Debt collection agencies such as Second Look, Inc. slowly ramp up the pressure on consumers that fall behind on paying off credit card and personal loan accounts. It typically starts with a polite letter asking for money and if you refuse to part with your hard earned cash, a third party debt collector will inevitably become more aggressive in attempting to motivate you to take care of a consumer debt. Sometimes, bill collectors cross the legal line by threatening consumers in a wide variety of ways.
Fortunately a landmark consumer protection law passed by the United States Congress outlaws overly aggressive debt collection tactics, including the issuing of threats.
About Second Look, Inc.
Incorporated in 1990, Hauppauge, New York based Second Look, Inc. specializes in collecting outstanding consumer debts incurred through both credit card and personal loan accounts. The debt collection agency does a considerable amount of business in the automotive loan sector. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Second Look, Inc. has received a few complaints regarding how the third party debt collector handles the pursuit of outstanding car loan balances.
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Types of Threats Banned by a Federal Consumer Protection Law
When the United States Congress wrote the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) into law, the primary goal of the legislation was to end harassing and intimidating debt collection tactics. The federal consumer protection law forbids the once accepted debt collection practice of harassing consumers over the phone. Telephone harassment can include receiving repeated phone calls throughout the day and taking calls well into the night.
A provision of the FDCPA specifically addresses threats, such as a bill collector threatening to seize your property to raise enough cash to settle your delinquent consumer debt. The FDCPA clearly prohibits debt collection agencies from threatening consumers in any way. Second Look, Inc. cannot threaten to garnish your wages, as well as threaten to file a lawsuit in civil court. However, the third party debt collector is allowed to seek an order to garnish your wages and file a lawsuit seeking full payment on an outstanding credit card or personal loan account.
Possible Monetary Damages under the FDCPA
The FDCPA does much more than outlaw overly aggressive debt collection techniques. The powerful federal consumer protection law also grants consumers the right to seek monetary damages for one or more violations. After consulting with a licensed consumer protection lawyer, you might file a claim seeking statutory damages, which is a one-time monetary award for every FDCPA violation committed by Second Look, Inc. The FDCPA caps the amount awarded for statutory damages at $1,000. You can also file a claim seeking monetary damages that take care of cost of treating physical and/or emotional distress symptoms.
Take Action Today
If you have received a threat from Second Look, Inc., you should immediately contact a federal consumer protection attorney who specializes in litigating FDCPA cases. Your FDCPA lawyer will conduct a comprehensive review of your case to determine if there is enough evidence to move forward with a claim. Fighting back against Second Look, Inc. on your own will end up costing you both time and money.
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 Second Look, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.