During the Great Depression that ran from the late 1920s until the early part of the 1940s, the United States Congress passed and the President of the United States signed into law several measures protecting consumers against unethical business practices.
Much of the legislation concentrated on the financial industry, such as outlawing predatory lending policies. However, it wasn’t until nearly 40 years later that consumers received protection against aggressive debt collection tactics.
In 1977, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) became the supreme consumer protection law of the land. The FDCPA makes it illegal for debt collection agencies to implement dozens of previously acceptable debt collection practices.
It also gives consumers the power to complain about third party debt collector behavior to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Common FDCPA Violations
Although the FDCPA lists dozens of prohibited bill collector practices, there are a few tactics used by debt collection agencies that are frequently cited in civil court documents.
For examples, many third party debt collectors violate consumer protection law by calling consumers between the hours of 9 pm and 8 am. Bill collectors are not allowed to repeatedly call consumers at home and on their cellular devices.
The FDCPA includes a provision called “reason to know,” which means a debt collection agency has reason to know that a consumer’s employer forbids debt collection phone calls made to employees in the workplace.
When it comes to aggressive third party debt collector practices, the FDCPA makes it clear such practices are considered illegal. You do not have to tolerate a bill collector using abusive language or threatening you in any manner.
Debt collection agencies are prohibited from threatening to seize private property and implementing deceptive debt collection strategies to coerce consumers into paying off outstanding credit card and personal loan balances.
The deception provision of the FDCPA includes impersonating the IRS or a law enforcement official. If you have been abused or threatened by a bill collector, you should immediately contact a licensed consumer protection lawyer to chart a course of action.
Can You Seek Monetary Damages against Radius Global Solutions, LLC?
Simply outlawing aggressive debt collection tactics is typically not enough to convince most debt collection agencies to follow the law. This is why the FDCPA contains a punitive provision that allows consumers to seek monetary damages for suffering from third party debt collector harassment.
If you FDCPA lawyer can link any physical ailments to aggressive debt collection practices, you are entitled to recover monetary damages. Physical distress can lead to a number of ailments, including high blood pressure and frequent migraine headaches.
Hiring a FDCPA attorney is vital in proving allegations of physical distress, as you must present evidence in the form of documentation and call to the stand expert witnesses that confirm your physical issues are directly connected to the bullying of a third party debt collector.
The FDCPA also allows a statutory damage award up to $1,000, which is a one-time award given to consumers because of violations of the landmark consumer protection law.
Do not let Radius Global Solutions, LLC push you around. Under the FDCPA, you have the right to speak with an experienced consumer protection lawyer who will ensure you recover the money lost because of unscrupulous bill collector actions.
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 Radius Global Solutions, LLC or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.