Stress from Debt Collectors
Anyone who is in debt knows that a debt collector is capable of bringing more stress than the debt itself brings. Habitually, these people are not used to such practices. They are people who have possibly purchased your debt from the original lender at a lower price and are now trying to recover the money for a profit. They may not be getting paid a good salary for doing so, however. They are likely to be working on commissions on the recoveries that they make. Under the circumstances, they will make every attempt to recover the money from you. They are likely to make mistakes or go against the law in trying to do so. You should understand your rights when dealing with a debt collector. Harassment of people not owning any debts are common. Such people have gone against, and won, judgments against these debt collectors as they knew their rights. Here is the information that you need.
Basic Rights You Have
First of all, you must understand that a debt collector may only contact you between the hours of 8 AM and 9 PM; not before or after. They have a right to contact your employer once with the intention of having your residential address verified. You can take action against them if they insist on doing so consistently. They should not contact your neighbors in relation to your debt. Make sure that you keep a record of all contacts made, with the time. Debt collectors can be requested by you to stop sending written correspondence. However, you can do this by sending them a letter yourself. Do not forget to keep a copy of the letter for your records. They can send you a letter if they want to pursue further action in the form of a lawsuit.
Make Sure whether you own the Debt
If you ever feel that you have been wrongly targeted for your debt, you have the right to ask for proof that the debt exists from the collectors. You will have 30 days to make this request after receipt of the first notice. Upon a request being received a debt collector is obliged to provide you with the name of the original lender, the money owed and your name on the lender’s documents. However, no time limits are set for replies to be sent. Debt collectors should be able to provide all information about their companies. They also need to inform you about who they are collecting the money for and any outstanding amount they are trying to collect. Debt collectors cannot represent themselves in a misleading manner or resort to threats under any circumstances. They have not been given the right to take the law into their own hands. You can go ahead and inform them to stop all contact if you have a lawyer representing your case. Debt collectors may not pass on any information that is misleading about themselves or discuss your case with people that are not associated with the debt. A complaint can be made with the attorney general of your state against the debt collector and legal action initiated, if you feel you that you have been unfairly treated and are a victim of undue harassment.
