibility to serve our whether claims of indebtedness against them Are valid or in pitted in Large letters on the outside collect Deadbeat the collect would Park the vehicle in front of it debtors House for All the neighbors to saunter ring the and amiably 4 Trie up conversation with the blushing he likened this to a now unlawful mail of a collection Agency using up f the face of an envelope with the Agen return address to shame the the Rule la that you cant display Vertri it is unlawful to tent Niue harassment of o debtor after he of the has gone through indebtedness presumption of wrong provides Fertile territory for Sil Pete Wilia february the stars and stripes Page a3