| The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, also known as | | | | allowed. You must approve any calls that are made |
| the FDCPA, is a law, which was passed by Congress | | | | outside this time span first. Debt collectors are also |
| that regulates the methods collection agencies, can | | | | not allowed to call you while you're at your place of |
| use to collect money from debtors who are behind | | | | employment. The use of profanity or racist terms is |
| on their payments. In the past many collection | | | | also not allowed. Letters cannot be sent to you that |
| agencies would use unethical methods to extract | | | | resemble those sent by courts, and if they decide to |
| payments from people, and this law was created to | | | | sue you they are not allowed to take you to a court |
| regulate them while protecting the debtor. | | | | that is far from your home. |
| There are certain guidelines that collection agencies | | | | It is important to understand this law if you find |
| must follow when attempting to get payments. The | | | | yourself in a situation where you have a large |
| FDCPA applies to a wide variety of debts, including | | | | amount of debt and are having trouble making |
| medical bills, car loans, and credit cards. Many states | | | | payments. While you should always try to repay |
| have additional laws that serve to protect | | | | back what you owe, collection agencies are limited in |
| consumers, and their laws may cover debts that | | | | how they are able to contact you about those |
| aren't covered by the FDCPA. It is important to have | | | | payments. Many agencies may violate this law, and if |
| a basic understanding of this law. It will keep you | | | | you are not familiar with it you will not be able to |
| from being the victim of collection agencies that use | | | | take any actions to defend yourself. If a collection |
| illegal methods of extracting payment from you. | | | | agency violates the FDCPA, it may be possible for |
| Under this law, collection agencies are not allowed to | | | | you to take them to court. If it is found that they |
| contact the relatives or employers of a debtor. The | | | | have made numerous violations against debtors, a |
| only person who may be contacted other than | | | | class action lawsuit may be filed. |
| yourself is someone who has co-signed the loan with | | | | If a collection agency violates this law when |
| you. They are also not allowed to threaten to ruin | | | | contacting you, you can report the incident to the |
| your credit or report you to an attorney in order to | | | | state Attorney General's office. If the agency is in a |
| intimidate you into making payments. They may only | | | | different state, you can contact the Federal Trade |
| warn of you these actions when they are in the | | | | Commission for assistance. You can also dispute the |
| process of getting ready to do it. Making false | | | | debt you owe by sending a letter to the agency |
| warnings to scare you into making payments is not | | | | within 30 days of the first notice informing them that |
| allowed. | | | | you do not owe them anything. The agency will be |
| Collection agencies are not allowed to make phone | | | | forced to stop contacting you, but may decide to |
| calls at times that are deemed unreasonable. Any | | | | take further action that may require you to go to |
| phone calls made before 8 AM or after 9 PM are not | | | | court. |