If you are behind in paying your bills or owe a large amount of money, you may be periodically contacted by debt collection agencies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) put a law in place known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to make sure that debt collection agencies cannot abuse, harass, or use unfair methods against you while collecting debts.
The FDCPA is in place to ensure that debt collectors avoid resorting to harassment, but also allows you take legal action against them if they do break these laws and violate your rights.
Southwest Recovery Services is a debt collection agency located in the state of Texas. They are not an accredited business with the BBB and have a C+ rating due to filed customer complaints.
Laws Southwest Recovery Services is Accused of Violating
According to RFC Express, which holds recently filed lawsuits, there are records of many complaints and lawsuits alleging that Southwest Recovery Services uses both unfair and abusive debt collection practices against both debtors and its own clients.
For instance, in a 2007 case, an Arizona woman filed a claim that the company allegedly falsely reported her credit score to a credit reporting company, which violated the FDCPA.
What to Do if Southwest Recovery Services is Trying to Collect a Debt from You*
If Southwest Recovery Solutions has in some way violated your protected rights under the FDCPA, there are options available to you. First, it is a good idea to request that the company stops contacting you, which you have a right to do. You can make the request either verbally or through writing, but sending it as certified mail will act as proof if it is needed later in court.
When Southwest Recovery Services has received your request, you should make a log of every time they attempt to contact you since. Make a record of the time, date, and name of the call center representative, if possible. This log will also be helpful in the case of a lawsuit, as you may be able to receive up to $1,000 for each violation the company makes against you.
Another helpful suggestion is to seek the services of an FDCPA attorney. An attorney who specializes in cases of credit harassment will help to make sure that you receive the damages that are owed to you from Southwest Recovery Services when your protected rights under the FDCPA are violated. An attorney will help you collect the needed evidence for building a case against Southwest Recovery Services. They will also help you determine the correct amount of damages to seek and help you file a claim with either the state court, FTC, your state attorney general, or even small claims court.
*According to RFC Express
Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be constructed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Southwest Recovery Services, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.