Death Toll Revised Down to 24 After Monstrous Oklahoma Tornado…100+ Injured…Children Among the Dead…Stunning Pictures…Woman Finds Dog During Interview!

Watch Live: Disgraced IRS Head Undergoes Second Grilling on Capitol Hill

Business

‘F**k you! Pay us Your Money!’: Lawsuit Alleges Debt Collector Berated Disabled Vet, Told Him He Should’ve Died

Oct. 15, 2012 9:15pm Becket Adams

After suffering severe spine and head injuries several years ago while serving in the U.S. Army, Michael Collier was declared 100 percent disabled, a point a debt collector allegedly decided to use against him during what sounds like the most awful phone call ever.

Trouble for Collier and his wife, Kim, began when a Minnesota-based law firm and debt collection agency “illegally garnished their savings to cover a defaulted student loan and verbally abused them when they asked for their money back,” Gawker’s Neetzan Zimmerman reports.

As a disabled Army vet, Collier’s Social Security payments are exempt from debt garnishment. However, the law firm Gurstel Chargo, which has since released a statement on this story, took funds from Kim’s savings account anyway to pay off a $6,000 defaulted student loan.

“At a court hearing back in May, a judge ordered Kim’s credit union to unfreeze her assets effective immediately after definitively declaring that her account was exempt from garnishment,” Zimmerman reports.

But it wasn’t going to be that easy for Collier. After the judge made his decision, a Gurstel employee told the disabled vet he would need to get a lawyer if he wanted to “get his money back,” according to a complaint filed on behalf of the Arizona couple. Collier decided that this was getting out of hand and figured he’d call and try to sort things out over the phone.

This is the point where everything reportedly went to pieces.

The complaint alleges the following conversation took place between Collier and an unidentified Gurstel Chargo paralegal:

During this conversation, after Michael told the legal assistant that the funds were exempt veteran disability payments, the assistant told Michael “F- – - you! Pay us your money! You can’t afford an attorney. You owe us. I hope your wife divorces you’re a- -. If you would have served our country better you would not be a disabled veteran living off social security while the rest of us honest Americans work our a- – off. Too bad; you should have died.”

Good grief. That’s so awful, we’re having a difficult time believing this actually happened. But then again, some debt collectors can be awfully, um, “unorthodox.”

At any rate, as Zimmerman notes, by allegedly abusing Collier, Gurstel violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which prohibits harassment or abuse in the collection of a debt.

And you better believe Collier is taking them to court. Here’s a copy of the complaint:

109986661 Collier v Gurstel Chargo Complaint

And here’s Gurtsel Chargo’s statement on this story:

We learned late last week of the lawsuit filed by Michael Andrew Collier and Kim Collier-Dingman. Gurstel Chargo takes the allegations made in the lawsuit very seriously and we have immediately launched an internal investigation to determine the facts. We are extremely disturbed by the allegations stated in the Complaint, as they are contrary to the policies, practices and values of our firm. We expect that all Gurstel Chargo employees fully comply with all state and federal laws, and we thoroughly train our employees to perform their job in a lawful and respectful manner. Under no circumstances does our firm tolerate the type of conduct alleged in the Complaint.

The Complaint states that the wrongful remarks were made during a telephone call. We have requested from the attorney that filed the Complaint the phone number of the phone that Mr. Collier was allegedly on, an approximate date on which the call occurred, whether the person who made the alleged wrongful comments was male or female, all in order to help us to get to the truth about what occurred. We have been informed by Mr. Collier’s attorney that he is unaware of any of this information. To date, we have discovered no information to substantiate the allegations, but our investigation continues. Should these allegations prove to be true, we will take immediate corrective and disciplinary action.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (78)

ChiefGeorge
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:50pm
This is one lawsuit I certainly agree with. Thanks Blaze!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Ragnars Repos
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 3:02am
  “F- – – you! Pay us your money!”
  
  Wait, wait…was this a debt collector, or an IRS agent?
  
  Report this comment
- 4xeverything
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:10am
  I agree CHEIF.
  
  Report this comment
- 4xeverything
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:11am
  I agree CHIEF.
  
  Report this comment
- zorro
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 3:33pm
  The only issue I have with this story is that they identify the victim as a disabled veteran. This fact is irrelevant. No debt collector has a right to treat any person in that manner regardless of whether they’re a veteran or not. At the same time, being a disabled veteran does not mean you can skip out on your financial responsibilities. It will be difficult to prove this actually happened but I hope Mr. Collier gets justice.
  
