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A small debt collection agency in Minnesota is being sued by a large competitor over what the competition sees as “a slogan that harasses and offends the public at large”. Bullseye Collections, a 50 year old small company, has had the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) printed on their stationary and marketing materials for some time but when a competitor got wind of it, he decided to start a federal class action lawsuit over the religious slogan. Mark Neill, owner of the Bureau of Collection Recovery, a large collection firm and a competitor of Bullseye stated that he is offended by the WWJD on the stationary. Part of the lawsuit filed states that the letters WWJD invoke a sense of guilt and fear into those receiving it and lead one to think that the debtor is portrayed as “a sinner who is going to hell.” (worldnetdaily.com)
Attorneys from Liberty Counsel, which is representing Bullseye, feel fairly confident that the case doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Harry Mihet, lead attorney stated: “They treat their customers with respect, with integrity and the way they would want to be treated. They listen to the debtors. They try to work out solutions for the problems they are facing. They even pray with the debtors over the phone sometimes in certain situations.”
Mihet further states that “The only reason they put it there (WWJD) is they want the world to know they have adopted for themselves a code of conduct that goes above and beyond any federal law requirements to be civil and polite to debtors.”
The class-action suit has been filed under the premise that since the WWJD harasses and offends customers and harassment is against the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, then Bullseye is breaking the law.
Liberty Counsel states that the allegations are false and they intend to prove such in court. “Competitors may not use the courts to crush their competition and press their intolerance of Christian viewpoints.”
For additional information see: Onenewsnow.com
Comments
Where Mark Neill is wrong is that it does not “harasses and offends the public at large”, it offends a very small percentage of the public, tiny in fact, but liberals and media would want you to think that this is the public opinion.
How sad that an agency would go after it's competition like this.
Aren't we as collectors under enough scrutiny as it is? Do we really need to attack each other over stupid quotes? The 'Bureau of Collection Recovery' and Mark Neill ought to be ashamed of themselves. Maybe we should go after him for having the word "Bureau" in his name. After all, his company is not a government entity.
It is brilliant. The bible says, neither a borrower or lender be....WWJD? He wouldn't be in debt. Very subtle behavioural modification. I am impressed.
They are not consumers as defined by FDCPA, so what standing do they have to sue under it?
They might have a better case under state fair trade laws, but if so, they might do better suing other debt collectors that actually use illegal harassing and abusive tactics to obtain an unfair trade advantage.
Everyone buying a bag of manure thinks they deserve the pony. They paid for manure, they got manure.
This merely demonstrates what scum the debt collection industry is. They even abuse each other. As for WWJD? He wouldn't lie to people and harass them, that is for sure. Debt collector's are unbelievable hypocrites.
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