Stopping debt
harassment isn't always easy. Some states don't have
debt
harassment laws that apply to original creditors.
There are tons of scam companies out there acting like they are debt
collectors, when they're not. There are just as many companies
that are legitimate collectors, but who are new and hard to
locate. The best weapon that attorneys have to put a stop to
collection harassment is information. That is where you come
into play.
Many consumers are so fed up with
collection calls that they just stop answering the phone, or
sometimes turn off the phone altogether. If a company is calling you
three times a day to collect a debt they are breaking the law.
Instead of running from these calls, you should be writing them down,
recording the date, time, and number that called. You should not be
afraid to answer the phone and ask questions. Find out what the
debt is for, who the original creditor is, and how much you owe.
Sometimes the collector
will leave a message. If they leave a message and don't identify the
name of their company or they fail to give the mini-miranda and
indicate that this call is from a debt collector, and you save this
message, you've already nailed the company and you have the proof to
take them down.
The
FDCPA
doesn't apply to original creditors, but some states, like
California, have their own
debt
collection laws. You should be tracking these calls
as well. I have heard many debtors tell me that they received letters
from debt collectors, but that they don't have them anymore. Save
the letters, sometimes debt collectors will break the law by writing
a letter that
violates
the harassment laws.
I had one client who has
received over $10,000 dollars from debt collectors simply because
they kept track of the phone calls, saved the recorded messages, had
all the letters, and were able to provide all the information needed
to put a stop to debt collection harassment in their lives. Save
your information and call an attorney.
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