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Dealing with Debt Collectors

Written by: John Kevin

Article Overview: Owing a debt and being unable to pay it has limitless disadvantages. The paramount being not having a peaceful life. Falling short on payments leads to creditors or debt collectors chasing you for the debt.

Dealing with Debt Collectors

Owing a debt and being unable to pay it has limitless disadvantages. The paramount being not having a peaceful life. Falling short on payments leads to creditors or debt collectors chasing you for the debt. The original creditors sell your debt to collection agencies and wash away with the collection. Debt collectors on the other hand engage frequently in unlawful means to extract money from you.

Debt collectors employ various means to extract money from you. The most followed method being, calling you repeatedly and sometimes continuously without a breathing space even. The idea behind this is to confuse you, harass you and trouble you so that you pay up.

The Fair debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), covers all personal debts, family and household debts such as medical bills, mortgage, personal loans, credit card debts and car loans. The FDCPA is a federal statute that has clearly laid the rules for debt collectors to follow. Not abiding by these rules is violating the federal law.

Under the Act debt collectors can call you over the phone or by mail. They may call you after 8.00 am and before 9.00 pm. Debt collectors may also call you at your work unless you ask them to stop.

In trying to collect the payment on debt, these debt collectors become over zealous and end up in harassing you. They call at all times, repeatedly, threaten you, use indecent language and do whatever they can to make you commit a payment. Under the FDCPA, a debt collector can try to collect the debt but cannot torment you in the process.

A debt collector cannot harass you by calling repeatedly, use abusive language, give misleading information about the debt or about his/her identity, demand payment on phone, or threaten you with wage garnishment or arrest.

To stop harassment, you can send a cease and desist letter to the debt collectors. They cannot contact you once they receive the letter. If the original creditor contacts you, he may inform you about the legal action he has planned.

You can sue a debt collector if he/she violates the FDCPA. You have one year from the time of violation to file a suit in a court. You actually have an advantage here. If you win the case, the debt collector may end up paying you damages, court costs and your attorney bill.

The FDCPA assures the rights of the consumers. You have every right to be free of harassment even though you have to pay genuine debts. The best way to stay away from harassment is to contact an FDCPA attorney and bring peace into your life.

Krohn & Moss, Ltd. has qualified FDCPA attorneys who have helped thousands of customers in dealing with debt collection harassment cases.

Related Articles
  FDCPA Laws
  FDCPA Assures Rights of the Consumer
  What is Debt Collection Harassment?
  Beware of Charged off Debts!
  Know your Rights in the FDCPA

Article Tags: debt collection laws, Debt Collection Rights, debt collector harassment, fair debt collection, fair debt collection act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, FDCPA



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