  Report this comment
mexneck
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:23pm
The louder the mouth the smaller the weenus.

@Wango then maybe you should check out your shriveled little anchovie prior to posting.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Dr Vel
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 1:12am
  That is asking too much given the current state of technology, since not even an electron microscope can see things that tiny.
  
  Report this comment
- DIR
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 2:25am
  @MEXNECK, The anchovy comment, now that’s funny!
  
  Report this comment
PALEHORSE
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:19pm
Anyone can settle their debts for half just by talking to the creditor. They don’t need to pay a company to do it for them.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- desertspeaks
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 3:56pm
  You are slightly misinformed, you can OFFER a settlement but the offer can be rejected if the creditor thinks he can get all his money. If a collection agency is handling the account, they have a fiduciary responsibility to forward the offer to the creditor for acceptance or rejection.
  Student loans are rarely if ever settled, student loans are exempt from bankruptcy and will remain collectible indefinitely, there is no statute of limitations on the collection for student loan debt.
  
  Report this comment
RatPackRosey
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:07pm
Glenn I have been following you since Communist News Network, I understand peace, but this **** needs to end. I stay deploy all Vets in the area of the law firm and colect the Vets money from those bastards and return it with honor.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:59pm
  Why? “You can’t afford an attorney. You owe us. I hope your wife divorces you’re a- -. If you would have served our country better you would not be a disabled veteran living off social security while the rest of us honest Americans work our a- – off. Too bad; you should have died.” He’s too lazy to get a job! 47%er.
  
  Report this comment
Ramv36
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:02pm
My father is a 100% disabled Army vet, retired 101st Airborne. You can call him a freeloader if you want, but I’m certain he’d give up all his compensation benefits in a second to get his legs back from where they were taken from him, near the 38th parallel. All the money Uncle Sam could ever give will never be enough to make him whole again.
You think being a 100% disabled vet is the easy life? Why don’t you try it out, I’m sure he’d gladly switch lives with your able-bodied ass.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- guntotinsquaw
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:54pm
  Please thank your father for his service to this great nation for me.
  
  Report this comment
- HellAndBack
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 2:39am
  God Bless Your Father. His Sacrifice made it possible for me to have the life I had. May God Hold Him Ever In His Favor!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Garantula4
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 12:05pm
  diddo
  
  Report this comment
- TheVoice1
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 12:23pm
  Thank your father for his service and sacrifice from all of us… Freedom is not free
  
  Stand Strong America
  
  Report this comment
DAGNY
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:45pm
The trolls are out in full force today!!

Wango, Ted should sue you for attaching such stupidity to his picture and song title. You do know he’s a staunch conservative, don’t you?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- stevetherealist
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:50pm
  yeah we also know he’s a self admitted draft dodger pedophile
  
  Report this comment
- Ramv36
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:06pm
  “yeah we also know he’s a self admitted draft dodger pedophile”
  
  True, and who knew Ted and Joe Biden had so much in common? Who’d have thought a guy with FIVE student deferments from the Vietnam draft and an expulsion from law school for plagiarism could image being VP? THAT’S the big surprise story, not the black President.
  
  Report this comment
krenshau
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:40pm
I thought student loans were backed by the government. If the person defaulted, and the person is 100% disabled, the government is the one that should pay up.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- TrueSoundsOfLiberty
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:06pm
  It depends on the type of loan. A private student loan is directly from the bank and like all student loans it can’t be erased, even by bankruptcy. If I’m not mistaken until recently the loans were given out by banks that got the money from the government and the banks also got the interest. Naturally this was opposed by the Rs as a takeover of the loans process.
  
  Report this comment
- TheVoice1
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 12:44pm
  There is a program now in place to do just that for those who are totally disabled in which the debt to them is dismissed. He will need to contact the Feds and they will send him a form he takes to his doctor which is sent in by the doc to the Feds and they clear him of the debt. I speak from experience and I know the horror this honorable vet has gone through with these people.
  
  Stand Strong America
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:26pm
he will be lucky to get any of his money back, and if the courts rule for him, it will be held up in litigation for years. the law firm knows how thier agents work, and probaly encourages it.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RatPackRosey
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:03pm
  The firm that is responsible every veteran in the area should storm the office of those ungrateful bastards. Take the money that was paid and give it back to the VET. Show them who runs this damn country.
  
