What is Creditor Harassment?
Debt collectors can be bullies, and if you feel you are being harassed by a creditor, you have a legal right to stand up for yourself. Creditor harassment can be difficult to cope with, and between late night calls, aggressive language and repetitive unwanted contact, any communication can be annoying and overwhelming. Eventually, this type of contact can have a negative impact on your personal relationships, professional life, and mental wellbeing.
The behaviors of debt collectors have led to the development of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which protects consumers from unfair treatment and harassment.
Under the FDCPA, debt collectors are prohibited from the following:
- Calling at unreasonable hours, or before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
- Communicating after the consumer asks the collector to stop contacting them
- Repetitive calling, with the intention to annoy or harass
- Communication with consumers who have filed bankruptcy
- Contacting the consumer at their place of employment, after they have been asked not to
- Attempting to communicate with a person if they have an attorney representing them
- Misrepresentation or deception
- Using profanity or abusive language
- Contacting any third parties
- Publishing a consumer’s name on a bad credit list, or something similar
If a creditor violates the FDCPA by behaving in any of the aforementioned ways, a consumer has the legal right to sue a collector for their violation. By taking legal action, a consumer can seek compensation for damages, including any court and attorney fees. At Traywick Law Offices, we understand how stressful dealing with aggressive and abusive debt collectors can be, and we want to help.
Attorney Traywick is committed to each and every one of his clients, and offers free case evaluations to anyone who believes they may need legal representation. To begin building your case, contact Traywick Law Offices, today.