Oh, well, 4,990% must be reasonable then.
It takes awhile to get enough interest accrued to reach $300.
I suspect this has been going on for a long time now. Probably a decade or more.
I actually had a mortgage company try and slam the crap out of me over a debt of $11.
The debt was a second mortgage I took out to fix sewer line, and it was on auto pay. Instead of simply taking out one extra full payment (which was like $50 each month), and simply refunding me the difference, they instead failed to take out any auto payment, then wait for the bill to become past due and sent me a very threatening letter.
After scraping myself off the ceiling after reading the letter…I paid it, in cash. I honestly wish I had done it in pennies, just to be an ass. 
But she paid it back in full, so it should not matter.
My suspicion is this bill was years ago, because even with late fees, it takes awhile to reach $300.
Here’s my question: Why hasn’t anyone clued her in to such wonderful things as escrow accounts, so this doesn’t happen? Or does she not owe a mortgage?
You definitely should have gone with the pennies.
For once, we think alike. 
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Gotta speak truth to power any way you can.
Well … we no longer have journalists. Now they are just “journalists”.
It’s NJ after all.
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She has Alzheimers
Easy pickings when they’re mentally ill.
Then someone in the family needs to step up and take over her finances asap.
This is tragic so many levels.
The amount of money is entirely beside the point.
Why hasn’t this women been declared incompetent and a guardian appointed?
Good catch. Doesn’t mean the city and county isn’t a Scrooge for doing this, but it backs up my suspicions this built up over awhile.
A bit unrelated but kind of - I have a special cold place in my heart for school boards and property taxes. Quiet a few cities who’s residents had to file for mortgage assistance was also hit with a 10%+ increase in property taxes.
Here in Utah . . .
say this year your property taxes are 339 dollars. You pay 300. They start adding interest and a $50 late fee. (so your not 89 + monthly interest.)
Year 2, you get a property tax bill for 339 (say the tax remined the same) + 59 + interest (lets say it’s now 429.
Year 2 you pay the 339 dollars. $100 Goes to the back taxes, now you owe 139 + $50 + interest.
Year 3 your now at say 529. Say you pay 500. Now your $29 +50 + interst.
You’ve been behind for 3 years. They send you a notice to immediatly pay the $79 and in bold capital leters it say you property will be added to the May tax sale (here in Utah, property taxes are due the end of November.).
The property owner can pay the back taxes due + interest up until the tax sale starts. Otherwise it goes to tax auction, and yes I have seen property that has a very small amount attached to it.
Property gets to auction, and say it’s back tax is $90. That is what the acution starts at. Anything over that amount goes to settle liens on the property first, then any remaining goes to the property owner. If the amount after taxes doesn’t cover the lien, thern the person who buys the property becomes responsible for the lien (say a mortgage). If the lien isn’t paid for, the lienholder then can start forclosure proceedures on the property. If it doesn’t sale, it reverts to the county. And and all liens on the property are canceled (except maybe federal liens – I’m not sure).
I’ve attended a couple here in utah – and investers always show up to bid on certain homes.
Thanks. I’m sure that’s similar to how my neighbor got the empty lot.
Glad to see we all agree there should be more protections for consumers from prededtory lending practices.
You do realize this is the government doing this, correct?
that doesn’t change the point.
I hope you realize this wasn’t an issue regarding loans.
