The stress of past-due debt is overwhelming. When creditors or debt collectors use unfair tactics to intimidate, such as calling you at work, it can feel like your life has hit rock bottom. Despite laws designed to prohibit creditors from harassing you, many debt collectors will try every trick in the book to get the money they seek.
Do you need to stop harassing phone calls? Our debt harassment attorneys at Morgan & Morgan focus on helping you get relief when a debt collector, or creditor, violates state or federal laws intended to protect you. Fill out our free, no-risk case evaluation form today.
You Don’t Have to Suffer From Harassing Debt Calls
Our firm responds quickly to clients suffering from debt calls, workplace visits, and other forms of harassment due to unpaid bills. While the law protects the rights of creditors to collect on legitimate debt, legislation prohibits the use of unpleasant and unfair debt collection practices to force, coerce, or bully you into paying.
There are many businesses and individuals that work to collect on debt in Florida. Creditors, like a bank, or a car dealership, are entitled to collect on money owed to their business. Debt collectors often work for creditors.
Or they can be third-party collectors, working to collect on debt they bought from someone else. But be aware of zombie, or phantom debt collectors who attempt to collect on debt you may not owe, or that has already been discharged, or expired.
You may be contacted by a creditor, a debt collection agency, an attorney working for one of these entities, or someone who claims to work for a credit reporting agency or for the government. It is against the law for someone to misrepresent who they are, or make false statements about a debt they are trying to collect.
Laws That Protect You From Harassing Debt Collectors
There exist three primary federal and state laws to assist people dealing with harassing debt collectors in Tampa and throughout Florida:
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): The federal FDCPA is an important law that provides protection to you throughout the United States against unfair debt collection. The FDCPA protects you from illegal practices including threats of harm, arrest, phone harassment, property seizure, false statements, and unfair collection ploys.
The Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA): The state FCCPA protects you in Florida against the unfair practices of debt collectors and creditors. The protections of this law are similar to the FDCPA and prohibit misrepresentation, threats, communication with your employer, and other practices.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): Primarily intended to prohibit repeated telemarketing robocalls, the TCPA allows you to request placement on a Do Not Call list if you are receiving automated calls from debt collectors.
When The Harassing Calls Won’t Stop
While these laws protect you from a long list of abuses by creditors and debt collectors, they may not stop a Tampa business that is willing to violate debt collection laws. When this happens to you, our debt harassment attorneys take immediate steps to stop the harassment and may be able to obtain compensation on your behalf for each call or any abuse you suffer.
If you are concerned about the actions of a debt collector—on the telephone, or in person, do not offer information, but do ask for proof of the debt. If a collector offers you a deal, ask for it in writing and delay action on it until you can confirm the debt, and speak with legal counsel if needed.
Get Experienced Legal Help with Collection Calls in Tampa
Our legal team at Morgan & Morgan offers you the information you need to shield yourself from unfair debt collection practices and delivers strong legal protection when a creditor or debt collector steps over the line and harasses you.
Morgan & Morgan represents the rights of the people. If you are injured, or have questions about debt harassment in Florida, or anywhere in the Southeast, contact our attorneys for help, or call (813) 223-5505 today.