Debt Collection Harassment – Are You a Victim?
At the Ziegler Diamond Law: Debt Fighters, we understand how people feel when they are in debt. It can be overwhelming, and seem hopeless. There is help for debt collection harassment in St Petersburg.
Perhaps this is why so many people do not address the inappropriate and sometimes illegal behavior of debt collectors. Just because you are in debt does not mean you do not have rights.
What Is Considered Debt Collection Harassment?
Understanding collection harassment and what it consists of can help you get the assistance you need to stop this activity, and work on a more professional level to alleviate your debt with people who respect your rights.
The first thing to understand is that debt collection laws are regulated under both Federal and State law. There are several laws that are associated with debt collection.
It is sometimes difficult to know if you are a victim of harassment. There are many ways that a debt collector can violate your rights.
You may be a victim of harassment if a debt collector is contacting you in an incessant or inappropriate manner. If a debt collector contacts you several times a day, or at inappropriate hours, this may be harassment.
A debt collector cannot contact you between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM without your express permission. If they are contacting you by pursuing you on social media, or trying to embarrass you in public, you should contact an attorney immediately.
Contacting other people about your debts, such as neighbors or family members, can also be considered harassment.
Stopping Debt Collection Harassment
Do not feel as if you can be pressured into paying larger installments than you can afford. A debt collector is not allowed to pressure you into paying all the money off, or cause you financial trouble by not allowing you to pay in a way that is affordable to you.
They likewise cannot pressure you to sell your home or take out additional credit in order to pay them, or imply that legal action can be taken when it cannot.
Debt collectors must identify themselves during every communication, and they must notify the consumer that they are attempting to collect a debt.
The communication between debt collectors and consumers is also very regulated. A debt collector cannot threaten you by saying they will contact your employer without a final legal decision being made. They cannot disclose, or tell you they will disclose, your credit information without notification.
They certainly may not use vulgar or aggressive language toward you or your family members. They also cannot use similar language in correspondence, such as insulting you by addressing a letter in a derogatory manner.
They also are not allowed to communicate with you directly if you have hired a debt collection defense attorney, which is why we always highly recommend that you do so.
Help of Debt Collection Harassment Attorney
If you feel that you are being harassed by a debt collector, contact the Ziegler Diamond Law: Debt Fighters today. There is no excuse for debt collection harassment in St. Petersburg.
With the appropriate defenses and assistance on your side, you can escape inappropriate contact from debt collectors and start looking for alternative and reasonable solutions to pay off your debts and get your life back.
