Online Paralegal Degree

It is probably one of the worst possible situations to be in – you’re behind on payments owned towards your debt, you’re going through a hard time trying to find a new job because you’ve been laid off your old one, and your debt collector has become unreasonable and is now resorting to physical threats and mental harassment to get you to pay. You’re at your wits’ end, you’re terrified that the threats against you and your loved ones could become a reality, and you don’t know who to turn to. That’s when you must seek help from a reputable lawyer – and if you’re worried about the expenses, most consultations are free of cost and from any obligation.

A lawyer could help protect you from unfair practices by debt collection agencies such as:

• Calling and badgering you every few minutes.
• Leaving threatening messages on your answering machine or sending violent text messages.
• Harassing your loved ones either directly or on the telephone.
• Asking for more money than you owe. Most debt collectors are thugs who have bought your debt from the lenders you borrowed from in the first place for a smaller sum of money. They then try to squeeze the money out of you by hook or by crook. In this process, some of them try to procure more than the amount you owe, usually by making threats that are too menacing to ignore.
• Dinging your credit report so that you don’t qualify for further loans and that even if you do, your interest rates are very steep.
• Forcing you to agree to pay back a certain amount every month directly from your salary account. The money is automatically debited from your account and credited to that of your debt collector.
• Suing you for not repaying your debt.
• Recording telephonic conversations with you. This is against the law and is usually done without your knowledge. If your lawyer can prove that your debt collectors are indulging in this illegal practice, you could claim up to $5,000 in damages.

With debt collectors becoming more and more unscrupulous and ruthless in the methods, many states are calling for stricter laws to protect consumers against unfair collection practices. While consumers are responsible for any debt they owe, they must be given a fair chance to repay it, especially if they’ve been the victim of unfortunate circumstances like the loss of a job or an accident. So if you’re being troubled by a debt collection agency, consult a lawyer to know your rights.