How Rhode Island’s FDCPA Laws Can Help Protect You

Every consumer has a right not to be harassed by debt collectors. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act covers all consumers across the country and protects the right of consumers.

Under the FDCPA consumers cannot be harassed by debt collectors calling at all hours, telling other people about your debt, calling you at work, or being abusive to you when they try to collect a debt.

If any debt collector acts in a way that is prohibited by the FDCPA you can file suit against them for damages. In addition to the protections that are listed in the FDCPA there are protections given to consumers in Rhode Island by the Rhode Island debt collection laws.

FDCPA Laws in Rhode Island

The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act applies to consumers in every state but many states including Rhode Island have their own laws that go further than the FDCPA to protect people from harassment by debt collectors.

In Rhode Island the Rhode Island Fair Debt Collections Practices Act applies and debt collectors must adhere to the restrictions of both the FDCPA and the RIFDCPA in order to collect a debt from anyone living in Rhode Island.

One of the unique protections offered in Rhode Island is that you can record debt collectors in Rhode Island without telling them you are recording. In Rhode Island the permission of only one person on the call is necessary in order to record the call.

Creditor Harassment Protected under FDCPA And Rhode Island Collection Laws

There are many restrictions on debt collectors under the FDCPA and Rhode Island FDCPA that say that creditors cannot do things like:

• Continue to call you if you are represented by an attorney. Once you tell a debt collector that you are represented by an attorney the debt collector must only contact your attorney about the debt.
• Call you at work if you have told them to stop. If a debt collector calls you at work and you tell them not to call you at work and they continue to call you at work you can file for damages because they have violated the FDCPA and the RIFDCPA.
• Call your friends and family and tell them you owe a debt. They can call your friends and family to try and contact you but they cannot say the name of the creditor or that they are trying to contact you about a debt. If they mention that you owe a debt that is a violation of the consumer protection laws.

Work With An Attorney Today

If you have been harassed on the phone by a debt collector or if a debt collector has violated any of the restrictions listed in the FDCPA or RIFDCPA you should talk to an attorney that has experience dealing with consumer protection or debt collection cases.

For every violation of the consumer protection laws that the debt collector has done you could receive up to $1000 in damages. An attorney that has experience dealing with consumer protection cases can help you file a claim for damages and stop debt collectors from harassing you.

Additional Resources

• FDCPA Laws in Rhode Island
• FDCPA Attorneys in Rhode Island