If you owe money to creditors, you may already be aware of your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, also known as the FDCPA, you have the right to demand certain ethical debt collection practices from debt collectors.
The FDCPA specifies exactly when debt collectors can contact you, how they can do it, and what they can tell you in order to collect on a debt. One example is that a bill collector can't tell you a lie or misrepresent the truth about your debt. The FDCPA was created after a long string of debt collectors abusing people to collect on debt. What you probably don't know about the FDCPA, however, is that even bill collectors have rights.
The first of their rights is to communicate with you in order to let you know about any debts you owe. They can do this via telephone or letter. In this communication, they can let you know exactly what you owe, including whatever fees or penalties they may charge you.
Second, a collector has the right to continue to contact you until you notify them in writing that you don't owe any money, that you don't owe all of the money, or that you require verification that you really owe the debt. Of course, the FDCPA limits when and how they can continue to contact you, but as long as they operate within the rules of the law, they can continue to contact you until you put a stop to it.
Third, the debt collector can continue to contact you even if you request that they stop contacting you, as long as the debt collector is actually the original creditor, or an in-house agency owned by the creditor. This is because the FDCPA recognizes creditors as being different than debt collectors, so they don't have to follow the same guidelines that debt collectors do. They do, however, still have to follow the same rules of decent behavior that debt collectors do. This includes not harassing people you know, or calling you at all hours during the night.
Fourth, they have the right to contact other people about your debt, but only once, and only to find out your address, your phone number, or where you work. However, they are prohibited from contacting a third party more than once. Any more than that can constitute harassment.
Lastly, a debt collector can sue you in court in order to collect on a debt that you owe them. Of course, you still have the right to defend yourself in any legal proceedings, but if the judgment goes against you, the judge may garnish your wages.
If you're forced to deal with any debt collectors, you need to know your legal rights. You also need to know the rights that debt collectors have under the law. This knowledge can show you how to deal better with these guys when and if they cause you any problems.
The FDCPA specifies exactly when debt collectors can contact you, how they can do it, and what they can tell you in order to collect on a debt. One example is that a bill collector can't tell you a lie or misrepresent the truth about your debt. The FDCPA was created after a long string of debt collectors abusing people to collect on debt. What you probably don't know about the FDCPA, however, is that even bill collectors have rights.
The first of their rights is to communicate with you in order to let you know about any debts you owe. They can do this via telephone or letter. In this communication, they can let you know exactly what you owe, including whatever fees or penalties they may charge you.
Second, a collector has the right to continue to contact you until you notify them in writing that you don't owe any money, that you don't owe all of the money, or that you require verification that you really owe the debt. Of course, the FDCPA limits when and how they can continue to contact you, but as long as they operate within the rules of the law, they can continue to contact you until you put a stop to it.
Third, the debt collector can continue to contact you even if you request that they stop contacting you, as long as the debt collector is actually the original creditor, or an in-house agency owned by the creditor. This is because the FDCPA recognizes creditors as being different than debt collectors, so they don't have to follow the same guidelines that debt collectors do. They do, however, still have to follow the same rules of decent behavior that debt collectors do. This includes not harassing people you know, or calling you at all hours during the night.
Fourth, they have the right to contact other people about your debt, but only once, and only to find out your address, your phone number, or where you work. However, they are prohibited from contacting a third party more than once. Any more than that can constitute harassment.
Lastly, a debt collector can sue you in court in order to collect on a debt that you owe them. Of course, you still have the right to defend yourself in any legal proceedings, but if the judgment goes against you, the judge may garnish your wages.
If you're forced to deal with any debt collectors, you need to know your legal rights. You also need to know the rights that debt collectors have under the law. This knowledge can show you how to deal better with these guys when and if they cause you any problems.
About the Author:
Sean Payne is loves to talk about getting out of debt. After paying off his own debt, he spend over a decade discovering the best way to get out of debt, and keeping your cool while dealing with debt collectors. To learn more about debt collectors' rights, and what you can do to preserve your peace and quiet, check out his excellent debt reduction course.
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