  Report this comment
capitalismrocks
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:15pm
I hope he got it all on tape and also gets a copy of his phone records, what the debt collector did is illegal and against FDCPA Statutes, the Vet can now go to his local court and file a complaint with request for summary judgement against the debt collector and can demand up to $1,000 in damages for each violation.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
perry1980
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:15pm
Dear Student Loans

EFFFF You

run by the govt for the govt.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Harry19
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:07pm
Hey Glenn Beck ,Take some of your millions and pay the bill. Thanks

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Eaglesnest
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:16pm
  As if Glenn has not already done enough heavy lifting. Why don’t you open your wallet and pay up, tightwad!
  
  Report this comment
- 57chevy
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:16pm
  Really?
  Can’t come up with anything better?
  Geez
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:16pm
  LOL Yeah right. He’s pitching for more soldiers dying and being wounded for no reason, you think he cares about the troops?
  
  Report this comment
- Wango
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:19pm
  I think it’s a pretty good point. Beck’s charging what, $2000 for a pair of jeans and he can’t help out this guy?
- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:40pm
  WATCH OUT FOR THE PAID TROLLS.
  
  FYI: These JEANS are $129.00 Each, way cheaper than LUCKY and I’m going to buy them for my entire family as part of their Christmas present. They are very particular about Jeans so I hope they’ll fit really well, but I know the shirts will be great.
  
  LYING fruitcakes come on this BLAZE and lie about everything. iT galls them that GLENN et al are a SMASHING SUCCESS…I have the feeling you haven’t seen ANYTHING YET, you poor slobbering misfit.
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:47pm
  No Patti it ****** me off that GB’s site is spreading war propaganda to the feeble minded such as yourself. I don’t care how much money he has.
  
  Report this comment
- CobraBill
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 1:48am
  At 129$ he can keep them. If they were 29$ maybe I would try them.
  Must be nice to have 129$ for jeans.
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:51am
  Aww, look at wangless. Expecting other people to pay. Typical lib.
  
  As for the jeans, you get what you pay for. $29 pair of jeans? They’d fall apart in a month. I bought a pair yesterday. I can afford it. You see, I work for a living and make my own money. $129 is a drop in the bucket.
  
  Report this comment
- Wango
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 10:26am
  COMMA . . . If they pay a penie or two pence more for the reddinesse of them..let them looke to that, a foole and his money is soone parted.
  
  You know what, forget Dr. Bridges. Let’s go with, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
  
  But hey, nice jeans! 32″ inseam eh? Well, the world needs Napoleans, too, I guess. Keep working, shorty, Glenn needs curtains for the G5.
  
  Report this comment
57chevy
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:03pm
If the people of this country are so blind they cannot see what is going on then I give up! How can this election be close? Just speaking as one voice, I am afraid of what the country will be in 5 years when I cannot produce and am forced to get in line. Would someone please start a web site that gives all us producers an insight on how the system works so we know how to get our “fair share” because we been working all this time and don’t know how to get a check……

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Augydoggy
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:00am
  Well said and to the point. I ask myself every day . What are the new rules-regs of the day\week\month\year.
  
  Report this comment
THXll38
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:53pm
If this is indeed true, we, the Blaze readers should help this family out and pay the dept. I would have no problem donating to this family to resolve these arse wipe collectors.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- justangry
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:14pm
  You’d be paying off a lot of debt. I’m caught in the middle here. The businesses can’t operate if they don’t get paid, but I feel his pain because I’m going through similar struggles though never heard the language used by the ass hat collections agent. To say the government should pay for it, can’t be the right answer because the government only gets it’s money from it’s citizens. I’m unable to solve the conflict between my emotional response and rational response. Private citizens should be able to help out their wounded loved ones, but that’s hard to do with money that’s becoming worthless because we’re printing money to pay for all the unnecessary wars in the first place. Rand suggested taking all the money we’re borrowing to give to the people we’re fighting and using half to pay for the debt, and half to ramp up the VA. I guess in the end, I’m probably too emotionally involved to make the right decision. I guess one thing that could be done is for the fed to let companies that write off wounded warriors debt as tax deductions. Of course the most logical course of action would be stop putting our troops into these situation when it’s not necessary to protect our national security. idk.
  
