If you are behind in paying your bills, your creditors and collection agencies could be harassing you in hopes of scaring you into paying your debt. You may not realize that you have protection against illegal harassment under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Massachusetts Consumer Debt Collection Act. You may also not even think to retain an experienced debt collection harassment attorney. However, without one, it may be impossible to stop the abusive calls, emails, and letters, assert your legal rights to compensation, and find a way out of your financial difficulties.
Why Do You Need to Retain an Experienced Debt Collection Harassment Attorney?
Under the federal and Massachusetts fair debt collection laws, debt collectors are prohibited from engaging in a wide range of illegal practices in their attempts to collect a debt. The Massachusetts law gives you even stronger protection because it applies to creditors as well as debt collection agencies and attorneys covered under the federal law. Just a few of the actions that are illegal under these laws include:
- Calling you repeatedly or before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM.
- Using obscene or profane language.
- Threatening actions that cannot be taken, such as having you arrested if you do not pay a debt.
- Discussing your debt with your family and friends.
These abusive techniques can be frightening and make it even more challenging to figure out a plan to pay your debts and become debt-free. Even if you try to assert your rights under federal and state law, the collection agency or creditor may not take your attempts seriously.
Here is how hiring an experienced attorney can help:
- Your attorney can send a letter to the collection agency demanding that they stop all communications with you and requesting verification of the debt.
- Your attorney can review the verification of debt to identify when the collection agency has insufficient proof that the debt is yours—which could result in your not owing the debt—and to determine other defenses you have to the underlying debt.
- Your attorney can negotiate a settlement if the debt is legally yours or communicate why you do not owe the debt to the collection agency.
- Your attorney can collect evidence, such as copies of letters, emails, phone, and text records to prove violations of fair debt collection laws.
- Your attorney can threaten legal action if the collection agency does not stop its illegal practices.
- Your attorney can file a lawsuit against the collection agency seeking compensation that you are entitled to for violations of federal and state debt collection practices law.
- Your attorney can help you in other ways to handle your overall debt problems, such as defending you if you are sued, and evaluating your options for filing a bankruptcy or negotiating settlements with your creditors.
Is a creditor or collection agency engaging in harassing collection practices when attempting to collect a debt? You need the help of an experienced debt collection harassment attorney to stop these abusive and frightening tactics. Unlike many attorneys, I am committed to protecting my clients’ important consumer rights under debt collection practices laws, as well as solving their underlying financial problems. To learn how I can help you stop the calls and other abusive collections, call my office today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.