AG sues Illinois debt collector
by The Associated Press
 
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has sued an Illinois debt-collection agency for allegedly attempting to collect invalid debts from Minnesotans.

She says her office has received more than 50 complaints about Afni (aff-nee), a collection agency in Bloomington, Illinois, that been in business for 70 years.

She is alleging the company crossed the line by pursuing debt people said they didn't owe, and failing to check that they really did owe it.

The lawsuit also alleges that Afni collectors have hounded Minnesotans into paying debts they didn't owe and reported incorrect debts to credit bureaus.

Swanson's office filed the lawsuit Monday in Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis.

An Afni spokesman declined to comment Tuesday, saying the company has not yet received the lawsuit.