Aggressive debt collectors hunt the innocent

Eugene Ferraro knows that all too well. Ferraro's father, Anthony F. Ferraro, is 89 and in ill health, but remains in his Wellesley home with the assistance of his sons and a caretaker. For six months this year, the elder Ferraro kept getting calls from Elite Recovery Services Inc. The Buffalo collection firm wanted him to pay $2,252.74 for a Household Bank credit card — owed by Anthony E. Ferraro.

Eugene Ferraro said he had angry telephone exchanges with Elite Recovery employees and twice wrote letters — copies of which he provided to the Globe — insisting that the firm stop harassing his father. It was in an August phone call with Elite that Eugene finally prevailed: The representative, Steve Snyder, told him the firm was looking for a man who was 26 years old, had a different middle initial, and lived in a different town. Elite promised, at last, to take his father off its list.

But, said Eugene Ferraro, the agent also told him that other collection agencies would probably keep calling his father. "The guy told me the only way to stop this is to change his address and phone number," Ferraro said.

Tell us your story

Have you had a personal experience with unscrupulous debt collection practices or been the victim of mistaken identity in a debt collection case? If so, please e-mail us your story for a possible Deseret Morning News report.

Please e-mail a brief description of your experience, your name and phone number to respond@desnews.com.

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Michael Rezendes of The Boston Globe contributed to this report.