Bankruptcy in Los Angeles County - What to do about Abusive Creditors

Creditors often turn to collection agencies to recover debt that has not been repaid according to the original agreement. These are the companies that most often initiate the continual collection notices and telephone calls that we are all familiar with. While creditors have the right to attempt to collect debts that they are owed, they must do so with regards to the law. The Federal Fair Debt Collection Act establishes limits to the collection activities of creditors. For individuals residing in Los Angeles County and throughout California, the Rosenthal Act also provides regulations regarding the types of collection activity that creditors can use to collect a debt.

It is important to realize that just because you owe a debt, it does not mean that the creditor has a right to harass and abuse you in order to obtain payment. In fact, fair debt collection laws prohibit abuse and harassment from creditors. This means that an informed consumer can take steps to stop abusive creditors - but only if you know what counts as abuse. In many cases, legal action can be taken against abusive creditors, and the amount you recover may be substantially more than the amount you owe the creditor.

Recognizing Abusive Creditors - Los Angeles County

There are many common actions by a creditor that can be considered abusive. The following is a list of the most common types of abuse, however, there may be other actions not covered here that would also be considered abusive. In general, abusive creditor actions cover any of the following:

·         Calling before 8AM locally or after 9PM locally

·         Calling more than once per day, after you've already spoken with the creditor

·         Contacting you on the job, if you've informed the creditor that your employer doesn't approve of the calls

·         Contacting you personally, when you have an attorney representing you for your debt issues

·         Sending letters that appear to be legal contracts or legal documents when they are not

·         Contacting other individuals and discussing your debt

·         Threatening garnishment, lawsuits, or other legal action that they do not plan to take

·         Threats, yelling, and obscene language of any kind

If you are being harassed by creditors, you should contact a reputable Los Angeles County Bankruptcy Attorney to get sound legal advice on how to proceed - you may be able to sue and recover damages. Get in touch with one of our experienced Los Angeles County Bankruptcy Lawyers and get the information you need to defend yourself from abusive creditors.