Tennessee residents like you suffer under the weight of your debt. You do not need more external forces making this even worse for you. Unfortunately, that is exactly what debt collectors can do.
What happens if a debt collector crosses the line and begins to harass you? Is there any way you can protect yourself?
Understanding the FDCPA
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau discusses instances where a debt collector may harass you. They cite the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). It protects people like you from harmful and unfair collection practices.
Under the FDCPA, collectors cannot abuse, oppress or harass you or anyone else they come into contact with. Some potential examples of harassment include:
- Use of profane or obscene language
- Repeated phone calls made with the intent to annoy, harass or abuse you
- Calling without identifying themselves
- Threatening you with violence or harm
- Making public “debt shame” lists of people who have not paid their debts
Protection from misleading practices
They also cannot use misleading or false practices to collect. This means they cannot lie about the amount you owe or claim to be an attorney if they are not. They cannot threaten you with arrest falsely. They also cannot threaten to do things they cannot do, or have no intention of doing.
There are several ways to handle harassment from debt collectors. One of them is to file for bankruptcy. Once you do, creditors and debt collectors cannot contact you in any way for the duration of the process under penalty of law. On top of that, you can solve your debt crisis through the bankruptcy, too. It serves two purposes at once. As such, you may find it beneficial.