Alabama Creditor Harassment Lawyers
Phone: 205-879-2447 or 205-714-4443
With two offices in Birmingham, Alabama, the lawyers at Watts Law Group P.C. & M. Stan Herring P.C. represent consumers who are victims of creditor harassment and unfair debt collection practices.
For information about our services and our commitment to our clients, please visit our Firm Overview page.
Creditor Harassment and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) requires that debt collectors treat you fairly and prohibits certain methods of debt collection. The FDCPA covers anyone who regularly collects debts on behalf their clients, including collection agencies and some attorney law firms. The FDCPA does not cover the original creditor (for example, the credit card company to whom you owe).
This Website is designed to assist you in understanding your rights, including some of the things a collection agency cannot do while attempting to collect a debt.
What a Collection Agency Cannot Do:
Creditor Harassment - a collection agency may not harass you. That does not mean they cannot call you and request payment, however, it does mean there are certain times of the day to call you, and they cannot repeatedly call you for the purpose of harassing you. You also have the right to stop collection calls by writing to the collection agency and informing them that you do not want to be called. This will not eliminate the debt, but it should eliminate the phone calls.
False Statements - a collection agency may not use false or misleading statements to collect a debt, including falsely implying that you committed a crime or may go to jail, falsely imply they are an attorney or government agency, or misrepresent the amount of your debt.
Threaten You - a collection agency cannot threaten you with violence or harm, or use profanity. Nor can it threaten a lawsuit against you or to seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and the action is legal. If you have been sued, please click on: I've Been Sued - What Should I Do?
Improper Disclosure - a collection agency cannot disclose your debt or imply you owe a debt to family members or co-workers. In fact, they are only allowed to contact family, neighbors, or coworkers to obtain location information about you. For more information about these issues, please click: Can a Collection Agency Call My Neighbors? or: Can a Collection Agency Call My Office or Coworkers?
In addition, collection agencies cannot contact you once they have been informed you retained a lawyer. We are here to protect your rights. If you are improperly harassed by a collection agency, or if a collection agency has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you may be entitled to actual damages, $1000.00, attorney's fees, and court costs. We invite you to schedule a free confidential consultation by calling us at 205-879-2447 or 205-714-4443, e-mailing Mr. Watts or e-mailing Mr. Herring, or filling out our intake form on our Contact Us page to discuss your claim or creditor harassment issue. We have helped hundreds of consumers just like you; and we want to help you, too.
Common issues in Fair Debt Collection Practice Act
Can a collection Agency call my Neighbors
Can a collection Agency call My Office or Co-workers
Debt Collection Before and After Bankruptcy
I've been sued- What should I do?
Please also feel free to go to our blog, Alabama Consumer Law Blog, where we have posts specifically on debt collectors. In particular, you may want to read the post on what to do when first contacted by a debt collector - please click here to read it.
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
