Accumulating debts is sometimes a natural part of being an entrepreneur. People get into debt to have the resources they need to accomplish something. Still, bringing vast amounts of deficits can lead to wrong creditor activities.
Sometimes, creditors hire third-party debt collectors to force people to pay their outstanding balances. Following their shrewd reputation, some debt collectors perform actions that people view as harassment.
How can you tell if a debt collector is harassing you? Can the creditors be held accountable for the actions made by a debt collector?
What can you do if a Creditor is Harassing you?
Creditor harassment can be various actions they apply to debtors. Some forms of creditor harassment are foul language, physical intimidation, threats, and even repetitive phone calls. Debt-collectors or even creditors can do things to annoy or force another party to pay their debts. People must know the legal means of collecting debt and the illegal practices of creditors.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) considers creditor harassment illegal. Remember to know your rights when a creditor calls seeking payment. If you find yourself under creditor harassment, you can file a Creditor Harassment Defense with the help of a lawyer. It is advisable to seek the help of professionals who know all the laws regarding debts and their proper collection.
Remember to remind your creditor to stop calling you if they do it repetitively. Aside from that, you can write your creditor a letter. To protect yourself from harassment: record all the transactions between you and the creditor. If creditor harassment persists, you can call your lawyer while logging all the illegal debt collection practices a creditor does to you.
A no-contact request does not stop your creditor from receiving the money you owe. Even if you file a case against a creditor and win against harassment, you still have to pay your debt. Some people file for bankruptcy to end creditor harassment. Creditors cannot collect a debt if it is discharged in bankruptcy. After filing for bankruptcy, you will no longer be liable to pay debts or solve all of its relative problems.
Things Creditors and Debt Collectors Are Forbidden to Do
To collect money another party owes them, creditors and debt collectors resort to dirty tactics. However, if you know about your rights – you will quickly notice creditor harassment at its roots. Let us share some tactics creditors, and debt collectors cannot do to you.
Impersonate Government Agents
Directly from the FDCPA: Creditors and debt collectors cannot pretend to belong with government agencies, law enforcement, or consumer reporting agencies. If your debt collector does this, you can file a lawsuit against them for impersonating government personnel.
Threaten you with Arrest
Creditors or collection agencies cannot have you arrested for not paying your debts on time. Overall, creditors do not arrest legal arrest warrants or even impersonate law enforcers. Additionally, failing to pay your mortgage, medical, minor debt, car loan, or credit card debt on time won’t land you in prison. Consecutively, creditors can add penalty fees and raise the interest rates per payment.
Harass their Debtors
Some creditors turn to third-party debt collectors to force people into paying their debts. Debt collectors have a reputation for being unkind and performing illegal actions. Here are some examples of creditor or Debt Collector harassment:
- Public Shaming
- Threaten debtors with physical harm
- Use foul language
- Call you constantly
- Contact you beyond working hours
Collect Debt You Do Not Owe
Debt-collectors often perform illegal things. One example is deliberately forcing someone to pay a debt based on wrong information. In some cases, creditors sell a debt to a collection agency. If you suddenly encounter a debt collector harassing you to pay a debt you don’t owe, wrong information might be the culprit.
Fortunately, you can use letters from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to ensure you do not give more information to a debt collector or creditor.
Conclusion
Creditor harassment can occur either from a creditor or a third-party collection agency. Examples of creditor harassment are annoying you with calls, threatening you with physical harm, or scaring you with arrest. Remember to know your rights and immediately call a debt-defense lawyer.
