Complaints About a Debt Collector

Schad, Diamond & Shedden, P.C. is currently investigating consumer
complaints about debt collectors and improper debt collection activities.

Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA"), you have
certain rights that protect you from improper or illegal conduct of debt
collectors.  Whether you are being harassed by a debt collector or being sued by one, it is important to fully understand your rights.  You can speak with an attorney at Schad, Diamond & Shedden to discuss your problem.
 

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA") was enacted in 1996 to protect individuals from all debt collectors.  Abusive debt collection practices contribute to a number of personal bankruptcies, job losses, and invasions of privacy.

The purpose of the FDCPA is to:

• Eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors  
• Ensure that those debt collectors who refrain from using abusive debt collection practices are not competitively disadvantaged  
• Promote consistent state action to protect consumers against debt collection abuses

What kind of debts are covered under the FDCPA?
Personal, family, and household debts are covered under the FDCPA, including money owed for the purchase of a car, for medical care, or for charge accounts.

Who is a debt collector?
A debt collector is any person who regularly collects debts owed to others, including lawyers who regularly collect debts.

May a debt collector contact you?
A collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. But a debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disapproves of such contacts.

Can you stop a debt collector from contacting you?
You can stop a debt collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the collector telling them to stop. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact or to notify you that the debt collector or the creditor intends to take some specific action. Please note, however, that sending such a letter to a collector does not make the debt go away if you actually owe it. You could still be sued by the debt collector or your original creditor.

May a debt collector contact anyone else about your debt?
If you have an attorney, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you do not have an attorney, a collector may contact other people, but only to find out where you live, what your phone number is, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting such third parties more than once. In most cases, the collector may not tell anyone other than you and your attorney that you owe money.

What must the debt collector tell you about the debt?
Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe; the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money; and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money.

May a debt collector continue to contact you if you believe you do not owe money?
A collector may not contact you if, within 30 days after you receive the written notice, you send the collection agency a letter stating you do not owe money. However, a collector can renew collection activities if you are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill for the amount owed.

What types of debt collection practices are prohibited?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact.

For example, debt collectors may not:

• use threats of violence or harm;
• publish a list of consumers who refuse to pay their debts (except to a credit bureau);
• use obscene or profane language; or
• repeatedly use the telephone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not use any false or misleading statements when collecting a debt. For example, debt collectors may not:

• falsely imply that they are attorneys or government representatives;
• falsely imply that you have committed a crime;
• falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau;
• misrepresent the amount of your debt;
• indicate that papers being sent to you are legal forms when they are not; or
• indicate that papers being sent to you are not legal forms when they are.

Debt collectors also may not state that:

• you will be arrested if you do not pay your debt;
• they will seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so; or
• actions, such as a lawsuit, will be taken against you, when such action legally may not be taken, or when they do not intend to take such action.

Debt collectors may not:

• give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit bureau;
• send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency when it is not; or
• use a false name.

Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, collectors may not:

• collect any amount greater than your debt, unless your state law permits such a charge;
• deposit a post-dated check prematurely;
• use deception to make you accept collect calls or pay for telegrams;
• take or threaten to take your property unless this can be done legally; or
• contact you by postcard.

What control do you have over payment of debts?
If you owe more than one debt, any payment you make must be applied to the debt you indicate. A debt collector may not apply a payment to any debt you believe you do not owe.

What can you do if you believe a debt collector violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, you may recover money for the damages you suffered plus an additional amount up to $1,000. Court costs and attorney's fees also can be recovered. A group of people also may sue a debt collector and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or one percent of the collector's net worth, whichever is less.