One of the most troubling things about not being able to pay
your debts are the calls and letters from creditors. When you have bills you
can’t pay, you may start getting endless phone calls and letters requesting
payment. This is normal, but there are laws about how debt collectors may
behave.
No matter how deep in debt you are, you have legal rights.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects you from unfair and harassing
treatment from creditors and debt collectors hired to secure payment. Bankruptcy
can also stop debt collectors from contacting you.
There are many different types of behavior that debt
collectors may display that are actually against the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act. If you are struggling with debt and facing financial stress, the
last thing you need is harassment. Here are a few things debt collectors cannot
legally do:
- Debt collectors can’t threaten you with arrest or by taking action to harm your credit rating
- Lie to you or misrepresent who you are talking to in an attempt to secure payment
- Share your personal information about your debt with anyone else, such as your employer or family. However, they can contact your family to locate you
- Call you before 8 am or after 9 pm, based on your time zone
- Call you at work, provided the debt collector is aware your employer doesn’t approve of these phone calls
- Harass, oppress, or abuse you
- Falsely imply that you have committed a crime
- Use unfair practices in an attempt to collect a debt
- Conceal his or her identity on the phone
- Disregard a written request from you to cease further contact
When you file for bankruptcy, an “automatic stay” goes into
place. This stops all collection efforts, including calls from creditors. Call
King & King to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how this
process works.
You don’t have to endure creditor harassment. Filing for bankruptcy
can free you of your debts and give you a brighter financial future. Call us
today at 404-524-6400
