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Being in debt can be a harrowing and miserable state of affairs. So the last thing that anybody in needs is unfair debt collection practices being used against them to threaten or abuse them in to paying their debts more quickly.

Usually, abusive practices simply add to the misery, rather than being constructive in some way.

Fortunately for debtors, there are laws against many of the unfair practices that may be employed by some debt collectors.

What debt collectors can't do

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was passed in 1978 for the purposes of protecting debtors from any and all unfair debt collection practices, and for offering debtors a way to dispute unfair practices used against them.

The specific abusive acts that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits include:

• restricting the hours when a collector can contact a debtor (between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm)

• the use of profane or abusive language,

• the publishing of a debtor's name on any sort of black list

• contacting the debtor at their place of work

• phoning repeatedly with the intent to annoy or harass the person on the other end of the line (i.e., threatening to issue an arrest warrant or other outlandish claims.)

What the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act can do for you

Fair Debt covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives the debtor the option of validating information about their debts, which can be instrumental in thwarting some unfair debt collection practices such as the misrepresentation of the debt in some way, such as claiming that the amount owed is actually more than it is. Debtors should also know that if they make such a request, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from contacting debtors or pursuing the debt in any way until after that information has been acquired.

More about debt collection around the Web:

Being in debt can often seem like a hopeless situation, but everyone should be aware of the fact that abusive or unfair debt collection practices are not tolerated by the government. Should anyone become a victim of such practices, there are options available.

Debt Collection Practices: When Hardball Tactics Go Too Far - Helpful guide for finding relief from unfair or illegal debt collection practices with related links and resources to more information.

Debt Collection - About.com guide to the topic with information on wage garnishment, negotiating with debt collectors, sample letters, tips & advice on dealing with debt scams with debt validation FAQ.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) - Complete overview of debtor protections law including information on restrictions imposed on collection agencies and advice on available remedies if a debt collector violates the law.

How to File an Ethics Complaint- Complaint forms, where to send them, and other tips and advice on reporting unfair debt collection practices, from the Association of Professional Credit and Collection Professionals.

also see -> How to Avoid Identity Theft | How to Avoid Foreclosure

How to File Bankruptcy


The information provided on these pages is intended as reference
only and does not constitute professional legal advice.