10356 Debt Collecting as an Art Form...

I thought that [URL="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/boom-time-for-spains-costumed-debt-collectors-922500.html"]this article[/URL] might interesting. It brings "the mark of Zorro" into a new category...

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Watch out Gala!!! Zorry Just joking..

Yes, it is a service which is becoming more and more popular, possibly because of the current crisis. Spaniards in general have large debts, between high mortgages and trying to enjoy life a bit too much.... without looking at costs. But they are terrified about ridicule and losing face and for this reason "el cobrador del frac" really works.
I think that it may be copied by other countries.....

I haven't (fortunately) had cause for contact with the debt collecting methods used here in Italy .... yet :eeeek: However, saying that, Italians are not greatly different to many others when it comes to responding to situations of embarrassment or ridicule in front of other people, are they! Bella figura, etc.

Although, there are other, more direct, methods used in many regions here, I suspect...

And possibly more "effective" methods, perhaps.... A bit ruthless, should we say????

In the north east (of England) a variation - naturally somewhat less elegant than the tail coated Spaniards - was (or maybe still is) in vogue. This involves using the 'smelly debt collector', and offers gainful employment to the most pongy gentlemen of the road. One of these malodorous characters can clear a posh reception area in nanoseconds - it is much easier to pay him the money than face the costs of disinfestation after his visit!!