What are my Rights - Fighting for Truth and Respect in Pennsylvania Debt Collection
You may be contacted by a debt collector if you owe money on consumer debts or if the debt collector mistakenly believes that you owe money. Even if you are behind on paying your bills and are unable to satisfy these debts, you still have rights as a consumer and are protected under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act ("FDCPA"), a federal law that outlines what debt collectors can and cannot do when trying to collect money from debtors.
At the Pennsylvania law firm of Boyle, Neblett & Wenger, our lawyers can help educate you on your consumer rights under state and federal laws and the actions that you can take to ensure those rights are protected. You can stop debt collectors from contacting you altogether, but if certain collectors are using harassment, threats and other tactics to frighten and intimidate you into paying, you may be able to take them to court and pursue monetary damages. Contact an attorney at our firm to learn more information.
Tactics of Collection Agencies and What You Can Do to Stop Them
The abusive practices of collection agencies are the cause of many societal problems, including a greater number of bankruptcies and marital problems among harassed individuals. Recognizing the effect of creditor misconduct, Congress originally passed the FDCPA to prevent many of these problems from occurring and to stop collection agencies who do not follow the law or practice fairly from having a competitive advantage.
Collection agencies have many tactics to get you to pay. Which tactic they use will depend on what they believe is the most effective. They may threaten to call your friends, or may be calling at work to humiliate you. They may make threats of litigation or public ridicule. They may appeal to your basic sense of decency; we believe most people honestly would prefer to be able to pay their debts. We have brought suit for these and many other tactics too numerous to enumerate.
You have the option of taking debt collectors to court if they violate the law by engaging in practices such as these:
- Harassment
- False statements
- Contact at inappropriate times or inappropriate places
- Threats
- Other unfair practices
The bottom line is this: A debt collector must treat you honestly, fairly, and with dignity and respect. You don't need to figure out whether they are breaking the law. That's our job. When you feel you are being abused, give us a call. We can help you recover your sanity and break the cycle of terror, anger and frustration that an abusive debt collector can create.
What is the First Step to Take in Protecting My Rights?
Take the first step by talking with an experienced attorney about unfair debt collection and your consumer rights. Schedule a free case evaluation and consultation with Boyle, Neblett & Wenger and exercise your rights against abusive debt collectors. Call our firm to make an appointment at 866-661-7930 and learn more about illegal debt collection practices.
