U.S. debt collectors turning to India

SAN DIEGO, April 24 (UPI) -- U.S. debt collection companies are increasing overseas operations and leaning more on India as a source of effective collectors, company officials said.

"India will be the only place we grow this year," Chief Executive Officer of Encore Capital Group J. Brandon Black told The New York Times.

More than 300 collectors work the phones for the San Diego debt collection company with about half of them calling from India, the Times reported Thursday.

Collectors from India are "very polite, very respectful," Black said. "People respond to that."

Problems arise when the debt collector "doesn't speak English well or there is a communication gap," said Bill Druliner of the Milwaukee office of GreenPath Debt Solutions, a debt counseling service.

But, it's a problem often overcome with good manners. "What they may lack in authority or ability to handle slang, they do handle the process very well and are very well spoken," Druliner said.