It starts with a letter from a debt collection agency claiming you owe much more money than you actually owe on an outstanding credit card account. Then, the company begins to harass you at home by calling you at odd hours of the day. The company also misrepresents itself by claiming it is an attorney that is about to file a lawsuit against you for not paying off the debt in question. Are you protected by a federal law that bans deceptive and intimidating debt collection actions? According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Avante USA Ltd. cannot deceive you in any way.
About Avante USA, Ltd.
Houston, Texas debt collection agency Avante USA Ltd. has established a poor record of collecting delinquent credit card and personal loan balances. Specializing in collecting outstanding retail card accounts, Avante USA Ltd. has a long list of consumer complaints that emphasize the third party debt collector does not notify consumers when the company starts the debt collection process.
Misrepresentation under the FDCPA
Enacted by the United States Congress on September 20, 1977, the FDCPA prohibits harassing debt collection tactics, such as calling consumers at odd hours of the day. In fact, the FDCPA explicitly prohibits bill collectors from calling consumers at home or at work between 9 pm and 8 am. The FDCPA also addresses the longstanding practice of using deception to trick consumers into taking care of delinquent credit card and personal loan balances.
According to the FDCPA, Avante USA, Ltd. cannot say it works for a credit reporting company. Some debt collection agencies use this tactics to coerce consumers into sending in payments. You should not allow a third party debt collector to deceive you by claiming that you can go to jail for not paying off an outstanding consumer debt. Threats of jail time actually violated two provisions of the FDCPA: the threat provision and the deception provision. The United States never had or never will have laws that incarcerate citizens for falling behind on bills.
Making Avante USA, Ltd. Pay for Deception
If Avante USA, Ltd. has deceived you in any way, you might have a strong enough case to file a claim in a civil court. The FDCPA gives consumers the right to seek both statutory damages and actual damages. Statutory damages, which cannot exceed $1,000, represent a one-time financial award that covers every FDCPA violation committed by Avante USA, Ltd. You can also ask the court to make the debt collection agency take care of your attorney fees, as well as seek injunctive relief which forbids Avante USA, Ltd. from contacting you at home or at work.
![Did Avante USA, LTD. Misrepresent Themselves?*]()
End Deceptive Debt Collection Tactics
If Avante USA, Ltd. has crossed the legal line by deceiving you, the most effective way to make the deception stop is by contacting a licensed FDCPA lawyer. Your attorney will conduct a thorough review of your case to determine if there is enough evidence to warrant the filing of a lawsuit. Schedule a free initial consultation today with an experienced consumer protection attorney.
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 Avante USA, Ltd. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.