Violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was passed to protect consumers from abusive, unfair, or deceptive debt collection practices. Whether you owe money on a personal credit card, an auto loan, or medical bills, debt collectors are banned from engaging in harassing behaviors in an attempt to recover funds. You can protect yourself and your friends and family members by keeping an eye out for these illegal practices.
Constant Phone Calls
Debt collectors do have a legal right to inform you of your debt—once. If you decide that you don’t want them to contact you again, you may advise the collector of your wish in writing, and the company must comply. They are also legally prohibited from calling you at inconvenient times or places, such as late at night or at work.
Contacting Family Members
Debt collectors will resort to a wide range of aggressive and embarrassing tactics in an effort to shame consumers into paying their debts. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, your debt collector may only contact a family member to obtain your contact information and cannot disclose details of your financial situation. If a collection agent has attempted to contact your loved ones or even used social media to harass you or your family, consider contacting an attorney to put an immediate stop to these tactics.
Making False Statements
Debt collectors have been charged with everything from attempting to collect unspecified extra fees to threatening jail time to impersonating attorneys or government officials. In short, they are prohibited from lying when they attempt to collect a debt, and any misrepresentation of your debts is grounds for a lawsuit.
At Burr Law Office, Milwaukee bankruptcy attorney Michael Burr is dedicated to standing up for consumers’ rights. If you are being harassed by a collection agency or creditor, Burr Law Office can put an immediate stop to these illegal tactics. Call us at (877) 891-1638 to learn more about how our we can help.