  Report this comment
- stevetherealist
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:48pm
  wait till you get a load of the long term finacial damage of these last two wars and now the potential one in iran thats a guarantee with romney….wait till you get that bill
  
  Report this comment
BODYBAG
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:47pm
When you see the stories on TV of people “going postal” —– this is how it happens.
I wouldnt blame this vet a bit if he went down to that office and emptied the clip
into this cubicle maggot

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- stevetherealist
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:00pm
  He would problably be taking out a person from this very site. These are the actual people you guys chasties all day with your abusive comments. In a different article you would be going on about what a freeloader he is….does your hypocrisy know no bounds. Most of you need to do a self check of what you really stand for other than creating problems.
  
  Report this comment
- stevetherealist
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:54pm
  shore seems the case
  
  Report this comment
- Ramv36
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:57pm
  I think Wango changed his bulb, because he is projecting very brightly!
  
  Report this comment
Oneirishman
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:45pm
I’m still on the fence here till I see more definitive proof of wrong doing. Surely there is a phone record to at least prove a contact between the parties. If not, no case.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
The Knave
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:45pm
My father lost a leg in 1966 in Viet Nam. Afterwards, my parents had to file for bankruptcy. The storys I heard of this time frame matches what happened to this vet.

I don’t know if this vet will get any relief, but I do hope somebody at that firm gets their ass fired. Or their ass whipped. Maybe both.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Sickandtiredofextremists
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:43pm
I am a Vietnam Veteran (not the only one, by any means) and I find what our country is doing to returning veterans absolutely abhorrent! I think it shameful that organizations outside of our government have to become involved to help returning vets. Shame on your Osamabama! Shame on your regime.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:55pm
  Thank you for your service Sickandtiredofextremists.
  
  Report this comment
- Wango
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:18pm
  this vet is part of the 47% who, what did Romney say . . .”won’t take responsibility for their own lives . . . yes . . . who feel entitled. Shameless freeloader. I think this vet should move to Cuba where they like socialism.
- Wango
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:21pm
  THE MONK . . . And thank you for your service. You did serve, right?
- stevetherealist
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:41pm
  what are you talking about….coming from a vietnam vet compared to how we treat vets today you make a shameful comment like that. I was but a kid when that war happened but I clearly remember in my little town we bucked the trend. I had several pen pals and we did care packages regularly. Some of us even wore our pals fatigues and ID bracelets. If you harrassed or slighted one of our town’s vets you were out on a rail. We were clearly not the norm. Vets elsewhere where treated horribly. Summers in the city were a eye opener and I see none of that now. What I see now is standing ovations at airports, jobs programs, servicemen never seem to touch a door in my town. America’s appreciation is front and center. Nothing like what you probably experienced. Sorry but I don’t agree with your statement,
  
  Report this comment
wordsofwisdom
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:43pm
Isn’t this what the liberal progressive movement has fostered? Deep disrespect for the law especially when it works against them. Case in point Obama’s justice department. This song fits these people “The Devils Song” http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_10789987

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
nighttrainno9
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:41pm
Debt collection agencies hire the lowest bottom feeders they can find and
encourage them to go even lower. Most of them aren’t worth the price of a bullet.
What they do should be against the law. But the banks encourage this behavior,
and have become an enemy of the people. As taxpayers, we have had to bail these
banks out with our money only to be slapped in the face with forclosers and
unwillingness on loans. The system will crash, no way to save it.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
paulnashtn
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:37pm
IF the allegations are true, I hope Gurstel Chargo has to pay out their a**. BUT, it IS a bit strange that the time and date of the phone call were not known to the attorney.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
hostiletimes
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:36pm
seems to me that some other vets,should find out who this person is and make a lasting impact! I never served.. but you dont treat a vet like that. EVER!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Timberline
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:34pm
go full auto on them, then declare PTSD …. walk away

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Wango
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:09pm
  Oooh, I love it when you talk gubs.
Impenitent
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:33pm
‘**** you! Pay us Your Money!’

sounds like an Obamacare employee

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:43pm
  Three letters…
  
  I R S
  
  Report this comment
- Wango
  Posted on October 15, 2012 at 10:21pm
  Three letters
  
  GOP
Timberline
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:32pm
shoot the bastards then claim PTSD, walk away…..

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
DoomsdayProphet
Posted on October 15, 2012 at 9:22pm
Disabled army vet should be absolved of all debt instantly. Dude put it all on the line and somehow his movement or lack there of is not enough?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.