New York attorney general targets debt collection criminals in Buffalo

The attorney general in New York is taking action against several debt collection businesses in the Buffalo-area after investigations suggested the firms targeted vulnerable customers and members of the military. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been using his authority to ban an attorney from debt collection, convict a debt collector and reach settlements with three debt collectors, all of whom were improperly conducting business. Attorney General Schneiderman said that the collectors had acted immorally when they contacted the debtors' places of employment. "These individuals preyed on vulnerable consumers and military personnel who were already struggling financially by using scare and intimidation tactics," Schneiderman said in a statement. "Today's settlements send a strong message that this office will not tolerate collectors intimidating consumers, or attorneys improperly lending their names to debt collectors." Other people in the Empire State have been coming under fire for improper practices. The Times Herald-Record reports that Evan Kane, a contractor for the state, was charged with stealing information from 15,000 people who had applied for Social Security Disability benefits.