Stop Debt Collectors from Grabbing Stimulus Checks

The CARES Act stimulus checks are meant to be a lifeline for people struggling to meet their basic needs. We have historic long lines at food banks, hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for their unemployment checks, and many people are struggling to pay the rent or their mortgages.

Yet despite this dire crisis, debt collectors have reportedly been garnishing CARES Act stimulus checks and seizing unemployment benefits.

We need to urge our NJ leadership to do everything within their power to protect people and to prohibit the debt collectors from seizing people’s lifelines.

Please help us urge the following decision-makers Governor Phil Murphy, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, and Commissioner Marlene Caride of the Department of Banking Commission, to do everything within their power to protect New Jerseyans from debt collectors during this pandemic.

Use this link from NJCA to contact them: https://p2a.co/xD58nwP

First and foremost, we need them to immediately investigate the improper garnishment of CARES Act checks by federal student loan servicers, and people need to be refunded the money seized by these servicers.

Additionally, we need them to do the following:

• Protect stimulus checks and unemployment benefits from debt collectors
• Suspend debt collection
• Suspend new debt collection court filings
• Cancel negative credit reporting for debt incurred during the crisis