Alabama Creditor Harassment Lawyers
Phone: 205-879-2447 or 205-714-4443
In the bag of cheap tricks, this is one of the worst ones that debt collectors or debt buyers or collection agencies use and it normally violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In the collection business this is known as a “block party”.
The expression “block party” normally brings an image to mind of a bunch of neighbors gathered together cooking out and enjoying each other’s company. Within the debt collection industry, however, a “block party” is a much different thing. It is a tool often used by debt collectors to harass and embarrass individuals into paying.
The collection agency or debt collector will call three or four or five of your neighbors and tell each of them that an urgent message must be given to you. “Can you please go over to his house and see if he is home?” or “Is he OK-he hasn't called me back.” or “Can you leave a note on her door?” or “When you see him in the yard go over and tell him to call me immediately” or some similar statement. Usually the debt collector will refuse to tell the neighbor the reason for the call – “Sir, I’m not allowed to say as this involves an urgent private issue”. This only arouses the suspicion and curiosity of your neighbors.
The result is you begin to get calls and visits from your neighbors. They tell you that you need to call “Mr. Jones” or whoever the collector is and, of course, they want to know what is this about. When this happens, the effect on you is exactly what the debt collector wanted – fear and embarrassment.
None of us want the private details of our personal life to be revealed without our permission. The thought that the collector might next time tell our neighbors that we owe money or that we are not paying our bills or that we are worthless is a frightening thought. Thus, often times the collection agency accomplishes its goal by forcing you to call it and pay off the bill to avoid the embarrassment of another block party.
If this happens to you then your legal rights have likely been violated and should consider filing a lawsuit to protect yourself against these abusive and illegal practices. Collectors can only call your neighbors if they can’t get in touch with you and then it is only to verify your contact information. If the purpose is to harass you or embarrass you, or to get you to call, then the collector has gone over the line. Oftentimes these block parties happen when the collection agency knows exactly where you live and how to get in touch with you.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act allows you to recover statutory damages of up to $1,000 and actual damages. Actual damages include emotional distress. Alabama state law may allow you to sue for invasion of privacy which also allows you to recover for actual or compensatory damages and sometimes punitive damages. Punitive damages are to punish the collector for this illegal conduct.
If you have been a victim of a block party, or the related "office party", please investigate your rights as no one deserves to be mistreated like this. We can help you – please contact us at herringwatts@gmail.com or herringwatts@gmail.com or by phone at 205-714-4443 or 205-879-2447. We look forward to helping you stop out of control collectors and to get the compensation you deserve.
Fighting to Protect Your Rights
Watts Law Group P.C. & M. Stan Herring P.C.
Alabama Consumer Protection Lawyers
Phone: 205-879-2447 or 205-714-4443
