Harassing Debt Collectors
If a debt has gone unpaid for a long time, the original owner of the debt often sells it to a debt collector for pennies on the dollar. The person buying the debt then takes over trying to get the money any way they can, oftentimes using tactics that are unfair and embarrassing, not to mention illegal. That is why the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was passed, to make sure that debts were collected fairly and that people’s rights were protected. Contact Alabama Consumer Lawyers for a free consultation about what your rights are and to see how we can help protect you against harassing debt collectors. Our number is 205-322-1201 or you can send us a message through our contact page.
You have rights under the law, no matter if you think you owe the debt or not. You do not have to put up with harassing debt collectors who are hounding you in all areas of your life. The FDCPA was put in place to spell out those rights and to make sure you were protected.
Debt collectors cannot call you wherever and whenever they want. They cannot call you in the middle of the night or early in the morning and they cannot call you at work if you tell them you cannot receive calls there. In fact if you tell a debt collector in writing that you do not want them to contact you, they have to stop calling.
Sometimes debt collectors try to shame you into paying what they say you owe by calling your family members or neighbors. That is illegal. Collectors can only contact other people to find out your address, phone number, and where you work.
You have a right to get the full details of any debt they say you owe. Collectors cannot lie about how much you owe as a ploy to get you to pay more. Within five days of first contacting you, every collector must send you in writing a notice of the amount you owe, where that money is owed, and what to do if you don’t think you owe the money.
Creditors cannot harass you by lying to you, using obscene language, or publishing a list of people who refuse to pay debts. They cannot falsely claim you committed a crime, claim to be attorneys, tell you that you will be arrested if you don’t pay, or use a false name. They may not lie to you in any way or claim that legal action will be taken against you if they do not intend to do so. And they must treat you with respect.
We know all of the tricks that debt collectors will try to use to squeeze money out of you and know how to stop them. Contact us for a free consultation if you think debt collectors are breaking federal or state laws. You also have the right to fight back and go after any debt collector that is breaking the law. We are not afraid to fight for our clients because you have rights and we are here to protect them. Contact us at 205-322-1201 to see how we can help.
