Consolidating Credit Card Debt - Be Fair Uncle Sam is Watching

By Elanora Kelly

Getting behind in your debts can require a debt collector making contact with you. Sometimes, you would feel unhappy as thoughts of maltreatment or aggressive behaviour from the collector cross your thoughts. To guard you, the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), America's consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) that proscribes debt collectors from employing arbitrary and fraudulent practices to gather from you.

Under this Act, debt collectors are people who collect debt from others. They might be collection agencies, barristers who collect liabilities on a consistent basis, and corporations that buy obligations and then attempt to collect them.

The Act covers personal, family and household debts, as well as money owed on a personal credit card account, auto loan, medical bill and mortgage. It does not include debts incurred to facilitate a business.

This Act restricts the way of contacting debt collectors. They may not get in touch with you at inconvenient places or times, say before eight in the morning or after nine at night, unless you agree to it. They might also not reach you at work unless you've been informed either orally or in writing.

After getting the facts straight from the collector, and you decide that you do not wish to have another encounter, it's possible to make him stop contacting you through writing. Make a copy of your letter and send the original by certified mail. Pay for a "return receipt" so you can record what the collector received. Once received, the collector may not contact you again, with two exceptions: he may inform you that no further contacts shall be made or that the opposing party intends to take an action, like filing lawsuit. This will not erase your debt, but should suffice stop the contact.

If you employed a solicitor to represent the debt, the collector must contact the attorney and not you. Otherwise, they may contact people only once simply to get your location, telephone number and any important details.

If you think that you do not owe anything or at least not all of the money, they must stop contacting you provided that you respond to their mail within 30 days after receipt of notice. However, they can contact you if they send you a verification notice of the bill.

Debt collectors aren't permitted to make fake statements, annoy or perpetrate prejudiced practices on the customer. If you experience any issues with a debt collector, report them to the state solicitor General's Office and the Fed Trade Commission. Debt collection laws may change from state to state, so your lawyer General's Office will help you identify your rights under your country's law. - 31397

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