Do you remember the life you had before third-party collectors began harassing you? Do you remember what it was like before you started to dread picking up your phone?
Even if you don’t remember it well, there was a time where your life may have been more tranquil because you weren’t worried about harassment from aggressive third-party collectors.
If you’re living in Oregon (or any U.S. state), you can get back to this reality. This is thanks to the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which is supposed to keep third-party collectors from engaging in certain behavior while they’re carrying out their work.
For example, under the FDCPA, third-party collectors shouldn’t be making your phone ring repeatedly or use profane language. They also shouldn’t be calling you before 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Those aren’t the only examples of prohibited behavior–there are far more of them outlined in the FDCPA.
The first step to getting back to that old, tranquil reality is by filing a claim so that you can make your case. An FDCPA attorney would be in a great position to help you with this– in fact, you may find that it’s easier and more effective to hire an attorney to file a claim on your behalf.
Oregon’s Debt Collection Protections
At the state level, Oregon has its own debt collection laws. Even though federal laws (such as the FDCPA) would most likely take precedent over the state ones, it is useful to know the specifics of the state’s own collection practices to see what the existing state laws could offer your claim.
In Oregon, there is a six-year statute of limitations on when someone can file a claim in regards to your debt (which would be considered “a breach of contract” action). This means that if someone is attempting to collect on a debt that is older than that, then they are in violation of Oregon’s state law, as well as possibly the federal law.
![FDCPA Attorneys in Oregon]()
The FDCPA
There are a number of behaviors prohibited in the FDCPA. For example, a third-party collector may not:
- Call an unauthorized party about your debt
- Impersonate an IRS agent or other government agent
- Threaten to seize your bank account
- Use vulgar or profane language in your correspondence
- Publish your name on a “bad debt” list
There are far more activities that third-party collectors can’t engage in, so there’s no need to be concerned if one of your experiences didn’t fit neatly into one of the items listed. Look into what else the FDCPA prohibits, and talk to an attorney to determine if anything you’ve experienced would fall under those provisions.
Talk to An Attorney Today
Contacting an attorney for a consultation could make all the difference in your case. You could have someone knowledgeable at your side who can help build a successful case. Also, you don’t have to worry about paying your attorney unless your claim is successful; this is because most FDCPA attorneys will be working on a contingency fee basis.