The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a federal law designed to help consumers fight against abusive and bullying debt collectors. Here are the top five ways that you can make the FDCPA protects you:
1. Your financial situation is your business. Debt collectors are prohibited under the law from disclosing your information to anyone other than your spouse, your attorney and you. Many people experience embarrassment about their particular financial problems, but the fact is 1 in 7 people are being harassed by debt collectors. Even if you owe significant debt, it is still your own personal business and debt collectors are not allowed to disclose it to anyone else. Debt collectors are not allowed to tell your relatives, your employer or friends the nature of their call (to collect on a debt). Your information belongs to you.
2. Debt collectors are not allowed to contact you whenever they want. The FDCPA places strict regulations on collectors: they cannot call you before 8am or after 9pm. They cannot contact you at work after you’ve told them not to. And they cannot call you with the intent to harass or annoy you, like calling you 5 times a day, every day.
3. Collectors cannot harass or bully you. Many people who are being hounded by shady debt collectors get to the point that they are afraid to answer their phone, for fear there is someone on the other line that will scream at them or bully them. You the consumer get to decide if the collector’s behavior is out of line. Examples include threats of force, obscene language or threats of public humiliation, like showing up at your work. The FDCPA prohibits collectors from all of these.
4. You have more power than you know. Did you know that sending a simple letter can make all the communication from a debt collector stop? It’s called a Cease and Desist letter, and once you mail it to the collector, they must stop all communication with you. You can find a form Cease and Desist Letter to use on our webiste at Michigan Consumer Credit Lawyers.
5. You can hire us as your attorneys at Michigan Consumer Credit Lawyers, for free, to sue an abusive debt collector. Under the FDCPA, consumers are legally entitled to sue a bullying debt collector, for FREE. We can get you damages of up to $1,000 plus all your attorney fees are also covered. Best yet, you stand up to those collection bullies and you get the last laugh.
Having just a little bit of knowledge of consumer law can save you time, hassle and money. Here at Michigan Consumer Credit Lawyers we fight for consumers against harassing debt collectors and we win.
If you have been victimized by a debt collector or have items on your credit report that are incorrect, call or email Attorney Gary Nitzkin at [email protected] for a free consultation at (888) 293-2882. For more information about your credit rights as a consumer, visit our website at www.micreditlawyer.com for informative, how to videos on consumer financial protection. We are here to fight for you. Call us today toll free at 888-293-2882!
