Despite what some economists say, the “real” economy is still in a deep recession and that means that more debt collectors are engaging in tactics which are outright unfair and downright dirty. A matter of fact, debt collections tactics have gotten so dirty that Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) lawsuits spiked to 441 in the Sept. 16-30 period, compared to 390 in the first half of September, according to data from U.S. District Courts.
Dirty debt collection tricks you need to know about:
- An attempt to collect debt payments from relatives of deceased debtors. We’ve talked about this problem a few times before; but it’s worth repeating – you are not responsible for your deceased relative’s debts. Some unscrupulous debt collectors will contact the children and grandchildren of a deceased debtor and attempt to guilt trip them into paying on a debt. Don’t do it. Even if a debt collector says that you are responsible for your loved one’s debts don’t believe them, they are not telling the truth.
- Fake settlements and payment plans. Many debt collectors are resorting to outright lying to debtors about settlements and payment plan offers. If a debt collector says that they are able to offer you a settlement or payment plan get it in writing. Do not give the debt collector your bank account information before getting your settlement/payment plan in writing, or you could be in for a nasty surprise. If a debt collector has already won a judgment against you, they may try to wipe out your bank account instead of going through with the payment plan or settlement they offered.
- Resetting time-barred debts with sneaky tactics. Some debt collectors are buying up old debt that has exceeded the statute of limitations. In other words, it’s debt that cannot be collected using the courts. Debt collectors are contacting debtors and attempting to get them to make a payment on the time-barred debt so that they can reset the statute of limitations. If you make a payment on a debt that is reaching or has passed the statute of limitations, your actions will reset the statute of limitations.
Are you Being Harassed By Debt Collectors? We Can Help
If you feel you are a victim of illegal debt collection or debt collection abuse you are not alone. Feel free to contact us today to set up a free consultation and get on the right path to stopping the collection abuse.