Falling behind on bills leads to calls from debt collection agencies asking for their money. For millions of people, getting calls from debt collectors can be annoying, even irritating. However, calling the phone numbers left by you as part of the contract you signed is legal and many believe that they are at their mercy. For New Orleans’ residents, especially those who have suffered financially in recent years, the ringing of the phone can be a form of oppressing harassment and potential a violation of Louisiana debt collection laws.
However, you do have rights as stated by the Federal Trade Commission through the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In one extreme case, illegal debt collector harassment has lead to a million dollar judgement. Debt collectors must follow New Orleans debt collection laws such that they do not constitute technically as debt collector harassment. This means that you have rights, so in addition to contacting a Louisiana debt lawyer, here is what you should consider if you believe that you are being harassed.
As a Louisiana debt lawyer can provide, agencies that conduct debt collector harassment are generally not allowed by New Orleans debt collection laws to contact you before 8 am or after 9 pm. Plus, they cannot call you at work and if you have hired a Louisiana debt lawyer who specializes in New Orleans debt collection laws to handle the situation, they must contact the law firm and not you. Understand the limits of the debt collector’s ability to contact you and report it to the proper authorities if they exceed their limits.
It’s far better to talk to them rather than avoiding contact altogether. You should discuss steps of New Orleans debt collection laws to resolve the situation and to gather information, but if you cannot pay it back, then you should express that to them and make sure it’s on the record. You may achieve this by writing a letter, saving a copy of it, and then mailing it via certified mail. You’ll want to know the information and accounting to ensure that you are the one who actually owes the money and that frivolous fees have not been added, which may be common with debt collector harassment. You can use this time to further research New Orleans debt collection laws with a Louisiana debt lawyer and have them send you proper notification about how much you owe and what are your options.
Once you have received the official notice from the agency that may be conducting debt collector harassment, you have 30 days to send out a response. If you or a Louisiana debt lawyer that specializes in New Orleans debt collection laws have found a mistake on their part or simply disagree with their reasoning, you can respond by pointing it out and asking them to stop contacting you. Be sure to keep a copy of the letter you send in return and use certified mail so you have confirmation of their receipt of the letter.
While they may stop calling you, they can still sue you for the money owed, so keep that in mind when you take that step.
At this point, a good option is to contact a Louisiana debt lawyer that specializes in New Orleans debt collection laws which can help you schedule the payments if you have trouble meeting the demands of the debt collection agency. You can also retain a Louisiana debt lawyer if needed and even file a complaint with the state’s attorney general’s office.
Keep in mind that New Orleans debt collection laws and Louisiana credit reporting laws work in your favor to reduce the fear, anxiety, and pressure that debt collector harassment may be causing. You still have obligations in terms of paying off your debt, but that does not mean debt collection agencies can go over the line and conduct debt collection harassment when contacting you, which would make them liable to pay you for any federal statutory damages or for emotional distress their harassment may have caused you as a Louisiana Debt Lawyer can help determine.
