How to Know Your Rights When Dealing With Harassing Debt Collectors

With the economy on the down turn, there are lots of people facing financial hardships. Having accounts in collections is a humbling and horrifying experience. The collection calls can seem way out of hand. Give yourself a little peace of mind by knowing your rights. Collectors don't have free run to do whatever they feel they need to, to collect a debt. By collectors breaking the law & violating your rights, you may be able to get your debt completely wiped clean.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Debts in collection
• Knowledge of your rights

1. 
    

   *EDUCATE YOURSELF* There is a set of laws called The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), get to know these. These are the laws that collectors MUST abide by. If they don't you have every right to sue and there are lawyers willing to help. I have links to informational websites.

2. 
    

   If a collector happens to break a law, call them on it. Don't let them harrass you or push you around, be firm.

3. 
    

   If they say that your wrong about the law, it may just be a ploy to avoid a lawsuit. Stick to your guns and be properly educated about your rights.

Resources

• Help finding an attorney to stop the harassment
• FDCPA laws - Indexed
• Consumerist article on how AOL encourages its collectors to lie
• A forum thread that has a list of all the basic FDCPA laws - easy to read
• FDCPA law guide by FTC.gov
• Consumerist article on dealing with abusive collectors

[rjessiegreen]

on 11/11/2008 Good information. Times are hard, and unfortunately so many need these tips.

[leanan]

on 11/8/2008 Great article, my mother once had one who cursed her out!

[Elizabethknows]

on 5/24/2008 good info sometimes bill collectors step the line.

[favefive]

on 4/29/2008 Thanks for this timely information. I will share this with a friend who is contantly being harrassed by phone calls from debt collectors. She has lost her job and couldn't make payments...