Recent Victorian Magistrates' Court data suggests that the creditors most frequently seeking default judgments for debts up to $10,000 are local councils, consumer credit providers (alternative lenders that don't include banks or credit unions), suppliers related to trades (such as paint, hardware and automotive parts), debt collection agencies, media/advertising businesses and water authorities. After local councils, the next most frequent single-judgment creditor for amounts under $10,000 was the GE group of companies, which provides consumer credit. Energy and essential services providers were also among the 10 leading creditor types.Despite differences in individual circumstances and debt 'journeys', almost all of those interviewed had similar stories about dealing with debt collectors. Many described the effect of receiving incessant phone calls. And most described excessive contact being made by debt collectors (more than three times a week), as well as threats and being given misleading information. Two interviewees described being contacted by debt collection agents so often at work that their employment was jeopardised.