What to do if you face harassment from a debt collector
It is your responsibility to pay off your debts. The debt collector contacts you in the event you miss the repayment. However, you need to be aware that only legal debt collection practices may be used for the purpose. As per the directives of the Federal Trade Commission, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects all consumers from unfair, deceptive or abusive collection methods.
If you think that a collector or a collecting agency is using illegal methods, you need to talk to a debt collection attorney now. This helps you to understand whether you have a case or not. The collector has no right to harass, threat, or abuse you. You may also have a case if there is a false statement regarding the debt amount or time for settlement.
Any violation of the law makes the debt collector liable for the damages. If you file a lawsuit and prove that there was a violation, you can obtain up to $1,000. If you can prove that you suffered because of the violation, the court may order the collector to pay you adequate compensation for the damages. You also have the right to include the attorney’s fees and court costs in the recovery claim.
You need a collection attorney to work on your behalf. This is the only way to make sure that you have a chance to recover damages. You may be able to file a class action lawsuit if numerous others were affected by the same collector/collecting agency. The recovery is either 1% of the collector’s net worth or $500,000 (whichever is lower).