Unscrupulous third-party collectors can target you in North Carolina or anywhere in the country. These people don’t seem to care about how unpleasant they make your life by calling incessantly.
They don’t seem to have any trouble using profane language to get you to pay a debt, even if it’s one that you’ve already paid off!
They might even go after you for an old debt, long after the statute of limitations is up.
Since these kinds of collectors can target you anywhere in the country, it’s important that you know that you have protection from this behavior across the U.S.
This is due to a federal law called the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) that protects consumers from certain unscrupulous actions that third-party collectors may take.
Those third-party collectors could face some serious repercussions if you end up choosing to file a claim– and you should. If you do this, you could be awarded up $1,000 for each FDCPA violation that you can prove.
Keep in mind that arguing for your claim will probably be much easier with the help of an FDCPA attorney, so consider contacting one as soon as possible.
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North Carolina’s Debt Collection Protections
North Carolina offers some debt collection protection at the state level. These protections are useful to know about because they will help you better understand what laws you can invoke in your case.
Express or implied agreements carry a three-year statute of limitations, as do open accounts. Judgements and contacts/sales of personal property under seal carry a ten-year statute of limitations.
Familiarize yourself with these statute of limitations; you may find that you’re being unfairly asked to pay an old debt.
The FDCPA
You may find that you’re in a better position to file a claim under the FDCPA than North Carolina’s state-level laws. This is because the FDCPA covers a large range of behaviors.
Third-party collectors aren’t allowed to engage in the following aggressive behavior (though keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list).
- Ignoring an attorney’s letter that asks that the collector stop contacting you
- Contacting third-parties and unauthorized parties about your debt
- Publishing your name on a “bad debt” list
- Making your phone ring repeatedly
- Leaving you multiple voicemails
The behavior that you’ve experienced may not fall neatly into the aforementioned scenarios, so be sure to look at a longer list of FDCPA violations.
You’ll be able to find a longer list in the “Your Rights” tab at the top of this page.
Talk to an Attorney Today
You deserve to get your peace of mind back, and the FDCPA exists so that you can do that. But for most people, filing a claim is time-consuming and daunting.
This is part of the reason why you should consider hiring an FDCPA attorney– because he or she will be in the best position to confidently argue on your behalf.
Plus, FDCPA attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you won’t even have to pay the attorney unless you win your case.
But one of the main reasons to think about hiring an FDCPA attorney is because it will most likely give you the best chance of winning your case.
A positive outcome for your case means that you’ll regain control of your life and possibly get some financial compensation as well.
There’s no need to put the outcome of your case at risk, so contact an attorney today.