As if the Covid pandemic isn’t bad enough, you’re still receiving those daily calls from debt collectors. It seems that each and every time the phone rings it’s another debt collector looking for money that you simply don’t have at this time. The debt collectors are relentless. They don’t care that you may have lost your job due to the Covid crisis. They could care less that you’re struggling to keep a roof over your head and your stomach full. They simply can’t seem to understand that you’re far more worried about catching the virus and how it will affect your overall health then you are about paying off a past due debt right now.
Life was stressful before Covid, now it can feel as if it’s next to impossible to survive without a scratch. Let’s face it; you could use a break right now. Although we certainly can’t make Covid go away, we very well may be able to help get those annoying debt collectors to stop bothering you, especially if they are using procedures that are considered to be debt harassment by the federal government. Debt harassment is actually a serious issue that negatively affects millions of American citizens on a daily basis. The definition of debt harassment is “to intimidate, abuse, coerce, bully or browbeat consumers into paying off debt.”
Although debt collectors most often commit debt harassment on the phone, they may also harass you through the mail. A recent law will now allow debt collectors to contact you through electronic formats such as email and social media. Chances are high that some debt collectors will commit debt harassment in electronic formats in the near future. The question that you may be asking yourself at this point is why do some debt collectors resort to debt harassment when it is illegal according to federal law? It’s because most consumers are unaware that debt harassment is illegal, so the dishonest debt collectors think they will get away with it.
The other aspect is that intimidation can be a powerful thing that goes a long way in getting results. For example, if a debt collector calls to inform you that they are about to issue an arrest warrant unless you pay your past due debt immediately, it can be incredibly intimidating. If you don’t know that debt collectors have absolutely zero authority to issue arrest warrants or have arrest warrants issued, it may actually scare you into making a payment that you simply cannot afford. That is an abusive practice that is not allowed by the federal government.
If this has happened to you, please contact a consumer rights lawyer today. You are a victim of debt harassment. An attorney who is experienced in debt harassment law can help you make the harassing debt collection calls stop once and for all. The attorney may also be able to help you win a monetary based lawsuit against the debt collector in question. There are a great deal of debt collectors that follow the rules. However, the debt collectors that do not follow the rules can make your life miserable. How would you like to receive phone calls all day and all night?
It’s not only annoying; it can drive you absolutely crazy. In these difficult times you certainly don’t need a constant reminder that you owe money. It’s stressful enough just knowing that you owe the money. A great deal of consumers don’t know that under the federal debt collections laws debt collectors can only call you between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm. That means if they happen to call you before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, they are committing debt harassment, and you may be entitled to sue them in a court of law.
Earlier in this article we mentioned the fact that some of the underhanded debt collectors utilize intimidation in order to attempt to collect debt. In addition to threatening to have you arrested they may falsely inform you that they will have your wages garnished until you pay them the past due balance that you owe. The good news is that is only a threat. Debt collectors have absolutely zero power to garnish your wages. Threatening you about garnishing your wages is yet another from of debt harassment. You don’t need to take it.
You can stand up for yourself when being harassed by a debt collector. We are here to help you each and every step of the way. If you feel that you are suffering from debt harassment from a debt collector, please contact us today. Your Legal Rights Advocates is here to help.
(855) 254-7841
