What People Experience from Abusive Debt Collectors
Helping You Determine When Creditors and Collectors Go too Far
Most tactics used by creditors and debt collectors to recover payments on debt are frustrating and certainly not welcomed. But what kinds of abusive, illegal and actionable harassment are people experiencing?
- Illegal contact. Debt collectors can contact you. Under most circumstances, however, they cannot contact your neighbors, your employer or your children to discuss your debt.
- Illegal threats. Debt collectors can legally describe some consequences of debt default to you. They cannot, however, indicate that nonpayment will result in violence, claim the ability to kick you out of your house or threaten you with garnishment or foreclosure if they have no intent of pursuing such measures.
- Profane language. Debt collectors are not allowed to swear at you, abuse or harass you.
- False statements. Debt collectors cannot make false claims. For instance, they cannot claim that your case is actionable when it is not or claim that you'll be imprisoned. They also cannot make false statements to credit agencies in retaliation for nonpayment of debt.
Debt collectors also cannot legally interfere with your employment, threaten to garnish your wages before filing a claim, call you without identifying themselves or continue to contact you after you claim you are the victim of identity theft.
Debt collectors are not just bound by things they can't do. They are also bound by things they must do when attempting to collect debts. For instance, during the debt collection process, debt collectors must advise you that you have a right to dispute your debt.
Despite clear and comprehensive laws governing debt collection, debt collectors routinely break the law, and we routinely handle lawsuits against debt collectors who ignore laws that are in place to protect consumers facing financial challenges. We also advise clients that filing bankruptcy can bring an immediate end to creditor contact.
Contact Us
For help with halting debt collection or creditor harassment or filing bankruptcy, contact Minnillo & Jenkins. We provide free initial consultations and charge affordable, competitive rates. To schedule a free initial consultation with a bankruptcy lawyer at Minnillo & Jenkins, in Cincinnati, Ohio, call 513.723.1600 or contact us online.
We have five convenient offices with free parking to serve you. Evening and weekend appointments available.
We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.
