Debt Collection Disputes

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA") is a federal law applicable to all types of debt collectors, including collection agencies and law firms acting as collection agencies.  The FDCPA was enacted to protect consumers from abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices. 

Have you been:

• Harassed, oppressed, abused, or mistreated by a bill collector in the past year?

• Threatened with garnishment, liens, or arrest for not paying a bill?
• Collection agency called your neighbors, friends, or employer?
• Received abusive phone messages from bill collectors?
• Sworn at or insulted by collection agents on the phone?
• Called by a collection agency at your workplace after telling the collector not to call you there?
• Lied to, threatened, harassed by a collector?

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, then  you may be entitled to compensation as provided by the FDCPA. We can help any consumer who is currently in collections, or has suffered from collection harassment.
 

What to Do if You're Abused By a Collector

If you're contacted by a debt collector, you have a right to dispute the debt either verbally or in writing. If you want to preserve some rights under the FDCPA, you must send a written dispute within 30 days of your receipt of the first "validation notice" from the debt collector.

Sample Validation Notice Letter.

Even if you owe the debt, or you cannot pay, you still have rights under the FDCPA. Most of our clients owe the debt being collected but because of financial circumstances, or a dispute over the goods or services, they cannot pay it.

In order to preserve your rights under the law, it's important for you to keep good records of all of the contacts.

Important Steps You Can Take

1. Save copies of all letters and notices from collection agencies!
2. Send all letters to the collection agencies by certified mail with return receipt requested!
3. Save all phone messages and voice mails- this is very important!
4. Make note of your conversations with these bill collectors!
5. Call the Law Office of Lisa D. Wright, LLC to help you recover your damages!

Collection Communications Log

The Collection Communications Log (©2005 Peter F. Barry and The Barry Law Office, Ltd.) is a great way to record all of your collection contacts in one place and in writing. Click the link below for a copy!

Sample Collection Communications Log
 

If you have suffered from any abusive debt collection practices, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact our office at 404-588-1181.
 

The information you obtain at this website is not, nor is intended to be, legal advice.  Links to pages outside of this website do not constitute an endorsement of those sites.  No attorney client relationship has or will be established with the Law Office of Lisa D. Wright, LLC unless and until a written retainer agreement has been executed.