When you owe a company money and they’ve sent your case into collections, you might experience irritating calls, threatening letters, or unpleasant visits from the collections agency. However, you have rights, thanks to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). If you are being hounded by collection agents, look at our top 3 tips for fighting creditor harassment practices.
Tip #1: Understand Your Rights
If you owe someone money, read the FDCPA backward and forward, so you understand what your rights are as a consumer and when precisely a creditor is violating the terms of the FDCPA. Collectors are restricted in how often and what time they can contact you. Likewise, they are prohibited from making specific threats against you. Once you understand your rights, you know when you can take action against unlawful practices.
Tip #2: Record Everything
If creditors send you letters, keep these missives. If they make calls, record the calls or write down the details of the call and what time it came in. If you’re receiving several calls a day, write down how many times they called, how long each call lasted, and the details of each of these phone conversations. If you pursue legal action against the creditor for breaching the FDCPA, each instance of a violation could increase the overall compensation amount the creditor must pay.
Tip #3: Contact an Attorney
Once you have sufficient evidence of creditor harassment, take your case to an experienced Chicago consumer attorney. He or she can help you build your case against the creditor and can help you recover compensation for the harassment. In these cases, if the consumer wins against a creditor, the creditor is also responsible for paying for the consumer’s legal fees.
If you’re interested in pursuing a case against a creditor, talk to one of our experienced attorneys at Atlas Consumer Law. Our firm is dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers in Illinois. We can use the law to your advantage and offer skilled legal guidance and determined advocacy. Let us look at your case and make recommendations about your best course of action.
Contact us at (312) 313-1613 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation today.