You arrive home from work one night to find the landline messaging system full of messages. After running back the messages, your stomach sinks because every message was from a debt collection agency.
Third party debt collectors use the phone as an effective weapon in the attempt to collect outstanding credit card and personal loan accounts.
Do you have to take the abuse of the repeated phone calls made by a bill collector? According to a consumer protection law, the answer is a resounding no.
Enacted by the United States Congress on September 20, 1977, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits debt collection agencies like CMRE Financial Services, Inc. from repeatedly calling consumers.
The historically significant consumer protection law also forbids third party debt collectors from calling consumers at odd hours of the day.
f you receive a phone call from a bill collector after nine at night and before eight in the morning, you should contact a licensed consumer protection lawyer who specializes in litigating FDCPA cases.
Reporting the Illegal Action of CMRE Financial Services, Inc.
Your FDCPA attorney will thoroughly review your case to determine how to handle the FDCPA violations committed by a bill collector. One effective option to deter CMRE Financial Services, Inc. from harassing you involves reporting the illegal debt collection tactics to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Responsible for ensuring FDCPA compliance, the FTC can fine CMRE Financial Services, Inc. and/or suspend the company’s license to collect delinquent consumer debts.
Your FDCPA lawyer might opt to report illegal debt collection practices to your state Attorney General Office. The Attorney General has the power to enforce FDCPA provisions as well.
![Filing an FDCPA Violation against CMRE Financial Services, Inc.*]()
How the BBB Can Help You
One of the ways your FDCPA lawyer can get a debt collection agency off your back is to propose a settlement on an outstanding credit card or personal loan balance.
Before proposing a debt settlement, your attorney can reach out to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to provide debt dispute mediation.
The BBB will try to find common financial ground between you and a third party debt collector, with the primary goal of ending a debt collection dispute.
Your lawyer can also file a report with the BBB, which the organization posts on its customer feedback page dedicated to the debt collection agency.
File a Claim in Civil Court
In addition to outlawing debt collection tactics, the FDCPA includes a section that grants consumers the right to file claims against third party debt collectors.
Facing the prospect of a wage garnishment order or another legally sanctioned method for collecting consumer debt can trigger considerable emotional duress.
Your FDCPA attorney will review all of the medical evidence to determine whether there is a link between the illegal debt collection practices implemented by a debt collection agency and any emotional distress symptoms that have negatively impacted both your personal and professional lives.
Any medical evidence you can provide your FDCPA lawyer will help your case in front of a civil court judge.
Speak with a consumer protection attorney to learn more about how the FDCPA can protect you against the illegal debt collection practices used by a debt collection agency.
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 CMRE Financial Services, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.