Falling behind on your debt obligations can place a tremendous amount of stress on you that negatively impacts your personal and professional relationships. When a debt collection agency becomes involved with your financial hardship, the stress can soar through the proverbial roof.
Fortunately, a federal consumer protection law gives you a little wriggle room when it comes to dealing with a third party debt collector. Passed by the United States Congress, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) makes it illegal for third party debt collectors to implement deceptive and overly aggressive debt collection tactics.
The FDCPA also requires bill collectors to send a debt validation letter to consumers.
What You Need to Know about a Debt Validation Letter
When you receive a bill at a restaurant, the chances are good that you take a few seconds reviewing the bill to ensure everything on it is your fiscal responsibility. The same principle applies to consumer debts. According to the FDCPA, a bill collector like JTM Capital Management, LLC must send you a debt collection letter to help you confirm the amount owed on a debt, as well as the name of the creditor associated with the outstanding credit card or personal loan balance.
Not only does the FDCPA require debt collection agencies to send debt validation letters, the groundbreaking federal consumer protection law also states third party debt collectors have five days after the first contact with consumer to send a debt validation letter. If a bill collector fails to send you a debt validation letter withing five days after the first contact, you have the right to demand the company send the letter to your home address.
![Did JTM Capital Management, LLC Not Validate Your Debt?*]()
Information that Should be Part of a Debt Validation Letter
The two most important pieces of information in a debt validation letter are the amount owed on the account and the name of the original creditor. By checking your carefully maintained personal financial records, you can determine whether the amount listed in a debt validation letter is correct.
Knowing the name of the original creditor goes long way toward confirming whether the debt in question is actually your legal responsibility to pay off. A debt validation letter should include a statement that the debt is considered valid if you do not dispute the debt within 30 days of the initial contact.
There also should be a statement that explains the bill collector has 30 days to provide information about the original creditor, if you decide to seek information about the original creditor.
Speak with a Licensed FDCPA Lawyer
You can rest assured JTM Capital Management, LLC will work with a team of highly skilled litigators. The only way to level the legal playing field is by working with an experienced FDCPA attorney. Your FDCPA lawyer will thoroughly review your case to determine whether there is enough evidence to file a claim in civil court.
A lawsuit filed in civil court can request monetary damages for the pain and suffering caused by a deceptive and overly aggressive debt collection agency. The FDCPA grants consumers the right to seek statutory and/or actual damages for one or more violations of the monumental consumer protection law.
Schedule a free initial consultation with a highly rated FDCPA 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 JTM Capital Management, LLC, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.