Women threatened over 1 penny

Wow, in this country we really are "lawsuit happy." This woman was threatened with losing her home over 1 cent. The 74-year-old woman, Eileen Wilbur, said she received a notice from the city of Attleboro notifying her that if she does not pay 1 penny, she will have to pay a $48 penalty plus a lien on her property. The bill must be paid until December 10.

“My thought would have been right away to tear it up, but my daughter said, ‘Mom, this is real,’ ” Wilbur told the Boston Herald yesterday.

“When she convinced me that it was real, I got angry.”

Eileen Wilbur tells The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro the letter sent her blood pressure soaring, and pointed out that the stamp to send the letter cost 42 cents.


City Collector Debora Marcoccio says the letter was among 2,000 sent out. She says a computer automatically prints letters for accounts with an overdue balance, and they were not reviewed by staff before being mailed.

I have worked in collection for many years, and I can say that is exactly the process. We have an autodialer and when the account comes in the queue for delinquency, we simply just push "send letter." This letter is a "Form Letter," which states the type and level of delinquency.

That poor automated system don't know if you a blind granny or a little baby.


That is what happens when company's get away from doing things the "old fashioned way," and try to expedite business.