Hodges Trial Lawyers have assisted consumers in cases involving violations of federal law including both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Debt collectors have the right to attempt to collect debts that are legitimately owed by a consumer and these statutes provide guidelines for how credit providers and debt collectors can act and what they can legally do.
The following are examples of what debt collectors and credit providers should not do:
- Contact your friends, family, co-workers and/or neighbors and disclose information about your alleged debt;
- Put in writing or communicate over the telephone things that are untrue;
- Put in writing or communicate over the telephone things that are unfair;
- Put in writing or communicate over the telephone things that are disrespectful;
- Put in writing or communicate over the telephone things that are demeaning or rude;
- Put in writing or communicate over the telephone things that are undignified.
If debt collectors have contacted you or someone else about you and have done some or all of the things listed above, you may be entitled to compensation under federal law.
You should contact an attorney who will represent your interests and you should:
- Preserve copies of all letters, notices, correspondence, and demands from the collection agency;
- Preserve any messages left on your answering machine, voice mail, and/or cell phone;
- Keep a detailed diary or journal regarding all communications you have with the debt collector.
The FCRA provides for the regulation of consumer credit information. According to CBS News, 4 in 5 credit reports contain errors or incorrect information. These errors can be devastating to an individual and his or her family. The cause of these errors can be the following:
- Oversight by the credit bureau
- Oversight by the credit provider
- Identity theft
- Fraud by the collector or credit provider
If you have incorrect information on your credit report or have been harassed by abusive debt collectors you many need to speak with a competent attorney who can help you.
If you are a victim of abusive debt collectors or have had inaccurate information placed on your credit report, contact Hodges Trial Lawyers online or call us at (888) 539-3110 to set up a free consultation to discuss your options.
