Debt Collection: What can't debt collectors do?
December 30, 2014 - Categories: Legal Articles
If a debt collector is trying to collect a debt from you, one of the first things to determine is whether they are the actual creditor to whom you owed the original debt, or if they are a 3rd party debt collector. If a 3rd party, they must comply with the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA).
The FDCPA forbids many activities. 3rd party debt collectors cannot:
- leave voice mail messages for the debtor about the debt.
- use or threaten to use violence
- harm or threaten to harm you, another person, or your or another person’s reputation or property
- use obscene, profane, or abusive language
- publish your name as a person who doesn’t pay bills (child support collection agencies are exempt from this in some states)
- list your debt for sale to the public
- call you repeatedly, or
- place telephone calls to you without identifying the caller as a bill collector.
If a debt collector has violated the above laws, then please call our office for a free phone legal consultation at 855:437-3704.