Your Rights With Collection Agencies
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Many people face the dreaded news: A collection agency is looking to collect a debt from them. And while most agencies are ethically moral companies willing to work with the debtors, some are nothing more than bullies, using idle threats and intimidating tactics to try to get you to pay up. Although they have the right to try to collect the money you owe, you as a debtor also have your own rights that, if you are not aware of them, make the process of paying much scarier.
There are certain actions that collection agencies cannot do without violating your rights, such as calling you at your work place, add any unauthorized charges, and make verbal threats against you or your possessions and/or family. They might suggest ways that, though promised as fast ways to pay off your debt, are actually scams that could sink you even deeper into the hole. These include using a credit card to pay off what you owe, sending checks through FedEx or UPS, or giving your checking account info to the agency. Having the money you owe paid off through a credit card only increases your overall debt; Fed Ex charges to ship through them, once again adding to your debt; and corrupt collection agencies have been known to add "interest" to what you owe and take it directly from bank accounts if they have your information.
If you find yourself the victim of any similar forms of harassment, there are ways that you can get it to stop. The first thing to do is send them a written request to the collection agency to cut off all contact. If that doesn't work, then you should reach out the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state's attorney general. They can step in and put an end to the abuse.
In order to ensure that your claims are fully considered and you have a fair chance of winning should your go to court against the collection agency, make sure to have as much documentation as possible of the violations. If achievable, record phone calls where the agency is verbally abusing you, or save letters that contain threatening language. With all of this evidence under your belt, you should be able to effectively bring an end to the harassment and win your case if the charges are outrageous enough.
Now here is the hard question: What if I can't pay off my debt? Obviously you should do your best to pay off what you owe, but that still doesn't mean that you should suffer at the hands of immoral collection agencies. Beyond the phone calls and letters, there really isn't much that agencies can do against you or your paychecks. If you should go to court over the debt and lose, then agencies do have the right to seize your assets in order to settle the money owed. However, even in such a situation, you still have rights, and it's important to make sure that they are protected, because being a debtor does not mean that you are any less of a human being.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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