SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — Illinois’ attorney general says over-aggressive debt collectors are a problem, but new laws aren’t the solution.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan says consumer debt collectors do misbehave. They call the wrong people at the wrong hours, they call them at work, they try to collect debt that has been paid off or that was never incurred by the collection target in the first place, and they’re aggressive, falsely threatening people that they’re going to be arrested.

But she says the rules are spelled out in the Illinois Collection Agency Act, which requires debt collectors to be registered, and the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and she’s not planning a push for any new laws.

Madigan says if consumers become aware of debt collection practices that are abusive or violate the law, they should notify the attorney general’s office, which will take action. She says consumer debt collection is consistently among the top complaints her office receives each year.

Madigan was asked about debt collection enforcement after a national debt collector, Bill Bartmann, said he is pushing for reform in all 50 states, because the laws governing collection are out-of-date. He says he wants to raise standards in the industry.

Copyright Illinois Radio Network