Empty Threats Commonly Made By Debt Collectors
The realization that you are having serious financial problems you don’t have a solution to is hard enough to face. The last thing anyone who is already under financial stress needs is more stress in the form of ongoing contact with debt collectors. But unfortunately, those who are suffering the most financially often experience persistent contact that can feel like harassment and even be intimidating. The results of a survey published a few years back by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) indicated that more than a quarter of consumers who have interacted with debt collectors self-reported feeling threatened by the creditor or collector who contacted them most recently.
Understanding Your Rights Under the FDCPA
The good news is that there is a federal law in place that is intended to protect consumers from deceptive, abusive, or unfair debt collection tactics in the form of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Generally speaking, the FDCPA forbids a debt collector from making false or misleading statements while they are attempting to collect a debt.
Common Threats From Debt Collectors
Despite the protections of the FDCPA, it is still possible that any debt collector you speak with will explicitly lie to you or otherwise violate the law in an attempt to collect your debt. In addition to being annoyingly persistent and intimidating, debt collectors will often say anything that they think you need to hear in order to force you into paying the debt that you owe them – even if they know what they are saying isn’t true. Some of the more common tactics used by debt collectors include:
- Lying about the law itself
- Reaching out to you at night or early in the morning
- Calling repeatedly during the same day
- Continuing to contact you after being told not to
- Threatening to sue or garnish you after the statute of limitations
- Threatening to disclose information to unrelated parties like your employer or friends
- Misrepresenting themselves as attorneys
- Contacting your place of work after you have requested that they not do so
- Telling you that you personally owe a debt you have no obligation to pay or have already had discharged
- Using threats of harm or violence
While some debt collectors exist who do not use these unethical tactics in an attempt to collect debts, if you have any question about whether or not you have been subjected to illegal threats you should reach out to an experienced bankruptcy attorney as soon as possible.
Are You Suffering From Significant Debt and Being Harassed by Debt Collectors?
If you are tired of battling debt collectors and want to begin taking steps toward the restoration of your finances, help is just a call away. Turning to the right legal team can afford you assistance throughout the bankruptcy process with everything from gaining answers to your questions to negotiating with debt collectors on your behalf. As the Plantation bankruptcy attorneys at Nowack & Olson, PLLC, we have seen all kinds of disturbing and illegal conduct that is intended to scare debtors into paying debts they cannot afford. Fortunately, we have also learned during four decades of combined experience exactly how to handle these tactics and guide our clients around them. Our goal is to help as many people as we can who have been suffering from substantial debt either restructure or discharge their debt with the goal of positive financial standing. To begin with a free consultation, contact us today.
Resource:
finance.yahoo.com/news/1-4-consumers-feel-threatened-060000895.html
