You come home one day after a long day at work to find a letter in your mailbox that has the word “URGENT” stamped on the top left corner of the envelope. After reading the letter from a debt collection agency, you are taken back by the rude language inserted at the end of the letter.
The rude language is a sentence reading “You have 30 days to take action on this debt.” Is this considered a threat according to a landmark consumer protection law and if so, do you have a legal remedy to use for getting the third party debt collector off your back?
How a Federal Consumer Protection Law Defines Threats
For decades leading up to September of 1977, bill collectors had their way with consumers by implementing overly aggressive debt collection practices. By harassing and intimidating consumers, bill collectors were able to coerce consumers into taking care of delinquent credit card and personal loan accounts.
That all changed with the enactment of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Referred to as the consumer Bill of Rights, the FDCPA outlaws the longstanding debt collection technique of issuing threats to intimidate consumers.
Does the message “You have 30 days to take action on this debt” constitute a threat? Typically, civil court judges consider the threats made by debt collection agencies to be direct messages that include the consequences of not paying off a consumer debt.
If Synerprise Consulting Services, Inc. includes the message “You have 30 days to take action on this debt or we will contact the IRS” within a letter sent to you, there is a good chance a licensed FDCPA attorney will find probable cause to seek monetary damages for violating the federal consumer protection law.
Other ways a third party debt collector violates the FDCPA is by threatening to garnish your wages and threatening to have you arrested for not paying off a credit card or a personal loan balance.
![Did Synerprise Consulting Services, Inc. Threaten You?*]()
Are You Eligible for Monetary Damages?
Receiving threats of any kind will trigger considerable anxiety. However, if a bill collector threatens to empty your bank accounts, the stress increases to a level that adversely impacts your emotional well-being.
Emotional distress symptoms range from being unable to concentrate at work to having a short fuse when it comes to interacting with family members.
If your FDCPA lawyer can link your emotional duress symptoms to the illegal actions taken by a debt collection agency like Synerprise Consulting Services, Inc., you might qualify to win monetary damages that compensate you for pain and suffering.
Your consumer protection attorney will present documents verifying your emotional state, as well as call expert mental health professional to the stand for validating your claim.
Why You Need an FDCPA Attorney
If there is anything certain during an FDCPA case, it is the company threatening you will be well represented by a high-powered team of lawyers. Unless you consult with an experienced FDCPA lawyer, you can expect to lose the legal battle against Synerprise Consulting Services, Inc.
Contact an FDCPA attorney today to schedule a free initial consultation to determine the best course of legal action.
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 Synerprise Consulting Services, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.