Keep Creditors from Harassing You
Creditor harassment is frustrating, upsetting and often embarrassing. Debt collectors may call day and night and sometimes even at your work, exposing your financial problems to your boss and coworkers. You can stop a credit card collection agency from harassing you by knowing your rights and taking some simple steps.
Keep a Call Log
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act doesn’t allow collection agencies to call you anytime or at work. Debt collectors can’t call before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm, and they can’t call you at work if you’ve told them not to orally or in writing. Keep a written log of all calls the collectors make that violate the FDCPA. If you send the collector a letter asking them to cease contact, send it by certified mail, return receipt requested, and state all the dates and times they’ve called you from your log. The creditor may start more aggressive tactics, such as suing you in court, if you send this letter, so consider your other options first. Even if you don’t want to send a letter, still keep a call log in case you must prove the harassment later.
Ask for Validation
A creditor must be able to verify the debt at your request. Within the first 30 days of the collector’s first contact with you, such as a written demand from payment, you may send a letter disputing the debt and ask for validation. The creditor can’t contact you again unless he sends you proof of the debt, including the amount you owe and proof, such as a bill copy.
Dispute
You can dispute the debt with the credit bureaus once the creditor has entered the debt as negative item on your credit report. You may start a dispute by contacting each credit bureau and following their procedures for dispute initiation. The credit bureau investigates the debt, and if the collector can’t prove you owe the money, the bureau may remove the debt from your credit report.
Get an Attorney
If you have an attorney representing you, the debt collector must contact the attorney about the debt, not you. Give the attorney the information for the debt collector. The attorney will contact the debt collector and tell them he’s representing you.
Know the Statute of Limitations
States have limits on how long a debt can be collected on. Check the laws in your state to see if the debt is even legally enforceable.
Try Debt Relief
Debt counselors can help you deal with creditors and settle your debts. Debt relief experts may be able to help you clean up your old accounts and stop creditor harassment for good.
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