Debt collection agencies are notorious for being relentless in attempts to collect outstanding consumer debts. Proactive third party debt collectors start by sending consumers a letter informing them about debt collection efforts. Then, the phone calls to cell and home phone numbers follow.
You can ignore the phone calls, but you run the risk of a bill collector trying to reach you at work.
The stress and anxiety caused by home and cell phone calls from bill collectors is enough to cause many sleepless nights. Think about the repercussions of a debt collection agency such as Wakefield & Associates, Inc. contacting you at your place of employment.
Embarrassment alone will make you want to hide all day inside your office or cubicle. There is not a federal law that prohibits a bill collector from calling you work. However, there is a federal law that punishes debt collection agencies for crossing the legal line.
Methods Consumers Have to Stop Bill Collector Phone Calls
The quickest way to stop phone calls at work from a third party debt collector is to inform the bill collector your employer forbids such phone calls at work. Referred to as “reason to know,” all you have to do is send the debt collection agency a letter that clearly states your employer wants the phone calls to stop.
Your employer does not have to do anything. “Reason to know” only requires consumers to make the formal stop calling at work request.
If for some reason a debt collection agency like Wakefield & Associates, Inc. disregards your formal request to stop calling you at work, the time has come to hire a licensed consumer protection lawyer that is an expert litigating cases that fall under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
Enacted by the United States Congress in 1977, the FDCPA protects consumers against aggressive bill collector practices. For example, Wakefield & Associates, Inc. is not allowed to call you between the hours of 9 pm and 8 am.
By simply hiring a FDCPA lawyer, Wakefield & Associates might change its tone and become much more open to negotiating a debt settlement. Your attorney can send a certified cease and desist letter explaining the FDCPA violations and the action you plan to take in a civil court.
![Can Wakefield & Associates, Inc. Call You at Work?]()
Do You Have the Right to Monetary Damages?
Illegal debt collection practices can take a considerable toll on consumers. Emotional duress leads to relationship problems at work and at home. A determined debt collection agency has the right to garnish wages to pay off a delinquent credit card or personal loan account.
If a third party debt collector has garnished your wages and committed one or more violations of the FDCPA, then you have the right to seek monetary damages that cover the garnished wages.
As the most common form of compensation for FDCPA violations, physical distress includes breaking out in skin rashes, experiencing debilitating migraine headaches, and/or enduring a lengthy battle with a serious ulcer.
Most of the physical issues associated with FDCPA cases stem from immense stress and anxiety. Your FDCPA lawyer will have to prove the physical distress you suffer from is the direct result of illegal debt collection agency practices.
Speak with an experienced consumer protection attorney today to learn more about how the FDCPA protects your rights.
Additional Resources
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Wakefield & Associates, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.