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Printer friendlyBook Review: The Wolf At The Door: What To Do When Collection Agencies Come Calling, written by Mark Silverthorn, 2010, McClelland & Stewart
As a consumer advocate for over 20 years, first with as the Silverman in Silverman Helps on City TV and later with CFRB, the Silverman Show, I have received my share of complaints concerning collection agencies and their often nefarious, bullying, and not uncommon devious and `close to the illegal' ways.
Most of those people who contacted me were scared, angry, frustrated, and uncertain how to cope with the tide of debt that was engulfing their lives. Few understood that, even as a debtor, they had rights, and could fight back, not only against those to whom they owed money, but to those agencies that were hired to collect the debt.
Now, long overdue, is `the' manual to guide anyone who is facing collection agencies and persistent and demanding creditors. It's called The Wolf At The Door: What To Do When Collection Agencies Come Calling, by Mark Silverthorn, a lawyer who specializes in dealing with the legal particulars of debt. Written in easy to read language, devoid of `lawyers vocabulary', it gives hope to the debtor, and describes the many avenues that the debtor has to deal with the problem of `owing money.' It makes clear how the `debt collection' machine operates and how you can get that collection `machine' off your debt-laden back, and, surprisingly, preserve your credit rating in the process. More important the book explains how you as a debtor might have a number of options that could allow you to pay only part or none of what you owe. After all, as the book implies, why can't you use the law to your advantage, to ease your burden of debt, just as creditors are using it to squeeze all they can out of you.
In summary, if you are under siege from creditors, get this book, not only does it describe all the facets of debt, how to deal with creditors and their agents, but it sends a strong message of `don't panic' there are paths out of the debt forest, more in fact than the average layperson realizes. That is, until they read this book.
Peter Silverman PhD O.On.
Formally Silverman Helps City TV, and Silverman Show CFRB