Third-party collectors may have made you forget that you’re worthy of respect. Between their incessant calling, embarrassing tactics, and/or foul language, they may have ground you down and made you forget what life was like before being the target of their harassment.
It’s important to remind yourself that you deserve respect, and, most importantly, that there is a way out. The Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that punishes third-party collectors that harass consumers. The bad behavior that the FDCPA covers is relatively broad, so there is a good chance that the harassment you’ve experienced is covered.
The first thing you should do is learn how the FDCPA and debt collection laws apply to you in Pennsylvania. After that, consider contacting an FDCPA attorney who can help you with your case. The process can seem daunting, which means that it could be very useful to have someone on your side.
Pennsylvania’s Debt Collection Protections
Understanding the debt collection laws at the state level can put you in a better position to understand what legal standards you can invoke in your case. Even though the FDCPA applies to all states, knowing Pennsylvania’s own laws regarding the statute of limitations on debt collection can help you figure out if debt collectors are even attempting to collect legitimate debts.
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In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations on contracts is four years. This means that your creditor is not allowed to sue you over you not paying your debt after four years (though they can continue attempting to get you to pay indefinitely). However, contracts under seal have a much longer statute of limitations–a whopping twenty years.
The FDCPA and You
In Pennsylvania and across the U.S., third-party collectors are not supposed to engage in certain kinds of aggressive behavior. For example, a third-party collector should not:
- Call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone
- Impersonate an IRS agent or other government agent
- Threaten legal action
- Talk to an unauthorized party about your debt
- Leave you multiple voicemails
Keep in mind that there are even more types of behavior that third-party collectors shouldn’t be engaging, so don’t fret if you don’t see the treatment you’ve experienced on the list. An experienced FDCPA attorney will be able to help you use the FDCPA’s provisions in the most effective way possible for your case.
Talk to An FDCPA Attorney Today
Don’t let third-party collectors make you forget that you’re worthy of respect. You do not deserve to be harassed for your debt, and you do have options to make the harassment stop.
Start by learning how to file a claim and then talk to an experienced FDCPA attorney. A consultation can help you figure out whether or not your claim is viable, and the attorney can also help you gather evidence and build a case.
An attorney will be able to help you find some peace again and possibly even gain some financial compensation. Each FDCPA violation could earn you $1,000. Even though no amount of money can erase what happened, it can help you rebuild your future.