The debt collection agency industry is a lucrative business. A company such as Eastpoint Recovery Group, Inc. has two ways to cash in on your financial misery. First, the debt collection agency can contract to get you to take care of a delinquent credit card or personal loan balance.
Second, and even more profitable, a third party debt collector can buy your debt from the original creditor for a fraction of what you actually owe. All this money thrown around means one thing.
Some companies cross the legal line to hit pay dirt. On September 20, 1977, the United States Congress enacted the most influential consumer protection law. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a bill collector is prohibited from implementing deceptive and overly aggressive debt collection tactics.
The FDCPA bans the long standing practice of debt collection agencies issuing threats to intimidate consumers. Third party debt collectors cannot impersonate the IRS or a law enforcement agency. Moreover, you do not have to take the abuse from a bill collector that contacts a third party regarding your debt.
Contact Information is Fair Game
The FDCPA forbids debt collection agencies from contacting third parties regarding consumer debts, except under a few clearly defined circumstances. As the most common exception to the third party provision of the FDCPA, a company can contact a friend, neighbor, family member, or a professional peer to acquire your contact information.
Several courts have ruled that the contact information sought by a third party debt collector can be only a consumer’s address and phone number.
Because the FDCPA outlaws the debt collection practice of a company calling you at work, the contact information requested by the company cannot include your work phone number. Although a bill collector is allowed under the FDCPA to contact a third party to ask for your contact information, the company can make the request just one time to the same third party.
![Eastpoint Recovery Group Contact A Third Party About Your Debt?*]()
Clear Violations of the FDCPA
Despite the clear language used to word the third party provision of the FDCPA, far too many third party debt collectors follow the money trail by violating the provision. It is not out of the question for a company like Eastpoint Recovery Group, Inc. to call your parents and try to get them to settle your outstanding credit card or personal loan account.
A debt collection agency might call one of your professional peers to shame you into paying off a consumer debt. The same company might go further across the legal line by insisting a friend is on the financial hook for the money you owe on a credit card or personal loan account.
Speak with a Highly Rated FDCPA Attorney
You cannot expect to fight back against a third party debt collector that contacted one of your friends or family members. Only when you work with a state licensed FDCPA lawyer will you gain the legal traction required to make the third party contacts stop.
Your FDCPA attorney will collect evidence of third party contacts, and then decide the best course of legal action.
Schedule a free initial consultation today with an accomplished FDCPA lawyer.
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 Eastpoint Recovery Group, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.