“Using the findings from the FTC study on the debt buying industry, Oregon residents owe an estimated $54,127,735 over a three-year period due to default judgments and other easy wins in favor of the six debt buyers studied in this report based on insufficient documentation,” the report says.

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In many cases, the people most hurt by debt buyers are already struggling financially. Getting their wages garnished or having liens placed against their property after losing a court case compound the difficulties low-income Oregonians face.