If you ever dealt with creditor harassment, you know how annoying it is to talk to them over the phone. Actually, it is against the law for creditors to harass you constantly, and they do this in several ways. The creditors cannot pretend to work for a government agency such as the IRS. Creditors are also not allowed to threaten your arrest if you don't make payments to them. Creditors or debt collection agencies don't have the right to harass you for the money you don't owe them. This is why it's wise to dispute any unknown errors on your credit reports. Here are other things that creditors can't do.
Call Whenever They Want
Creditors or collection agencies are not allowed to call you at any time of the day. They can't call you before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Of course, some creditors will try to harass you outside those required hours but you can just ignore the phone calls.
Contacting Your Job
Creditors are also not allowed to contact your job to collect debts, especially if you are prohibited from receiving personal phone calls. You can let the creditor know that they cannot call your job concerning your debts.
Creditors Cannot Go After Certain Types of Income
Creditors are also not allowed to touch certain types of income in order to collect a debt, and they can't threaten to do it while communicating with you. These types of income include social security benefits or SSI benefits, FEMA disaster benefits, veterans' benefits, and military survivors' benefits. And no matter what type of income you have, they cannot threaten to garnish your wages.
Using Offensive Language
Creditors or debt collection agencies also cannot use foul and offensive language when talking to you about your debts. They need to be respectful at all times and if they are rude to you throughout the conversation, then they're doing something illegal.
How to Deal With Creditors
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are ways you can communicate with creditors to ensure that your debts are paid. If you believe that there are errors on your credit report, you can write dispute letters to the companies and give your name, account number, the alleged amount you owe, and the reason for the dispute. Also, request a flexible payment plan if needed.
What to Do When Harassed by Creditors
The first step in ending creditor harassment is to know the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. You can obtain this information on the Fair Trade Commission's website. It is also important that you keep records of all the times when the harassment occurred. These include cell phone records, text messages, letters that were sent to you, and names of the collectors who contacted you. You can request verification that you owe those debts in writing from the creditors. Write a letter to the creditors stating that you no longer wish to be contacted by them. Under the FDCA, the creditors or debt collection agency is required to comply.
Ways to Avoid Debt
You can look for ways to avoid debt so that creditors won't call in the first place. Make sure that you have money saved up so that you can pay bills when emergencies arise such as job loss or medical leave. If possible, pay some bills a month ahead of time to avoid being late. Pay for items with cash as much as possible, and don't max out your credit card with frivolous purchases. Look for free or inexpensive ways to entertain yourself.
In conclusion, creditor harassment doesn't have to ruin your life. With these tips, it's possible to be free from harsh debt collectors. If you need help with ending creditor harassment, contact us. We will help you fight the harassment effectively.
