Are debt collectors calling your night and day? Have your requests to cease communication been ignored? If you have been harassed by a third-party debt collector in Alaska, there may be assistance available for you. The FDCPA was enacted to protect consumers from third-party debt collection abuse. If you need the harassment to stop, you should speak with an FDCPA attorney as soon as possible. Federal and Alaskan law both prohibit abusive tactics, so to protect your rights, you should have your case evaluated by a creditor harassment attorney.
Alaska’s Specific FDCPA Laws
In Alaska, you’ll have a full 10 years to file a claim against creditor harassment, which is significantly more time than most US states’ limitations of 4-6 years. In addition to the FDCPA, Alaska has the “Alaska Consumer Protection Act” to protect the rights of its residents. Under the Act, consumers are not only protected from collection agencies, but from original trade and commerce as well. Some prohibited behaviors in the Act include:
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- Falsely representing the origin of a good
- Representing second-hand goods as new or unused
- Calling a consumer at a cost without disclosing the cost to the consumer
- Calling anyone registered with the national “Do not call” registry
The Act does not only protect Alaskans from creditor harassment, but from any form of unsavory business deals.
How Alaska’s Act Bolsters the FDCPA
All of the national laws of the FDCPA will still apply to Alaskan residents: Third-party creditors cannot call you before 8 am or 9 pm, nor can they send you any “embarrassing media” clearly displaying that you have debt in collections, among other violations.
In addition to these rights, the Alaska Consumer Protection Act will protect you from original parties, which is a huge benefit if you are dealing with a bank or original creditor. The original FDCPA only applies to third-party collection agencies, meaning that under federal law, an original creditor can call you as many times as it likes, at any hours of the day.
The Alaska Consumer Protection Act also does not allow debt collectors to create additional fees by calling you on a line that would be charged, as outlined in Sec. 45.50.472 of the Act. An example of this would include calling you at a hotel where you’re charged per minute. Under the Act, a debt collector would need to notify you of the charge before you incur the cost. If you choose to not pay the fee, you should not be contacted or charge under Alaska’s law. A violation of this section of the act allows the consumer to be entitled for reimbursement for the charge, plus a fine of $200.
Speaking With an FDCPA Attorney
If your rights as a consumer have been violated in Alaska, you should speak with a creditor harassment attorney as soon as possible. FDCPA attorneys include their fees into your settlement, so you will not have to pay anything out of pocket when working with an attorney. Additionally, when you work with an FDCPA attorney, you receive instant relief: Third-party collection agencies are prohibited from contacting any consumers who have hired an attorney.
To speak with a debt collector who can take your FDCPA claim in Alaska, fill out our Free Evaluation form today.