9 signs you are the victim of creditor harassment
Anytime a debt collection agent contacts you, it can feel like harassment or abuse. After all, if you have debt, the last thing you need is to feel hounded to make payments you just can’t make. To make matters worse, creditors are aggressive and they can be relentless when it comes to seeking payments.
However, there is a fine line between what a debt collector can and cannot do. These rules are outlined in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, but consumers can’t always tell when that line has been crossed. Below are some signs that you might be the victim of creditor harassment.
- You feel threatened
- You don’t know which debt is being collected
- You have never received documentation about the debt in question
- The person attempting to collect the debt uses abusive language
- You are being contacted at obviously inconvenient times or places
- The debt collector communicates with your family members, spouse or employer without your consent
- The caller does not properly identify himself/herself
- You have already paid the debt in question
- The agent calls your phone over and over
When and if a creditor engages in these actions, they could be violating your rights. You can put a stop to such unlawful behavior by filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and/or filing a lawsuit against the creditor.
If you want to put a stop to all contact from creditors, you need to deal with the debt in question. If you cannot pay off the debt, you will need to consider filing for bankruptcy or seeking other debt relief solutions.
Unfortunately, too many people are ashamed of their situation or too scared to ask for help when it comes to debt. But when you don’t do anything, creditor misconduct persists and you can get buried further and further under debt. Your debt and the efforts to collect it (unlawful or not) will not just go away. Handling these matters with the help of a lawyer can be the best way to take control of the situation and your financial future.
