Governments of all sizes and locations are owed money. In the U.S. federal government, citizens and businesses typically owe taxes, fines and fees. Consumers can also owe on federally-backed student loans, while businesses can owe on development loans. Several branches of the U.S. government have robust ARM operations, including the IRS and the Department of Education. On the state and local level, debts to the government can be too many to enumerate. From court fines and fees to sales tax to late parking tickets. An overwhelming majority of U.S. states, and thousands of municipal governments, have used private debt collectors to help recover their debts.

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U.S. First Quarter Growth Rate Revised Up to 5.6%

12 September 2006

Credit Card Company Pays $11 Million Settlement

12 September 2006

Town Uses Friendly Collection Agency to get Back Taxes

12 September 2006

NY Passes Law Banning Universal Defaults on Credit Cards

12 September 2006

Security Breaches Reported at Visa and Equifax

12 September 2006

New Book Claims First Data Opened Credit-Card Records to U.S. Agents After Sept. 11

12 September 2006

AT&T to own customer data, track some Internet use

12 September 2006

U.S. Treasury Defends Secret Surveillance Program

12 September 2006

No More Caller ID Spoofing, State Says

12 September 2006

State's Homeland Security Hotline Befouled By Telemarketers

12 September 2006

Brokers Selling Phone Data to Feds

12 September 2006

IRS Private Debt Collection Initiative Clears Contract Challenge

12 September 2006

Bankruptcy Law's Counseling Provision isn't Working, Critics Say

12 September 2006

County Hires Collection Agencies to Go After Very Old Debts

12 September 2006

Senate Approves Nominee to Head FDIC

12 September 2006

U.S. Proposes Banks Record Smaller Transactions

12 September 2006

House Votes to Block IRS Private Debt Collection

12 September 2006

Credit Union/Bank Tussle Resumes

12 September 2006

Courts Plan to Disclose Names of Those Who Owe Overdue Fines

12 September 2006

Debt Collection Agencies Under Scrutiny at New York City Department Hearing

12 September 2006