Bill Collector Calls are annoying. You’re in the middle of clearing a long-standing misunderstanding with your parents across the dinner table when the phone begins to ring. It won’t stop and you finally interrupt your conversation to answer it, returning visibly shaken because it was a harsh bill collector on the line informing you about the $900 you owe on your Comenity Bank credit card for the Abercrombie & Fitch store. Only, you don’t remember making a big purchase. You then continue to receive more of the same disturbing phone calls.
Facing harassment from a bill collector for your overdue credit card payments and wondering how to stop it? You’re not alone.
According to online reports , the average American household has $15000 in debt. Further, complaints regarding collection agencies top those at the Consumer Protection Bureau, over and above that for any other business or service or product.
Credit card debt can arise when you miss out on payments for credit cards, including store cards issued by Comenity Bank for places like Abercrombie & Fitch, American Home, Ann Taylor, Barney’s New York, Bed Bath and Beyond, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, etc.
When collection agencies come calling, it could be in the form of personal communication via email or over the phone. Because in most cases, bill collectors get paid only when the debt amount is paid. They make every effort to get the credit card loan defaulter or consumer to pay, including resorting to harassment.
Harassment by bill collectors can take different forms, including:
- Constantly calling consumers or making calls at odd hours, such as early in the morning or late in the night.
- Using threats and talking about bringing a lawsuit without enough grounds to do so.
- Giving out details regarding the debt to people other than the person who is the defaulter. This includes family members, friends and coworkers.
- Forcing the consumer to pay off the debt in any manner possible, including by selling off other assets, etc.
- Not bothering to check if the person they are calling is the correct one; not checking validity of the credit card debt before initiating contact.
- Telling lies in order to intimidate, confuse or stress the consumer.
- Not identifying themselves or providing the identity of the entity or organization on whose behalf they’re calling.
All of the above behavior can lead to consumers getting anxious, stressed out or worried. This is a state where they are vulnerable enough to be coerced into desperate measures, including selling off assets to pay off a debt.
How can you stop this?
It is important to stop Bill Collector calls in any form, including that arising out of unpaid credit card bills. The easiest thing for consumers to do is to write in to bill collectors, requesting them to stop the bill collector calls and harassment or communication. However, this may not stop the actual trauma.
There are certain steps the consumer can take:
- Find out the identity and verify whether you actually owe the debt.
- Write to the agency, entity or organization to stop the bill collector calls by the debt collector.
- Register your number in the national Do Not Call registry.
However, you may still need legal help to ensure the problem stops.
Attorneys conversant with consumer protection laws can help you take active steps to restrict a bill collector, thus stopping the harassment. Vital steps like ensuring proof of communication, copies of letters written to the entity, etc. are all legal instruments that can help you stop the harassment. So, if you or someone you know is being hounded for debt collection by a bill collector, make sure you seek legal help from someone who understands the law better.
Stop the Harassment from Comenity Bank store credit cards
Apart from the ones mentioned earlier, following are some of the stores Comenity Bank issues credit cards for:
AdWords Business, Alon, American Home, American Kennel Club, American Signature Furniture, Anne Geddes, Annie Sez, Appleseed’s, Arhaus Archarge, Avenue, Bealls Florida, Bedford Fair, Big Lots, BJ’s, Blair, Blue Nile, Bon-Ton, Boscovs, Brownstone Studio, BrylaneHome, Buckle, Burkes Outlet, Camping World/Good Sam, Carson’s, Carter Lumber, Catherines, Chadwicks of Boston, Children’s Place, Christopher & Banks, Coldwater Creek, Colombian Emeralds, Crescent Jewelers Inc, David’s Bridal, Design Within Reach, Domestications, Draper’s & Damon’s, DSW, Dunlaps, Earthwise Windows, Eddie Bauer, El Dorado Furniture, Express Next, Fashion Bug, Forever21, Fuel Rewards, Friedman’s Jewelers, fullBeauty, GameStop, Gander Mtn, Garden Ridge, Gardner-White, GEM ACCOUNT, Giant Eagle, Gordmans, Goody’s, Haband, Hannoush, Herberger’s, Home & Garden Showplace, Hot Topic, HSN, iComfort, Iddeal, J.Crew, Jessica London, J.Jill, Kane Furniture, KingSize, Kohler Generators, Lane Bryant, LaRedoute, Lenovo, Levin Furniture, Linen Source, Little Switzerland Jewels, LOFT, Mandee, Marathon, Marianne, Marisota From JD Williams, Maurices, Meijer, M.E.S.A, Metro Style, Modell’s, Motorola, MyPoints, My World, NY&C (New York & Company), Old Pueblo Traders, Orbitz, Orchard Supply Hardware, Overton’s, PacSun, Palais Royal, Peebles, Petite Sophisticate, Piercing Pagoda, Pier 1 Imports, Priscilla of Boston, Reeds Jewelers, Roaman’s, RoomPlace, Restoration Hardware, Samuels Diamonds, Saturday Night Live, Sharper Image, Shop At Home, Smile Generation Financial, Spiegel, Sportman’s Guide, Value City Furniture, Venue, Victoria’s Secret and Williams-Sonoma.
If you receive harassing or traumatizing collection calls from any of the above, do not hesitate to contact us.
About Us
Legal Rights Advocates, PLLC is a law firm that focuses on helping clients stop harassment from bill collectors , including debt for credit cards. Our team of attorneys, over the years, has helped countless clients get protections from debt collection practices that are deemed as unlawful and illegal.
If you are interested in learning more about how to safeguard yourself better from debt harassment, call us at (855) 254-7841 for immediate assistance.