It really bothers me that none of these stories seem to describe what legal theories are used to enforce these fabricated "debts" against the victims. It would seem there must be a whole collection of state laws that enable these practices, and I would think they would be a prime area of reform - if they were eliminated, providers would have to publish prices and form an actual contract (including a lack of duress and well-defined consideration), instead of being able to play this game of "nobody can tell you how much anything costs until the billing extorts you".

Dispute the debt.

They can't put a lien on property without a court case and I want to see someone stand in front of a judge and justify an un-itemized 100k bill when their own public charge sheet shows that the service should cost <1000.