Defend Against Debt Collectors

It’s an unfortunate reality that most debt collectors are unpleasant over the phone; in some cases, nasty behavior over the phone constitutes a violation of the the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The best defense against rude and unethical debt collectors is a knowledge of the FDCPA, a recorder to document phone communications, and a good lawyer.Certain debt collection agencies have earned their horrible reputations. Many people have cited General Revenue Corporation (GRC), a collection firm used by student loan lenders, as being particularly repellant. One woman, from Atlanta, Georgia, said she owed money to the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corp. She reports that a conversation with a GRC agent escalated into what she took to be an ominous threat: “She then threatened to seek out my employer, as if I am not trying to cooperate with my debt voluntarily.” In another case, a woman from Southfield, Michigan, received a bill for an incorrect amount— $4,467.61 instead of what she actually owed, $337.61. She reported, “Today, I received another bill from them attempting to collect $4,467.61. (I sent) Included is updated ledger from the school indicating I actually owe $337.61. They are still attempting to collect $3,100.00 more than I actually owe. Of course, they chose to be rude before they would acknowledge their error.”A GRC agent also contacted a Kansas woman, looking for her son, who owed money for a student loan. “He demanded that I contact our son who had listed us as a reference,” she wrote. “He used threatening tones and was extremely abusive–absolutely no tact. I tried to explain I had no recent contact with him, and after verbally abusing and interrupting me, he hung up.”If a collection agency has harassed you, you may be entitled to money damages up to $1,000.00, based on the FDCPA, which has been around for almost 35 years. The FDCPA is a federal law that applies to every state. In other words, everyone is protected by the FDCPA. The FDCPA is essentially a laundry list of what debt collectors can and cannot do while collecting a debt, as well as things debt collectors must do while collecting a debt. Plus, the FDCPA has a fee-shift provision. This means, the collection agency pays your attorney’s fees and costs. Founding attorney, Michael Agruss, has settled over 1,500 debt collection harassment cases. We want to help you, too.