Attempting to threaten someone who owes a debt is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This federal law regulates the activity of debt collection agencies and prohibits any kind of behavior that involves pestering, harassment and outright threats.
If you are threatened by a debt collector, you should consider suing the agency for a violation of the FDCPA. As long as you have proof of threats you should be able to obtain damages and get the collector off your back.
It won’t remove the need to pay back your debt, though. Talk to a FDCPA lawsuit attorney about filing a lawsuit.
About Convergent Outsourcing Inc.
Convergent Outsourcing Inc. has been in the debt collection business since 1949. It has its headquarters in Renton, Washington. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has given it a B+ rating based on the mix of consumer comments and complaints it has received.The company is not accredited to the BBB.
The BBB has maintained a file on Convergent since December 1980. It has received well over 700 complaints about the activities of the company in the last three years, the majority concerning violations of the FDCPA, incorrect targeting and a failure to respond to concerns.
What is Considered a Threat?
Debt collectors don’t regularly threaten the people they are trying to collect debts from. It is more common to pester them by calling them day and night. This kind of harassment is still a violation of the FDCPA, but when you have been threatened, it is a definitely a step too far.
These are the things that can be considered threats:
- use of physical violence, or worse, criminal assault;
- an attempt to remove property belonging to the debtor;
- using online publication of debtors’ names in order to shame the debtors;
- threatening to take legal action or have you arrested;
- garnishing wages or threatening to garnish wages.
![Did Convergent Outsourcing Inc. Threaten You?]()
Damages you may be entitled to
If you win your FDCPA lawsuit against Convergent, you may be able to claim damages of up to $1,000 plus attorney’s and other legal fees.
If you can prove that the threats from the agency caused physical or emotional harm, then your attorney may be able to help you file for compensation for the damage the threats have done to you and distress caused.
You may also be able to claim for lost earnings and garnished wages if the level of stress you have experienced has been caused by the agency’s threats.
End the Threats Today
It is no use trying to ignore a debt collector that is using harassment or threatening behavior to get you to pay back your debts. The best advice is to discuss your debt and the behavior of the debt collector with a consumer law attorney.
If the attorney considers that the agency has violated the FDCPA then there is a good chance that you could stop the agency from threatening you and gain some compensation at the same time by filing a FDCPA lawsuit.
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 Convergent Outsourcing Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.