Enforcing your rights as a debtor can be difficult because creditors rely on you not knowing them. Luckily, debtor’s rights services in Washington, D.C., can help protect your rights when creditors step out of line.
Debtor’s Rights
In 1997, the government approved the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which set guidelines about how credit could interact with debtors. The FDCPA guarantees:
- Limited Contact: Creditors may only contact you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. They may not call you at work if work calls are unacceptable, and they cannot call you repeatedly.
- Limited Language: Creditors cannot swear at you, use abusive language, or threaten you. They also cannot lie about their identity or pose as an attorney or member of law enforcement to intimidate you.
- Limited Action: Creditors cannot threaten to have you arrested and cannot threaten to sue you. They also cannot inform anyone but yourself, your spouse, and your attorney about your debt. They cannot cause embarrassment or shame by making your debt public knowledge, including making it obvious on a piece of mail.
Debtor’s Rights Services
Unfortunately, many creditors choose to ignore the FDCPA; simply informing them likely won’t stop the behavior. Debtor’s rights services in Washington, D.C., will act on your behalf to help halt the behavior of overzealous creditors, as well as work with you to resolve the debt if you wish. They can negotiate a debt settlement on your behalf or help you file for bankruptcy.
Guardian Litigation Group’s expert attorneys can help you enforce your rights through their debtor’s rights services in Washington, D.C.