Have you fallen behind on your bills and now your phone is ringing non-stop with debt collection calls? Are you being harassed by calls from collection agencies? Does your stomach knot up every time you see a random (888) number pop up on your screen?
Did you know you have the power to stop collection calls yourself?
We want you to know your rights. There are laws in place to protect you from being harassed by creditors. No matter how much money you owe, or how far you’ve fallen behind on payments, nobody has the right to abuse you or mistreat you because of it.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is federal law designed to protect you and stop abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices. Even in the face of these powerful laws, many creditors still engage in illegal and abusive debt collection practices in violation of your rights under the FDCPA.
How to Stop Creditor Calls
Under the FDCPA, once you notify a collection agency in writing that you do not want to receive phone calls, they cannot legally continue to call you except under certain circumstances. If they continue calling, you have the right to sue them for violating your rights.
To get the collection calls to stop, follow these steps:
- Send the collection agency a letter telling them to stop calling you.
- Send the letter by certified mail, so you have proof of delivery
- Keep a copy of the letter
- Do not provide any information the collection agency does not already have (such as your current address or phone number, name changes, etc.)
- Keep a record of everything.
- Including letters, log of phone calls, voice mails, and notes on any conversations.
- If you speak to a collection agency, make notes on what was said, and note the date, time, and agent’s name and employee ID number.
What to write in the letter:
To ensure the creditor understands you know your rights, use the following language in the letter:
“This letter is to notify you in writing that I no longer wish to receive communication from you, including phone calls, in regard to the alleged debt. Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act § 805, 15 U.S.C. § 1692(c) you must cease all communication with me, family members, or my employer.
You may only contact me to notify me in writing of your intention to either pursue specific remedies or terminate collection attempts.
This letter is in regard to ceasing communication, and is not, and should not be construed as, an admission regarding any alleged debt.”
The Debt Still Exists Even If the Collection Phone Calls Stop
It is important to understand that even if the phone calls have stopped, the debt still exists. Even if they are not calling you, your creditors can take collection action against you, including suing you for unpaid debt.
Did you know bankruptcy stops all collection action, including law suits, wage garnishments, and bank freezes? To learn more, read our article here.
Certainly stopping harassing credit calls will help you get stress relief. However, we encourage you not to ignore or avoid your debt problems. We’re here to help you get out of debt. We even offer free consultations to anyone in Savannah, GA and all of the surrounding areas.
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We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
