Receiving debt collection calls is something that every one of the over 30 million Americans in debt has experienced. The calls may be from a familiar company or one you’ve never heard of; what remains the same is that they are pursuing payment on an account that you’ve allegedly failed to make payments on.
As a debtor, you may believe that you have no protection from these calls and that since you owe them money, they are free to pursue collection however they please. This is the furthest from the truth. Although debt collection calls are generally legal, debt collectors and creditors often violate your rights when placing these calls. Here are the top seven types of actions that violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”).
Debt collectors cannot call you while you are at work after you have clearly asked them not to do so. Many debt collectors ignore your request and continue calling. Rather than reporting them to the proper authorities, you ignore their calls or block the number. If you were to report these events, you may be able to get them to pay you. Remember, you will never need to pay our lawyers to pursue an FDCPA case. We get paid by the debt collectors.
Debt collectors often call several times a day. In some instances, they may even misrepresent their identity to lead you to believe that they are a separate entity from the person who reached out to you earlier. Both debt collection methods are illegal. They also cannot call:
Collection companies who find themselves unable to reach you regarding your debt issues will often communicate with the people around you to get your attention. Debt collectors are known to contact debtors’:
Lenders and debt collectors know that the last thing anyone with a defaulted account wants is to face jail time for his or her outstanding debt. This is why some collectors will go as far as threatening you with jail time. One debt collector even told an individual that they’d dispatch a sheriff to their house. It’s important that you know that they do not have the authority to send law enforcement officers to your home and it is illegal for them to pose such threats to consumers.
“Maybe if the amount was upped a little, they’ll take us seriously,” is the thought of many debt collection companies. It is illegal for them to do this. If you receive a debt collection call where you believe the amount owed is exaggerated, request proof of debt to confirm the actual debt amount and reach out to us for a free review to determine whether the debt collector may have violated the FDCPA
Debt collectors cannot curse at you, call you names, or use any other form of abusive language during their collection efforts. Those who do are in direct violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Get the compensation you are entitled to by law when you reach out to a knowledgeable debt harassment attorney.
The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi houses experienced attorneys who are cognizant of the illegal practices of many debt collection companies. A large majority of these entities get away with their harrassive debt collection techniques as many individuals are unaware of their rights. We are here to inform you of your rights and fight to get you compensation for having to endure such invasive collection tactics. Contact us today for a free consultation with a Florida FDCPA attorney.