Still, the initial guy who threatened to rape his wife needs to go to prison. Even their belief that the debt is legitimate is wishful thinking at best. What kind of honest person would choose a career like that? Buying questionable debt and then threatening people for it? They've got to know that they're part of a scam, and even if they don't, they do know that threatening people is bad.

If the debt is legitimate, you take it to court, get a judgement, and if necessary, show up on their door with police. I have no sympathy for people who willingly make themselves tools of such a scam.