The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Collection agencies may only contact you during sensible working hours and may not cause undue interruption at your place of work. This means that they cannot call you late at night and if your employer asks that they not call you at work, they must stop. Furthermore, a collection agency can only contact friends or relatives to ascertain your contact information and must never reveal to an outside party the nature of their business with you.
Collection agencies may not use harassing techniques to collect debts. They may not resort to cruelty, abusiveness, use impolite language or otherwise engage in acts that would be considered unprofessional. They are also forbidden by law to lie or make false statements for the purposes of collecting a debt and must be clear about the amount of a debt at the beginning of all communication. They must always correctly identify themselves to you and may not threaten you. If you have any questions, they should do their best to answer them in a professional manner. Always remember that collection agencies are paid by their clients - the organizations on behalf of which they are collecting the debt. This means that they should NEVER collect more than the amount which you owe to the company they are working for.
Law states that collection agencies help debtors to understand their rights in the collection process. If you feel that you have not been informed of your rights, or that those rights have been violated, you should contact the authorities and lodge a formal complaint against the agency in question. Be sure to document all of your conversations with them and keep a record of all correspondence to back up your claim of harassment. Knowing your rights in the case a collection agency comes knocking is important, but making payments on time is by far the best solution to the collection agency problem.
Related Tags: collection agency, collection agencies, debt collection
The Franchise Guide writes about Franchises, Franchising and Franchise Opportunities. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers P.c.'s "super Six"
BOSTON, MASS. As part of the Massachusetts Super Lawyers segment in its November 2008 issue, Bost - Getting Your Deposit Back on a House You Don't Buy
With the decline in our real estate market, many people have been deciding not to go through with t - Revised-real Estate Investment Broker
REVISED-Real Estate Investment Broker Truly you can say a significant event in a person's life is t - Orange, Fullerton and Costa Mesa California Restaurant Lawyer Pours Over the New Calorie Count Menu Law for California Restaurants
If you eat out for lunch or dinner anywhere in California, including Ventura, Murrieta, Anaheim, Sa - Draft Tarp Bailout Forms for the $700 Billion Dollar Troubled Asset Relief Program
NEWS - SUGGESTED TARP BAILOUT FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE One of the first forms that Banking Lawyers a - California's Water Bank and the Drought in California - a California Water Law Attorney Conclusion - We're Dry Out Here
Here in the desert cities of Palm Springs, CA, Joshua Tree, Palm Desert, Cathedral City, Indian Wel - A Palm Desert & San Diego California Broadcast Lawyer Disrobes the Cbs Janet Jackson Super Bowl Halftime Wardrobe Malfunction Fine
In 2004 as people watched with great interest the Super Bowl halftime show in towns across America, - Coachella Valley & Imperial Valley Agricultural Attorney Looks at the New Country of Origin Labeling Law (cool) and How it Will be Applied
No matter where you live in California, whether it is in a farming or agricultural area or city suc - San Diego, Orange County & Palm Springs California Hotel, Restaurant & Bar Lawyer on the Risks of Serving Alcohol to Minors in Drinking Establishments
Every hotel, restaurant, bar and nightclub in California is warned repeatedly how dangerous it is t - California Food & Wine Attorney Analyzes the New Country of Origin Labeling Law (cool)
If you live anywhere in California, whether it is in farming areas such as the Central Valley, the
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) for Local Government
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 requires public authorities to establish a system of - How to Prepare for an OSHA Investigation
I. Purpose and Application of OSHA1. History and Applicability of OSHAThe Occupational Safety & He - Are Social Networking Sites Violating Children's Online Privacy Protection Act?
Never before in our nation's history has a technological revolution skirted governmental regulation - The Modern Medical Office: Balancing Success, Technology, and HIPAA
The medical field has always depended on technology for improving patient care. Thanks to advances i - Earned Monopolies: Are They Really Bad? Re-Thinking Our Anti-Trust Laws
There are many types of Monopolies in Business, Commerce and Industry. Most of the Monopolies that w - Conduct your own background checks!!
Today, numerous companies conduct background checks, including several firms that offer their servic - Taxi 'Recap' - The Short Version; Part 2
"Our focus [is] on taxi operators who intend to exit the industry and...is certainly about ensuring - Ignoring ADA Could Cost Your Business a Bundle
The Americans with Disabilities Act is broken into titles. Title II is what is presently a great pro - Update on Berkeley Nanotech Regulations
On a December 2006 article, I suggested this interpretation for the new Berkeley Nanotechnology Regu - Lawsuit Cash Advance
Automobile accidents are more and more common with the increasing number of vehicles on the road. In