As someone who is financially conservative, I frown upon people intent to avoid debt they willingly incurred.<p>On the other hand: "Usually it's settled because the agency says, Uh, we didn't intend to do that. Our collector said the wrong thing and we fess up and say, 'I didn't mean to do it but I did it..."<p>Really? That's the collection agency's defense? I didn't mean to do it?<p>If it's your business to get debtors to pay their debts, you deserve to get busted when the debtor knows the law better than you. It's your <i>business</i> for Pete's sake.<p>Add to that the complaints about all the technicalities and about individuals filing lawsuits without the need for a lawyer, and it's pretty clear that collections agencies thrive on and exploit the ignorance of debtors, which is ashame.