Collection agency told to pay couple $500G

GONZALES, Calif., June 3 (UPI) -- A California jury has ruled a Georgia debt collection agency must pay $500,000 to a couple who said they were harassed about a credit card bill they had paid.

Manuel Faustos, 63, of Gonzales told the San Jose Mercury News he and his wife Luz decided to challenge the collection agency because they were worried about their safety.

"I don't care about the money," he said.

The couple said they paid off the card years ago after getting help from a local debt negotiator, the newspaper reported Monday. Then, two years ago, they started getting collection calls from Credigy Services Corp., a Georgia agency, claiming they owed $17,000 and demanding payment.

The callers were abusive, threatening they could lose their house and savings, Manuel and Luz Faustos said. They were also warned Manuel's paychecks as a forklift operator could be garnished.

After getting a lawyer from a non-profit agency, the Watsonville Law Center, the couple went to court, suing under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.