Most people simply endure the endless phone calls and threats without ever looking for ways to stop creditor harassment. Eventually, they become scared to even answer their phone. Unfortunately, ignoring the situation will not make it go away. Collection agencies have hundreds of workers who do nothing but make phone calls all day.
There are, however, several ways to deal with your debt and even make it more manageable. At Gregory J. Wald, Attorney At Law, we help our clients stop creditor harassment. Give us a call at (952) 921-5802. We can help you get creditors off your back.
Identifying Illegal Creditor Tactics
There are a number of tactics that creditors are restricted from employing. Furthermore, you can set boundaries and dictate what collections agencies can and cannot do. For instance, collections agencies are not allowed to contact you between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm. But if you tell them in a certified letter that you don’t want them to contact you at all, they are obliged to honor that request.
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors are prohibited from:
- Calling you repeatedly,
- Lying or engaging in deceptive conduct,
- Calling at unreasonable hours,
- Calling you at work if you asked them not to,
- Contacting family, friends, neighbors, or your employer,
- Threatening arrest, loss of custody, or loss of benefits,
- Insulting you or using derogatory language,
- Calling without disclosing who they are,
- Threaten repossession when not authorized,
- Contacting you after you have directed their calls to an attorney.
Debt collectors may not contact your family, friends, or neighbors concerning your debt. They can, however, attempt to locate you by asking them questions. They must not, however, let anyone know the reason they are looking for you is to recover a debt.
If a collection agency employs any of these tactics, you can sue them for damages.
Make Creditors Prove the Debt
Just because they say you owe the debt doesn’t mean you actually owe the debt. Before you pay them a penny, make sure that you force them to prove to you owe the debt they’re saying you owe.
If the company cannot prove they own the debt, prove you owe the debt, and prove they are acting on behalf of the individual who owns the debt, then you should simply ask them to stop calling you.
Even if the debt in question is something that you remember, this company needs to be able to prove that to you. Not only does it buy you time, but there is a chance of an accounting error on their end which can help you get the debt expunged.
Try to Work Out a Deal Through Debt Consolidation
Collections agencies work by purchasing debt from an original party. Generally speaking, they purchase the debt for much less than the original amount. If you are unable to pay the debt in whole, there is a chance you might get them off your back by paying a percentage of it.
If you have multiple debts and you want to settle them all, you might look into a debt consolidator. Debt consolidation involves one company purchasing all your debt and then guaranteeing you a fixed rate on the interest. The best part is, there is only one payment to make and it will immediately stop creditor harassment.
Bankruptcy Can Put an End to Creditor Harassment
As soon as you file for bankruptcy, all harassing communications from your creditors will stop. In other words, bankruptcy will stop creditor harassment in its tracks. It’s an option that is worth considering.
There are several different kinds of bankruptcy and they handle your debt in different ways. One thing that they all do is stop creditor harassment.
While bankruptcy isn’t right for everyone, those who can genuinely not pay their debts have an option at their disposal that will stop creditor harassment and allow you to manage your debt without the constant phone calls.
Speak to a Minnesota Bankruptcy Attorney Today
You don’t have to endure creditor harassment forever. Gregory J. Wald, Attorney At Law can help you get the relief you’re looking for. Give us a call to learn how we can help you stop creditor harassment.