Getting constant calls from debt collectors in Louisiana can really take its toll. You may even receive them at work or they may call your relatives, trying to get information about you. It can be a very frustrating situation. Even if you know you owe the debt, you still do not have to put up with harassment. Luckily, the federal government recognizes that debt collection tactics can border on harassment. There are specific guidelines in place to ensure this does not happen.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is the ruling law about debt collection, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The FDCPA enables you to have some control over the way debt collectors contact you and treat you. It gives you legal remedies in some cases for handling harassing tactics.
What is harassment?
Under the FDCPA, creditor harassment is when someone calls you for the purpose of collecting a debt and does any of the following:
- Does not tell you who is calling
- Calls repeatedly with the intent to annoy
- Threatens you
- Uses profane language
- Publishes a list of people who owe debts
Any of these actions may violate the FDCPA and allow you to sue for damages and attorney fees.
Stopping the calls
You can stop the phone calls if they are becoming too much to deal with. The Federal Trade Commission explains you must notify the creditor or collector in writing you no longer want to receive calls about the debt. This will not erase the debt, but it does require them to not contact you about it. They may reply to state they will not contact you again per your request, though, and they may contact you if they are taking a new action on your case.
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