Third Party Debt Collectors

Threats from third party debt collectors do not have to be be feared as there are laws in place inteneded to protect debtors from potentially caustic collectors who rely on threats to scare people into paying their dues. In 1977 the Fair Debt Collection Act was instituted in order to protect people from verbal or possible physical harassment from bill collectors. Gone are the days that people have to worry about being hounded, threatened or sent to a 'debtor's prison' by those whose job it is to collect on delinquent funds There are laws in place on the federal level that prevent anyone from being persecuted in any form by third party debt collectors. The only time when actions can be legally taken against a person is if they purposely violate existing agreement and refuse to pay back what is owed. Even in an extreme circumstance, a debtor still has rights that cannot be violated by a third party's scare tactics or threats.

Bill collectors who do not cease to call and demand that a person owes even more than they do, is in violation of the Act. True, a collector's job is to try to get a debtor to pay their dues; however, there are limitations on the tactics they are allowed to use to achieve such purposes. Some third party debt collectors hound people with rude phone calls in which harsh words are used and occasional threats are made which might concern notifying neighbors or some other form of embarrassment. Those who fall into debt should do what is necessary to pay back all borrowed funds, however, this is not always possible and more time is required than what was previously agreed upon. Borrowing funds should be prevented if possible, as the Scripture says to "Owe no man any thing" (Romans 13:8), however, the situation cannot always be avoided. Consumers have rights protected by several laws, which means that there is limit to how far collectors can go before they are in violation of those rules and guidelines.

There are several tips that should kept in mind when a person has to deal with third party debt collectors. First and foremost, those who have borrowed funds should be knowledgeable as to how the process is meant to operate. A person should be aware of the terms of a loan, and be sure to do what is necessary to meet any and all terms of the loan throughout the duration. The greatest way for a person to protect themselves is to be armed with knowledge. Doing so enables them to be able to validate complaints about collectors if and when the collectors go out of bounds and violate the consumer's rights. Once a person is familiar with collection practices, they will be able to know for certainty when those rights are violated.

Most often the first attempt third party debt collectors make to contact a person is by an automated telephone call. When a person receives such a call the recording usually prompts them to call back. The best time to be on the defensive is when a person calls back in response, at which time one should gather as much information as possible on the collector, such as the name, how much is believed to be owed, the date at which the debt must be paid so on. Another tip that should be kept in mind is to keep records of everything a collector says, and to not hesitate to seek clarification if something which is said does not make sense. Also, a person should keep an eye on personal financial information such as balances and any other applicable charges or billing statements. The more information one is able to glean the easier it will be to protect themselves. A debtor must be certain to not back down on the right to privacy. Third party debt collectors do not have the right to contact a person's neighbors or acquaintances as a way to threaten a person into paying.

Occasionally third party debt collectors implement unnecessary tactics to try to get debtors to pay. Harsh language is sometimes used, or in some cases threats. A person should not hesitate to file a complaint if such a situation were to occur, and in order to do so they must know the proper way of filing such a complaint. There are a few different ways in which one should go about in order to place a complaint. First of all, complaints can be filed with the Federal Trade Commission, however, action can only be taken against extreme cases of collector harassment. State officials can also be contacted. Rules on specific procedures vary from state to state so a person must found out the proper course of action based on a current place of residence.

Third party debt collectors do not have the right to shame people into paying, or to act in such a way as to shame someone. Every consumer has the right to privacy which includes having a say in who is and is not contacted. The only time a collector has the right to involve a neighbor, acquaintance, coworker, and so on, is if a debtor has given the permission to do so. A collector also cannot extend tactics to harass a debtor at their place if residence. As long as a person's address is on file and current contact information, the collector cannot encroach any further. Everyone has a certain degree of rights, and debtors are no exception. Laws are meant to protect individuals against actions that are unfair in order to ensure equality and freedom.

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