The much-needed lunch break has ended, and you return to the office to find a note sitting on your desk. Written on the company logoed notepad paper is a message from the office administrative assistant that tells you a debt collection agency called regarding your debt.
Stunned and worse, embarrassed, you quickly tear the note up and toss the shredded paper into the trash. Now, you are faced with one of the most important lessons learned by consumers when it comes to outstanding credit card and personal loan accounts. You can run, but you cannot hide.
Because of the vast amount of information found online, a third party debt collector such as Affiliate Asset Solutions can discover where you work. A simple search of your name can generate results that include your LinkedIn profile, which clearly explains your current employment status.
However, a federal consumer protection law makes it illegal for a bill collector to call you at work for two reasons. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a debt collection agency is prohibited from harassing you in any way, which includes contacting you at work.
Are There Exceptions to the Third Party Rule?
Although a third party debt collector can easily find out where you work, the same might not be said for discovering where you live. The contact information you left on a credit card application is no longer valid, as you have moved since you submitted the application years ago.
If you conduct a Google search for your name, you will realize that the contact information provided by many online directories is well behind the times.
According to subsequent rulings handed out after the enactment of the FDCPA, a bill collector can call a friend, neighbor, family member or a relative to request your current address and phone number. However, the company that calls third party can call the third party just one time to collect your contact information.
![Affiliate Asset Solutions Contact A Third Party About Your Debt?]()
Clear Violations of the FDCPA
By trying to reach you at work, a debt collection agency violated the third party provision of the FDCPA. Whether the company left a message on the central voice messaging system or the company spoke with one of your professional peers, it clearly violated the no contact decree written into the groundbreaking federal consumer protection law.
The third party debt collector also violated the FDCPA provision that bans the practice of contacting consumers at work. By telling a bill collector that your employer forbids calls from bill collectors, you have invoked the “reason to know” provision of the FDCPA.
Get the Legal Help You Deserve
Facing the overly aggressive debt collection tactics implemented by a debt collection agency can overwhelm you. To counter the prospect of dealing with a third party debt collector, you should reach out to a state licensed FDCPA lawyer.
Your FDCPA attorney will conduct an exhaustive review of your case, with a focus on gathering the physical evidence required to prove a company like Affiliate Asset Solutions violated the federal consumer protection law.
Schedule a free initial consultation today with an experienced FDCPA lawyer.
Additional Resources
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Affiliate Asset Solutions, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.