State debt collectors accused of laziness

Government debt collectors for the state of Utah may need some extra help in recouping payments and getting citizens the money they're owed. For instance, a Salt Lake City man has been waiting for five years to get the check owed to him from a landscaping company that went under in 2007, The Salt Lake City Tribune reports. However, the State Office of Debt Collections has been unable to track the employer, instead relying on the victim's updates. The man who was owed money tracked his delinquent employer through friends and acquaintances, receiving thanks from the agency for his updates and hard work. However, the Office of Debt Collections continued to pass this information onto the agency it was working with, the newspaper explains. "This went on for three more years, with our stiffed employee doing all the legwork. Finally, this month, thanks to his own efforts, the employer was tracked down, had wages garnished and finally paid the money he owed," the Tribune writes. "Wonder if our guy gets a tax deduction for doing the state's work?" Conversely, debt collections have been receiving attention for aggressive tactics rather than the alleged lackadaisical attitude demonstrated by the agency. As a result, the industry's biggest players are coming under federal supervision.