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Fair
Debt Collection Practices Act
FDCPA
Collection Agencies,
Debt Collectors & Credit Disputes and Your Rights
If you use credit cards, owe money on a personal loan, or are paying on
a home mortgage, you are a "debtor." If you fall behind in
repaying your creditors, or an error is made on your accounts, you may
be contacted by a "debt collector." You should know that in
either situation, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that
debt collectors treat you fairly by prohibiting certain methods of debt
collection. Of course, the law does not forgive any legitimate debt you
owe. Below are answers to commonly asked questions about your rights
under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
What
debts are covered?
Personal, family, and household debts are covered under the Act. This
includes money owed for the purchase of an automobile, for medical care,
or for charge accounts
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Who is a debt
collector or collection agency?
A debt collector is any person or agency, other than the creditor, who
regularly collects debts owed to others. Under a 1986 amendment to the
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, this also includes attorneys who
collect debts on a regular basis.
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How may a debt
collector contact you?
A collector or agency may contact you in person, by mail, telephone,
telegram, or FAX. However, a debt collector may not contact you at
unreasonable times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.,
unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if
the collector knows that your employer disapproves.
Can you stop a debt
collector from contacting you?
You can stop a collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the
collection agency telling them to stop. Once the agency receives your
letter, they may not contact you again except to say there will be no
further contact. The agency may notify you if the debt collector or the
creditor intends to take some specific action.
May a debt collector
contact anyone else about your debt?
If you have an attorney, the debt collector may not contact anyone other
than your attorney. If you do not have an attorney, a collector may
contact other people, but only to find out where you live and work.
Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting such permissible third
parties more than once. In most cases, the collector may not tell anyone
other than you and your attorney that you owe money.
What must the debt
collector tell you about the debt?
Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send
you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe; the name
of the creditor to whom you owe the money; and what action to take if
you believe you do not owe the money.
May a debt collector
continue to contact you if you believe you do not owe money?
A collector may not contact you if, within 30 days after you are first
contacted, you send the collection agency a letter stating you do not
owe money. However, a collector can renew collection activities if you
are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill for the amount
owed.
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What types of debt collection practices
are prohibited?
Debt collectors may not harass, oppress,
or abuse anyone. For example, debt collectors may not:
- Use threats of violence or harm
against the person, property, or reputation;
- Publish a list of consumers who
refuse to pay their debts (except to a credit bureau);
- Use obscene or profane language;
- Repeatedly use the telephone to
annoy someone;
- Telephone people without identifying
themselves;
- Advertise your debt.
Debt collectors may not
use any false statements when collecting a debt.
For example, debt collectors may not:
- Falsely imply that they are
attorneys or government representatives;
- Falsely imply that you have
committed a crime;
- Falsely represent that they operate
or work for a credit bureau;
- Misrepresent the amount of your
debt;
- Misrepresent the involvement of an
attorney in collecting a debt;
- Indicate that papers being sent to
you are legal forms when they are not;
- Indicate that papers being sent to
you are not legal forms when they are.
Debt collectors also may not state
that:
- You will be arrested if you do not pay
your debt;
- They will seize, garnish, attach, or
sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or
creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so;
- Actions, such as a lawsuit, will be
taken against you, which legally may not be taken, or which they do
not intend to take.
Debt collectors may not:
- Give false credit information about
you to anyone;
- Send you anything that looks like an
official document from a court or government agency when it is not;
- Use a false name
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Unfair practices.
Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to
collect a debt. For example, collectors may not:
- Collect any amount greater than your
debt, unless allowed by law;
- Deposit a post-dated check
prematurely;
- Make you accept collect calls or pay
for telegrams;
- Take or threaten to take your property
unless this can be done legally;
- Contact you by postcard.
What control do you
have over payment of debts?
If you owe more than one debt, any payment you make must be applied to
the debt you indicate. A debt collector may not apply a payment to any
debt you believe you do not owe.
What can you do if you
believe a debt collector violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court
within one year from the date you believe the law was violated. If you
win, you may recover money for the damages you suffered. Court costs
and attorneys fees also can be recovered. A group of people also may
sue a debt collector and recover money for damages up to $500,000, or
one percent of the collectors net worth, whichever is less.
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