FOR YOUR INFORMATION......................May 6, 1987


     A federal district court has ordered a major debt-collection
organization to pay $350,000 in civil penalties, as a result of
Federal Trade Commission charges it violated the law by using
abusive, deceptive, and unfair practices in collecting debts.
     The court order names ACB Sales and Services Inc., its
subsidiaries, and two individual officers.  The organization is
made up of local collection offices in various cities throughout
the country known as "The ACB Companies," most of which operate
under the name American Creditors Bureau.
     In 1980 the FTC issued a complaint charging the organization
violated a 1974 FTC order and the Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act by using unfair and deceptive debt collection practices.  The
1974 order settled FTC charges the organization had used unfair
and deceptive debt collection practices.
     Under the current judgment, the court found "The evidence
establishes a pervasive pattern of violations so numerous they
cannot be dismissed as simply the work of a few maverick
collectors.  In many cases managers or supervisors joined with
collectors in committing violations.  The very nature of ACB's
operations impels its employees to disregard the order and the
act in attempting to collect debts."
     The court also found that "Any debtor who was unable or
unwilling to make payment as demanded by a collector subjected
himself to a torrent of abuse and harassment.  He or she may have
been cursed or otherwise verbally abused."  The court stated that
ACB debt collectors violated the law by routinely threatening
legal action -- such as filing a lawsuit or garnishing wages --
that they did not intend to take.
     In addition, the court found that the ACB debt collectors
frequently violated the order and the act by threatening to
inform the debtor's employer and others that the debtor was not
paying his bills and by calling debtors' places of employment
after receiving requests not to call at work.  According to the
court, they also violated the order and the act by misrepresent
ing that they were attorneys, legal advisers, friends of the
debtor, and employees of the creditor.
     The court denied the Commission's request to issue injunc
tive relief.  However, the companies and the individuals remain
bound by the 1974 order and by the Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act.
     The companies covered by the judgment are:


     *  ACB Sales & Service Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.;

     *  ACB Management Services Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.;

     *  American Creditors Bureau Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.;

     *  Jemama Investment Company Inc., a corporation doing
business as American
        Creditors Bureau of San Diego, American Creditors Bureau
        of San Francisco, and American Creditors Bureau of Los
        Angeles;

                             (More)

     *  Affiliated Creditors Bureau Inc., Chicago;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Houston Inc.;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Dallas Inc.;

     *  American Collection Bureau of Georgia Inc., Atlanta;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Philadelphia Inc.;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Colorado Inc., Denver;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of New York Inc., N.Y.;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Florida Inc., North Miami;

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Ohio Inc., Lakewood, Ohio;
and

     *  American Creditors Bureau of Boston, Inc.

     The judgment also requires Jerry Middleman and Jerry Raker,
officers and directors of the companies, to pay $25,000 each as
part of the total amount of civil penalties.  The judgment
dismisses charges against Jack J. Schwartz.
     The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued
the judgment April 29.
     Copies of the court judgment are available from the FTC's
Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave.
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #


MEDIA CONTACT:  Dee Ellison, Office of Public Affairs, 202-326-
     2177

STAFF CONTACT:  Roger Fitzpatrick, Bureau of Consumer Protection,
     202-326-3172

                Christopher Keller, Bureau of Consumer
                Protection, 202-326-3159

FTC File No. C-2608

Civil Action No. CIV 80-251 PHX CLH

[ACB]
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