Can You Be Sued by a Debt Collector in a Different State? (Out-of-State Collection Laws)
If you’re being contacted by an out-of-state debt collector, you may wonder — can you be sued by a debt collector in another state? The answer depends on several legal factors, including jurisdiction, where the debt originated, and your current connections to that state. Out-of-state debt collection can be confusing because each state has its […]
How to Deal With Out-of-State Debt Collectors and Report FDCPA Violations
Dealing with out-of-state debt collectors can be stressful—especially when you’re unsure whether their collection attempts are even legal. If you’re in California and being contacted by a debt collector based in Delaware, you’re right to ask questions. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to know, what to check, and how to report violations if the […]
Should You Pay Charged-Off Debt? What You Need to Know
Should You Pay Charged-Off Debt? What You Need to Know Charged-off debt is a term many consumers encounter, often with confusion and concern. When a creditor gives up on collecting and writes your account off as a loss, that debt doesn’t just disappear—it stays on your credit report and can haunt your finances for years. […]
Beware of Calls and Threats From Fake Collection Agencies
Beware of calls from shady, unlicensed collection agencies and their verbal threats to garnish your wages. I recently heard about people receiving repeated calls from the PDLR Group. Apparently representatives from PDLR were threatening to garnish people’s wages and consumers wanted to know if this was legitimate. One individual questioned the legitimacy of the PDLR […]
Record Number of Lawsuits Against Debt Collectors
Fed-up consumers are fighting back against overly aggressive debt collectors, slapping collection agencies and creditors with a record 7,923 lawsuits from January 1 through August 15, 2011, according to a report in Collections & Credit Risk. By comparison, in the same period from a year ago, consumers filed only 7,169 such lawsuits. That means lawsuits […]
What to Do If a Bill Collector Sends You Inadequate Information About a Debt
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have the right to send a bill collector a “debt validation” letter requesting more information about the debt you are being told is still outstanding. This letter prompts the bill collector to send you proof of debt in the form of a complete payment history, a copy […]
What to Get from a Bill Collector Before You Make a Single Payment
If a bill collector has started to contact you about an outstanding debt and is using some intimidation tactics to get you to pay up fast, you need to be very careful about what you say to them and when you actually make a payment. In some cases, you could be relieved from the debt […]
Should You Record a Call with a Bill Collector?
Your bill collector may have sent you a letter contacting you about your outstanding debt or called you to introduce themselves. If you choose to accept a phone call and engage a debt collector in conversation, you may have more negotiating power if you record your call. You do have the right to record your […]
Know and Assert Your Rights Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Have you ever been harassed by a bill collector because of a past due bill? If the answer is ‘yes’, the bill collector is in violation of a Federal law. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the country’s consumer protection agency and enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to prevent “abusive, unfair or deceptive […]
How to Find Out if a Debt Collector is Licensed to Collect Your Debt
Reduce Your Debts Without Bankruptcy. See How Much You Can Save. Free Debt Analysis When you are contacted by a debt collector, one of the first things you need to do is verify that their claim is legitimate and if it is, confirm that the debt collector is actually licensed to collect on that debt […]
6 Common Lies Debt Collectors Will Tell You
If you’ve ever had to deal with debt collectors, you know that many of them can be extremely persistent, rude and even downright obnoxious. But how do you know if a debt collector is flat-out lying to you or misrepresenting the facts just to get you to fork over some cash? It’s not always easy […]
How to handle harassment by a collection agency
Don’t pay them anything. Send a cease and desist letter in which you tell them to stop contacting you. Harassing people about debts (old debts, like yours, or current ones) is illegal under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Never Say That To A Debt Collector
If harassing calls from debt collectors are keeping you from answering the phone — or stressing you out — you’re not alone.
Amid the tough economy, debt collection activity has intensified, with some debt collectors engaging in unfair, abusive or illegal practices. The Federal Trade Commission says it gets more complaints about debt collectors than any other industry. In 2009, the agency received 88,190 consumer complaints about debt collectors, up 12% from the year before.
Can a Bill Collector Add Collection Fees?
Question: I have an outstanding debt of $750 with a college which is currently handled by a collection agency. The agency is telling me my debt is now $1,000. Is it legal for the debt collector to add collection fees and refuse to settle for my original amount? Answer: What debt collectors can and can’t […]