It goes without saying that dealing with debt can be incredibly stressful. Maybe the scariest part is that just one unaccounted for event, such as a layoff or medical emergency, could cause you to go into debt. It also goes without say that being hounded by debt collectors and living in fear of what they can do to you can make your stress levels go through the roof. You need to understand how to protect yourself. That means you need to know exactly what debt collectors can do and what they can’t do when attempting to collect a debt from you.
As they say, knowledge is power. It will also help you reduce your stress level. For example, did you know that consumers are protected from debt harassment in the United States by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA for short? The bottom line is that debt collectors are not allowed to use deceitful tactics when dealing with you. That means they can’t harass you, threaten you with violence, call you repeatedly, use obscene or abusive language, or publish any information about your situation. Debt collectors can’t arrest you for your debt.
In fact you can’t be arrested for any debt that you owe. That being stated, a debt collector can sue you in a court of law in order to attempt to collect the debt and pursue an arrest warrant if you fail to appear in court. A debt collector can’t come to your place of work. They can call you at work, but they are not allowed to inform your co-workers or boss that they are a debt collector. You can actually stop the calls by asking them not to call you at work. Speaking of calling you, debt collectors can’t call you whenever they want.
They can only call you between 8 am and 9 pm. You can also request that they stop calling you at home, but that doesn’t mean you will no longer be responsible for the debt. There are some things that debt collectors are allowed to do according to the FDCPA. For example, debt collectors can put some pressure on you to payoff or settle the debt without threatening or misleading you. They can sue for the debt payment. Prior to that step, a debt collector will typically allow you to negotiate your debt. You may even be able to negotiate a settlement that is less than 50% of the amount that you owe.
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.
