Confronting a Debt Collector’s Offending Tactics
- aldarich
- Aug 22, 2018
- 2 min read
If you are besieged with the burden of debts, bankruptcy might be the right answer.
But before you go ahead to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, delve into possible alternatives.
There are situations when an alternative course of actions may suit your specific financial condition.
Is it the harassment from creditors that is bothering you?
If your answer is yes, then bankruptcy may not be the best solution to halt the maltreatment.
There are some things you can do if the bill collectors cross their limits.
If they call you repeatedly or place telephone calls to you without identifying themselves or, worse still, use profane language, you can file a complaint with the FTC.
The FTC or the Federal Trade Commission is an agency that monitors collection agencies.
While filing the complaint, do not forget to include the following:
The debt collector’s name and address, and the dates and times when the calls were made
Copies of offending letters you received
You may even send the complaint to the debt collector or the collection agency.
What if there is repeated abusive behavior?
You can sue the debt collector.
But keep in mind not to go ahead and sue if the behavior was merely annoying and nothing more. More so, if the agency does not call you again.
To sue the creditor, you can hire one of the bankruptcy lawyers in Maryland and go to court.
Nevertheless, it is important to find out whether it is worth the risk.
At the same time, you must also understand that if your debt is legitimate you will still be required to pay your dues even if you win the case.
A good approach, therefore, is to consider negotiation.
The FDCPA or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act provides you with several affordable options to end harassment from creditors.
It is not uncommon for creditors to harass you just so that they can get some money. Or, it is also possible that they are willing to work with you to structure a friendlier payment plan.
In any case, suing can be a pricey task. The legal fees alone can make a big hole in your pocket.
If you win, however, you are entitled to recover the financial loss you have suffered by way of medical fees to treat the anxiety you have gone through.
The bottom line is you must choose strategies on how to handle your creditors carefully or better still consult bankruptcy lawyers Largo to help you out.