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Episode 28

Debt Protesters: Can Debtors Turn the Tables on Collections?

Disputing a bill is not terribly uncommon, and in some cases makes sense. Billing errors can happen, and it’s fair to have them resolved before paying. But imagine claiming you don’t need to pay ANY bills—or even your rent—ever, because you have special status or philosophical separation from your “debtor self” that renders financial obligations null and void. 

Such are the type of stances taken by people called “Debt Protesters,” despite that their tactics never succeed. Often predatory online fraudsters are guiding their actions, attracting people in debt and promising relief—for a fee. In reality, the consequences can be severe, and invariably the protester’s situation only gets worse. 

It’s been going on for decades, and at MetCredit we have experts who deal with countering frivolous lawsuits and fraudulent registrations of interest against businesses who are legitimately owed a debt. 

It’s a bizarre and fascinating world, and in this episode host Bryn Griffiths takes you inside it with help from Tim Browatzke, MetCredit’s Manager of Corporate Integrity and Legal Strategies, and Sean Butt, a Kingston-based lawyer who specializes in the unusual field of Canadian law on behalf of businesses and financial institutions. 

If you’ve visited websites promising to help you escape debt for a fee, this episode can help you avoid consequences that can be much worse than the actual debt. If your business has been impacted by tactics of Debt Protesters such as “Sovereign Citizens” or “Freemen on the Land,” you will find Sean and Tim’s advice helpful. And everyone else will be enlightened—and relieved not to have to deal with such lunacy! 

It’s an important reality check for anyone involved in granting credit.