According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s “Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit,” approximately 1 in every 7 people in the U.S. are being pursued by debt collectors. Since 2000, the number of Americans being pursued by third party debt collectors has doubled. Currently, 14.29 percent of the population faces attempts at debt collection by third parties.

In the report, the current percentage of Americans pursued by debt collectors is the second-highest ever experienced in the U.S. The highest rate occurred in the second quarter of 2011, when 14.38 percent of consumers in the U.S. faced debt collection. On average, third party debt collectors are seeking payments of $1,437.

To learn more about what to do if you or someone you know is being harassed by a debt collector, contact the Chicago bill collector harassment attorneys of the Law Offices of Stuart B. Handelman, P.C. by calling 312-360-0500.