Stop Collection Agency Harassment

Owing a debt does not immediately subject you to bothering, threatening and other improper collection agency behavior. Some debt collection agency go too far with exactly what I call "renegade collectors" they will consistently call you at your house and/or business, threaten to send a marshall over to serve you with suit documents or send out frightening letters, appearing to come from a lawyer or law firm, specifying that you will lose your automobile, incomes and other property if you do not pay your debt! It does not matter that you failed to pay a debt or that you can not pay for to pay your debt at this time nobody need to daunt, threaten or harrass you or coerce you to offer financial or personal details. Improper collection procedures can intimidate you into paying for expenses that might not even be your responsibility.You are safeguarded by the law from innapropriate collection treatments.

The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the New York City Customer Security Law Regulation 10 and New York City State Statute, General Service Law, Article 29-H, (the "State Statute") all forbid threatening, pestering and daunting collection procedures. The State Statute restricts a collection agent from (a) threatening to interact with your company prior to that agent getting a judgement against you, (b) interacting with your family or household at such frequency or at such uncommon ZFN Associates hours as can reasonably be anticipated to be abusive or harassing, or (c) imitating any legal or judicial procedure or appearing to be licensed, issued or authorized by an attorney or the federal government to collect a debt.

If the collection representative sends you a letter demanding you pay without the reuired notification under the federal law regarding your privacy, your rights to dispute the debt an dgiving you the proper 30 days to respond, then the debt collector is instantly liable to you for any damages plus 3 times the amount of your damages. Each offense of the State Statute is a separate misdemeanor offense. You can submit charges with the State Attorney General or your County District Attorney as well as request a limiting action against the collection business to stop it from continuing abuse and harassment.

If you feel mistreated or bothered by a collection agency, call that agency and get the name and address of the owner/president. Send your written problem, by qualified mail, return invoice, to the owner/president and include in your letter that you "think that agency is breaking the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and other state and regional laws and that you will (a) file problems with the Attorney General or the District Attorney's workplace (subjecting the collection business to misdemeanor charges) and (b) request a limiting action against the debt collection agency." If the collection company continues to abuse and harrass you, then go on and submit your grievances and charges.

This article is certainly not all inclusive and is planned only as a short description of the legal issue provided. Not all cases are alike and it is strongly suggested that you seek advice from an attorney if you have any questions with respect to any legal matters.