Needless to say that life can become incredibly difficult when you have past due balances on your debt and owe money to a collection agency. In essence, it means that you are receiving countless calls from that collection agency or even multiple collection agencies. Collection agents tend to be ruthless because they make money by collecting the money that you owe. Some collection agents will contact you at all hours of the day and all hours of the night as well. However, they are only allowed to call you between the hours of 8 AM and 9 PM.
Yet that doesn’t stop some collection agents from calling you before 8 AM and after 9 PM. If this is happening to you the collection agent is violating your consumer rights. From a technical standpoint they are committing debt harassment. The good news is that you do not need to let them get away with it. By knowing your consumer rights and standing up for yourself you can make those annoying phone calls stop. Collection agencies are also ruthless in other ways. For example, there are a great deal of collection agents who will contact your boss, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and family members in order to get to you.
This holds especially true if you are ignoring the debt collector’s call and other attempts to contact you. The thing that you need to be aware of is that debt collectors can only contact your boss, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and family to ask them for your contact info. Collection agents are not allowed to let them know that they are calling from a collection agency. Collection agents are not allowed to provide them with any information or details about your debt or account. Collection agents are not allowed to let them know that you owe a debt or multiple debts.
That is private and confidential information. If a debt collector shares your financial information with anyone besides yourself, your attorney, or a party that you approve of they are in violation of your consumer rights. That means you may very well be able to successfully sue the collection agency in a court of law for damages. Some collection agencies take their ruthless activities to another level altogether. In essence, they will tell you lies in the form of intimidating threats. For example, a debt collector may inform you that they will have you arrested unless you pay off the debt that you owe them. That is an absolute lie that violates your consumer rights.
Debt collectors have zero right to have you arrested for not paying your debt. The days of debtors prison are long over in America. If a debt collector makes that threat, they are taking part in debt harassment. Another threatening lie that some debt collectors will tell their victims is that they will have their paychecks held back or part of their paychecks or unemployment checks held back until the debt is paid in full. Once again, they are lying and violating your consumer rights. Debt collectors do not have the ability or the right to garnish your wages in any manner.
They are only making these false threats in order to scare you into paying them the money. Unfortunately, many consumers fall for it. If you don’t know better and hear that you are going to be arrested, or that you won’t receive your paycheck it can scare you into paying the debt even if you can’t afford to at the time. However, if you know your rights and that the debt collectors do not have the power or authority to do any of the above, you have gained the upper hand. When you gain the upper hand you no longer need to be scared.
You no longer need to be worried whenever the phone rings, or you go out to get the mail. Life is stressful, but you can reduce a bit of that stress by recognizing when a debt collector is lying to you and making empty threats. In addition, debt collectors are not allowed to swear at you, talk down to you, or treat you badly when they contact you. Yes, they have a job to do, which is to attempt to collect the money that you owe. However, they must be kind and considerate at all times. If you are having trouble with a debt collector or multiple debt collectors, or feel as if you are a victim of debt harassment, please contact your Legal Rights Advocates immediately.
(855) 254-7841
