What do you call a person who is given money to cash your check, usually using force, when the indebted people refuse to give your money back?

There are times when you have received a check from somebody, but there is no money (or not enough money) in their account to cash it. Then you have to resort to asking someone (criminal or something) to tackle the problem and hopefully get the money (or part of it) one way or another.

Is there a word to refer to such a person (criminal)?

Solution 1:

Simply collector. The mob and bookies had collectors that worked for them. I worked as a collector for a bookie in college. Also the term collector was referred to as bagman in the past but nobody ever called me that. A nicer term that can be used is runner, especially for those that are net positive.

A general comment on the word runner: I think often a client might say I was a runner because I didn't just collect. Although 80-90% of the clients lost money (net) I often made visits to them dispersing money. So to most I was a collector but there were a few clients that won often and it would be weird for them to refer to me as a collector if I was mainly giving them money.

Solution 2:

Consider enforcer

a violent criminal employed by a crime syndicate

The term is used for someone who engages in a range of violent behavior, including murder, but it includes the collection role.

Solution 3:

In the UK, a bailiff is a person empowered by the court to collect debts. But that term doesn't have the connotation of being a criminal.

Solution 4:

Hatchet man: A person employed to carry out controversial or disagreeable tasks.