Millions of people across the country are victims of debt collection harassment each and every day, and if you are one of those people, it can be hard to know where to turn for help. Without the guidance of a qualified consumer rights attorney, you may not understand the best course of action when dealing with a threatening debt collector. Repeated phone calls and/or text messages can be extremely stressful to deal with, especially when you believe your debt to be false or inaccurate.
When you are burdened with incessant collection or financial harassment, here are a few things that you should keep in mind, to give yourself the best chance at a positive outcome in your case:
- Always ask for identification
If you happen to get on the phone with a real human being, remember to ask for their identifying information, and make a note if they refuse to give it to you. Request the name of the company they are representing, where they are calling from, their individual name or employee ID number, and the company whose debt they are attempting to collect on.
- Be respectful
When you’re under threat of wage garnishment or other abusive collection tactics, it’s understandable that you’d want to raise your voice or return those threats. However, becoming irate and yelling insults will not help in your consumer rights case, so do your best to remain calm and keep your voice steady but firm.
- Don’t ignore it
Many people who deal with credit harassment choose to ignore it whenever possible, but this may only make the problem worse over time. If a company believes that you owe them money, whether you actually do or not, they will continue calling, texting, and sending letters. Furthermore, when they fail to get a response, they may initiate a garnishment request, or report damaging information to the credit agencies. Be willing to get on the phone with the debt collectors, and take an active role in your defense.
- Hire an attorney
If you believe that you are being threatened, abused, or harassed by a debt collector, you have the right to talk to a consumer rights attorney in Los Angeles. Depending on your case, you may be able to recover financial damages of up to $1000 per company! You have the power to put an end to the phone calls, texts, and other abusive communication, so don’t hesitate to get the legal help you deserve.
Ready to stop the harassment by debt collectors? Come to Martin & Bontrager today and request your free case review!
