Post by Jim on Jun 10, 2009 8:04:14 GMT -5
by Dana Fowle
ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - The state of Georgia helps parents collect child support, but often it's a slow moving process. So, private collections agencies have popped up to fill the void. The problem is that it's a fairly unregulated industry.
A FOX 5 I-Team investigation revealed that a new law aims to give parents more options in collecting that money.
The investigation looked at one particular company that will really be affected by the new law.
The company goes by several names, Child Support Services of Georgia or Child Support Services of Atlanta. Whatever its name the company must now change the way it does business in Georgia.
Parents who've struggled trying to collect child support might finally have the law on their side. July 1 state law will regulate private child collections agencies in Georgia.
Representative Mark Butler (R-Carrollton) sponsored the new bill.
"Currently, there's no regulations for private child support collectors in the state of Georgia," he said.
Falling into that unregulated abyss was Priscilla Smith. She signed a contract with a private collections company called Child Support Services of Atlanta, sometimes called Child Support Services of Georgia. This agency collected her child support from her ex-husband, subtracted a 35-percent cut then forwarded the rest to her. According to her complaint with the state, one day the checks stopped coming to Ms. Smith.
"When they didn't come, things got behind (like) the light bill, gas bill," she said.
According to her, the excuses from customer service just didn't add up because her ex-husband was still sending money to the collections agency.
"At one point in time she said that I moved. (Did you?) No, I've been here 13 years October first. Haven't moved. Then she said it was a mail issue. I get everything else OK."
She claimed in her complaint that Child Support Services of Georgia owes her more than $740 in back child support.
Rep. Butler has heard story after story just like Ms. Smith's.
The Carrollton Republican said, "We don't need to be taking away tools away from mothers or fathers that are trying to raise these children in a difficult time; they need to have options, but they also don't need to be taken advantage of either."
This is a quick look at the new law:
- Companies must register with the Secretary of State's Office.
- There is a 33 percent cap on fees collected by agencies.
- Collections agencies must identify, clearly, that they are not affiliated with the state.
Priscilla Smith is still waiting for her back child support from Child Support Services of Atlanta; meantime, she's collecting her money directly from her ex-husband and keeping all of the money. She also has a lawyer who is trying to help her get her back child support.
"It's my money and he paid the money like he was supposed to so my children should receive it like they should," said Ms. Smith.
Child Support Services of Georgia is under investigation by the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs. At one time, the south Georgia company was headquartered just across the border in Florida, but the Florida attorney general ordered the company to stop doing business there.
The last time the I-Team tried to get a comment from the collections agency no one wanted to talk. We tried again.
The woman on the phone said, "We didn't have a comment the first time and we don't have one now."
www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/ITeam_Child_Support_Services_060909
ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - The state of Georgia helps parents collect child support, but often it's a slow moving process. So, private collections agencies have popped up to fill the void. The problem is that it's a fairly unregulated industry.
A FOX 5 I-Team investigation revealed that a new law aims to give parents more options in collecting that money.
The investigation looked at one particular company that will really be affected by the new law.
The company goes by several names, Child Support Services of Georgia or Child Support Services of Atlanta. Whatever its name the company must now change the way it does business in Georgia.
Parents who've struggled trying to collect child support might finally have the law on their side. July 1 state law will regulate private child collections agencies in Georgia.
Representative Mark Butler (R-Carrollton) sponsored the new bill.
"Currently, there's no regulations for private child support collectors in the state of Georgia," he said.
Falling into that unregulated abyss was Priscilla Smith. She signed a contract with a private collections company called Child Support Services of Atlanta, sometimes called Child Support Services of Georgia. This agency collected her child support from her ex-husband, subtracted a 35-percent cut then forwarded the rest to her. According to her complaint with the state, one day the checks stopped coming to Ms. Smith.
"When they didn't come, things got behind (like) the light bill, gas bill," she said.
According to her, the excuses from customer service just didn't add up because her ex-husband was still sending money to the collections agency.
"At one point in time she said that I moved. (Did you?) No, I've been here 13 years October first. Haven't moved. Then she said it was a mail issue. I get everything else OK."
She claimed in her complaint that Child Support Services of Georgia owes her more than $740 in back child support.
Rep. Butler has heard story after story just like Ms. Smith's.
The Carrollton Republican said, "We don't need to be taking away tools away from mothers or fathers that are trying to raise these children in a difficult time; they need to have options, but they also don't need to be taken advantage of either."
This is a quick look at the new law:
- Companies must register with the Secretary of State's Office.
- There is a 33 percent cap on fees collected by agencies.
- Collections agencies must identify, clearly, that they are not affiliated with the state.
Priscilla Smith is still waiting for her back child support from Child Support Services of Atlanta; meantime, she's collecting her money directly from her ex-husband and keeping all of the money. She also has a lawyer who is trying to help her get her back child support.
"It's my money and he paid the money like he was supposed to so my children should receive it like they should," said Ms. Smith.
Child Support Services of Georgia is under investigation by the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs. At one time, the south Georgia company was headquartered just across the border in Florida, but the Florida attorney general ordered the company to stop doing business there.
The last time the I-Team tried to get a comment from the collections agency no one wanted to talk. We tried again.
The woman on the phone said, "We didn't have a comment the first time and we don't have one now."
www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/ITeam_Child_Support_Services_060909
