“What is a ‘statement of claims’ in a debt collection lawsuit?”
So, you’ve been sued.
Now you’re wondering, “What is this ‘statement of claims’ that the sheriff just handed me?”
This is similar to (and sometimes the same as) the “Complaint.”
This is what starts the lawsuit by the collector against you.
It shows you the following:
Who is suing you
What you are being sued for
How much you are being sued for
What court you have been sued… (Read more)
7th Mistake When Testifying In Debt Collection Lawsuit — Having Wrong Courtroom Appearance
We have a special report/book for those who have requested our information on debt buyer lawsuits — it covers the 7 most common mistakes we see when testifying in a debt collection lawsuit trial. We thought this part might be useful to you so we have included it:
What do we mean by the wrong courtroom appearance?
There are several things that we will discuss in this… (Read more)
You’re Never Too Poor To Be Sued By A Debt Collector
Dangerous assumption one — I’m too broke to be sued
“I don’t have enough money for debt collectors to sue me.”
“So and so said that collectors only sue you if your credit report shows you have a lot of money.”
I have met people who truly believe this and they are shocked when they get sued by a debt collector.
Dangerous assumption two — being broke will stop… (Read more)
Contacted By The Collection Law-Firm of Zarzaur & Schwartz In Alabama — What Should You Do?
You are here because you have received a letter, or a debt collection lawsuit, from the debt collection lawfirm of Zarzaur & Schwartz in Birmingham, Alabama, which files lawsuits for original creditors (Citibank, etc) and debt buyers (Cavalry, LVNV Funding, Midland Funding, Unifund Partners, etc).
Let’s talk first about some myths and then some practical steps that you should take.
First Myth — Zarzaur… (Read more)
Why It Is Important To Keep Every Collection Letter You Receive.
Collection agencies love to send collection letters.
You, as a consumer, don’t like getting them so you may be tempted to throw them away.
Please don’t — instead save all collection letters you receive.
Keeping records of all collection activities — including collection letters — may help you to determine if you can sue the debt collector under the FDCPA.
Let’s talk about several reasons to do this:
First,… (Read more)
Examples of Abusive Debt Collection Practices That Violate The FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA
Not all debt collectors are willing to break the law but many are willing to break the laws.
We wanted to list a number of examples of the types of abusive debt collection practices we commonly see committed against Alabama consumers.
FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) Violations
Calling you an excessive number of times in order to harass you
They’re calling your family members
Creating a… (Read more)