Imagine this scene for a moment or two. The calls come in like clockwork, every single night just as you are about to go to bed. Each time it’s the same exact thing. A threatening voice informs you that unless you pay off the debt that you owe them they will garnish your wages and have you arrested. Calls like that are not only scary; they are made to a great deal of people across the United States that owes money to creditors. The truth of the matter is that kind of behavior from debt collectors is illegal. However, that doesn’t stop it from happening.
Although the federal government enacted the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act back in 1977, dishonest debt collectors continue to use underhanded tactics to this very day. The reason they get away with it is because most people that are abused by debt collectors have no idea that it’s actually illegal. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits third-party debt collectors from harassing, threatening, and inappropriately contacting a debtor who owes them money. The bottom line is that if you are delinquent on your debts and those debts are sent to a collection agency, you are entitled to your privacy and need to be treated with respect.
That means collection related phone calls are only allowed between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm, and none can be made to your workplace if you are not allowed to take call at work. The debt collector is not allowed to use abusive language, threaten violence, or arrest, and can’t talk about your financial situation with anyone that isn’t authorized by you to know about it. In addition, you are entitled to proof that you actually owe the debt collector any money. That means they must document a claim with a copy of an unpaid bill or other evidence that you failed to make the payments.
Debt collectors are also forbidden from lying to you in order to collect the debt. For example, the debt collector can’t falsely identify himself or herself as credit reporting bureau representatives, attorney if they are not one, or government agency representatives claiming that you have committed a crime or are misrepresenting the amount of money that you owe the creditor. Debt collection agencies cannot threaten you with actions that they will not legally take. For example, they can’t directly garnish your wages without a court order. They also can’t seize any of your property unless it was used as collateral against a loan.
If you feel that you are being treated unfairly by a creditor or collection agency, please contact us immediately. Legal Rights Advocates, Inc. is a consumer advocate law firm that focuses on consumer rights protection services across the Unites States. We have well over twenty-five (25) years of combined experience helping consumers that are experiencing Debt Collector Harassment, Social Security Disability issues, and a whole lot more. LRA is truly your consumer rights advocate. We take great pride in the fact that our job is to protect you from deceptive and or abusive debt collection practices.
LRA is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, and we have well over 500 Five Star Rating Reviews online from across the United States. Our goal is to assist you each and every step of the way regarding your rights for consumer protection. Please call us today for more information at 855-254-7841 or click here to visit our website. We look forward to working with you.
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