Debt Collections Harassment Laws How Collection Agencies Violate Debt Collection Laws!

While companies are allowed to contact you if you owe a debt to them, there are specific guidelines that they are supposed to follow. You should never have to deal with an abusive debt collector.

Whether you are tired of harassing calls or you're working on negotiating with debt collectors, it's important that you know the laws regarding harassment. Here is a closer look at debt collectors and your rights.

Since there were so many complaints about abusive debt collectors, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act added as a statute back in 1978 as a way to protect consumers from illegal debt collectors. This act set up some collections harassment laws to provide rights to consumers and to aid them when dealing and negotiating with debt collectors.

Debt Collections Harassment Laws 101

The following are a few things that debt collectors are not allowed to do when working to collect a debt from you.

1 - No Threats of Violence

When it comes to debt collectors and your rights, these collectors are not allowed to use threats of violence. Physical violence and even threatening to ruin your reputation are not allowed.

2 - Abusive or Profane Language

You'll find that another of the harassment laws is that collectors are not allowed to use any abusive or profane language when they talk to you. This includes the use of any racial slurs.

3 - Repeated, Harassing Calls

The law also states that they cannot call you repeatedly until it turns into harassment. While the law doesn't have a specific number of calls that is considered to be "too many," calling multiple times a day or calling several times in a short time is no doubt going to be considered the act of an abusive debt collector.

4 - Sending Notices that Appear To be From an Attorney

According to the debt collections harassment laws, sending notices that appear they are from an attorney is not allowed either. Implying falsely that they have sent a legal document or that they have taken any legal action against you is also not allowed by the law.

5 - Pressuring Relatives

Some illegal debt collectors have tried to pressure relatives into paying the debt that consumers owe. Some have even tried to get relatives to get the consumer to pay the debt. When it comes to debt collectors and your rights, pressuring your relatives in any way is illegal unless they happened to co-sign the debt that is in question.

6 - Suing After the Statute of Limitations Ends

Once the statute of limitations ends on the debt you owe, the debt collections harassment laws don't allow collections anymore. If someone tries to sue you after the statute of limitations has expired, they are breaking the law.

Before you try negotiating with debt collectors, it's important that you do know your rights. These are just a few of the laws out there designed to protect you from an abusive debt collector.

If you feel that any of these debt collection harassment laws have been broking, contacting the Attorney Generals office in your state or contacting the Federal Trade Commission is your best course of action.

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