My name is Jim Turner and I am a consumer rights attorney with an office in Orlando, Florida. On a regular basis, I receive calls from consumers who have been contacted by debt collectors, and many of the situations what the consumer tells me is in violation of state or federal law. Debt collectors are required to treat you with truth, fairness, dignity and respect. If a debt collector crosses the line and abuses you in connection with the collection of a debt, they may be liable under what is known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Some of the violations that are most common are as follows. Contacting you about a debt that you do not owe. If you have filed for bankruptcy, there’s a high probability that you are no longer liable on that debt. Or if they’ve contacted you and have the wrong name, they may have violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by trying to collect the debt from you that you do not owe. Threatening you, threatening you with lawsuits, garnishments, or arrest. Calling your neighbors or friends. Contacting your employer if you have told them that you cannot be contacted at your place of employment. Lying to you, threatening you in any way, leaving abusive telephone messages. Calling you without telling you who they are. They must tell you who they are. They must identify themselves and tell you that they are a debt collector.
If you have been a victim of any of these abusive debt collection practices, you may be entitled to receive compensation, and the debt collector is strictly liable under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and that means you don’t have to prove that the action was intentional. And lastly, to bring an action under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act costs you nothing. The law requires that the debt collector pay your costs and attorney’s fees.