If you have unsettled bills or owe money to a person or business, creditors have all the right to ask their money back through debt collectors or debt collection firms. However, this whole process needs to be carried out professionally. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), debt collection firms have no right to harass, abuse, or oppress you. The various forms of harassment by creditors or debt firms include: repeated phone calls, abusive language, violent threats, calling your work without your permission, etc. In such a case, you have every right to sue the firm or the creditor for violating the rules mentioned in FDCPA with a debt defense lawyer Chicago. Below are four things to do if creditors are harassing you.
A request letter to cease communication
The initial step is to contact the debt firm or the creditor by sending a certified letter requesting to cease all forms of communication. As per FDCPA law, they must ensure a no-contact policy as requested. Someday, you have to make the payment. Hence, it’s better to do it sooner by filing bankruptcy and getting a debt repayment plan.
File a complaint with FTC
If the repeated harassment and abusive calls and contact do not stop, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can include the creditor’s name, the firm’s name and address, the time and date of all communication, and copies of documents like written communication, letters, or recorded conversations.
File a complaint with the state agency
Make sure you file a complaint with your local state agency that deals with harassment by creditors. Mention all the details in your complaint and send a copy of the complaint to the creditor and the debt firm too. This is a great way to alert the creditor not to get involved with the government agency. Consequently, he might cancel the debt if you withdraw the complaint.
Hire a lawyer
To get rid of continuous harassment from creditors, hire a lawyer who will help you take legal steps to sue them. They will also represent you in court for all the violations by the creditor to harass and oppress you.
As a debtor, it is imperative to state that you will have to clear your debts one day. However, for the worst cases, you can always take legal help from finance or debt lawyers to plan a framework for ending this problem. The best way is to file bankruptcy and consider options like repayment plans, credit counseling, and loan workouts with your creditor for a smooth settlement.