What Are Your Rights as a Debtor?
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act of 1996 clearly lays out what a debt collector can, and cannot do. If you owe money, and are subject to being collected upon, you should know what these rights are before anyone even begins to contact you. You will then be prepared to know when you are dealing with a professional, or when you are being subject to debt harassment.
As the debtor your rights include:
Knowing with whom you are speaking: The collector must clearly identify him or herself at the beginning of the conversation.
Peace and quiet during off hours: Collectors may only contact you between 8am and 9pm. Debt collectors also may not phone repeatedly with the intent to annoy or harass.
Comfort and Safety: Collectors may not threaten you with arrest or imprisonment. They may not threaten you physically or any of your family members.
Professional and courteous conversation: Debt collectors must abstain from profanity, vulgarity, and obscene language during the conversation.
Ceasing communication: If you send notice, in writing, that you no longer wish to be contacted by the debt collector, they must stop all communication (with the exception of telling you they are stopping their pursuit, or they are filing a lawsuit).
Legal representation: If you do not want to deal with a collector, you can hire an attorney. As soon as the collector receives notification that you have legal counsel, they must direct all communications to them.
As the debtor, the laws are written in such a way to protect your privacy. But too often, debt collectors cross the line (the FTC fielded over over 200,000 complaints about debt collections in 2013 alone). Instead of respecting you and your rights, they threaten, harass, and intimidate. When this happens you need to contact Phillip Dayes Law Group right away in order to stop the debt harasser in his or her tracks.
Contact Phillip Dayes
If you live in Arizona or Utah, and you have been subject to debt harassment, you have the right to have an attorney fight for you. Fill out the form on this page, or call 1-800-917-4000 to schedule your free initial consultation with a lawyer from the . A highly trained attorney can help you determine your best course of action, and you can receive the peace of mind that you deserve.