Comic Books Bring Life to New Oregon Debt Collection Protections

By Isobel Charle, Public News Service

New short comic books provide tips for Oregonians who are dealing with debt collection while highlighting the state’s recent gains in consumer rights.

With the passage of last year’s Family Financial Protection Act, Oregonians are more protected from unfair debt collection practices, including wage garnishment.

Michelle Luedtke, communications and engagement director for Oregon Consumer Justice, the nonprofit behind the comics, hopes the format will make the information easier to understand while empowering more people to exercise their rights.

“You do have rights around what a debt collector can do and not do,” Luedtke pointed out. “If you tell them they can’t contact you at certain places, they can’t do that. If they contact you at wild hours outside of a certain set of hours, it’s breaking the law.”

The comic books, entitled “Dealing with Debt Collection” and “Navigating Debt Collection in Court,” outlined how to respond to a lawsuit or a debt collection notice and how to negotiate a payment plan. They are available online in English and in Spanish on the Oregon Consumer Justice website.

Michael Fuller, attorney and founder of the Underdog Law Office, helped write the comics. He said the new law limits how much money collectors can garnish from wages, based on people’s income.

“In the olden days, your home was at risk if you couldn’t pay your debts,” Fuller recounted. “Now, thanks to these new laws, it’s much less likely that your home will be taken to pay your debts.”

He noted most debt collecting issues can be taken care of right away with a consultation from a consumer law attorney, but cautioned ignoring the problem will just make it worse.

“If you have an encounter with a debt collector or somebody’s calling you for money, you need to take the time out of your schedule and get a five-minute appointment with a free attorney to talk about your rights,” Fuller urged. “Most of the time, you’re gonna be protected.”

More than 50,000 Oregonians are sued for debt collection each year, according to the Debt Collection Lab.