New Orleans agency owner pockets payments

A debt collector who stole more than $65,000 from the agency he owned was arrested last week, according to the Times-Picayune. Clark J. Pellegrin of Houma, Louisiana, is being held on $30,000 bond after it was revealed that he collected $65,593 from delinquent consumers during his time at debt collection agency James Clark and Associates. From June 2010 to January 2011, Pellegrin deposited debt payments from 15 to 20 victims into his personal bank account instead of forwarding the money to clients. "There have been multiple entities that have since come forward accusing the arrested of deceptive practices," the police report stated, according to the news source. In Honolulu, Hawaii, the city's police department is attempting to prevent its residents from being swindled by launching an awareness program called Stop Criminals from Acquiring Your Money, or S.C.A.M, the Star-Advertiser reports. Using brochures and bus placards, the initiative highlights common scams and how to avoid them. The elderly seem to be most at risk for being scammed. AARP Hawaii tells the news source that debt collection scams are the most prevalent complaint it receives from members.