Do you remember the contact phone number you left on a credit card application submitted a few years back? Well, the number you left on the credit card application can come back to haunt you.
The first thing a debt collection agency does after taking over a consumer credit card or personal loan account is to call the consumer by using the contact number left on the credit application.
Even if you have changed phones and received a new number, online resources combined with dogged in house investigative skills will eventually unveil your new number. You can run from a third party debt collector, but you certainly cannot hide.
Nonetheless, a landmark consumer protection law grants you several rights that can stop the harassing phone calls made by a bill collector such as Acceptance Now, LLC.
Types of Illegal Phone Calls Made by Debt Collection Agencies
Referred to as the consumer bill of rights, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) leveled the legal playing field for consumers. Prior to September 20, 1977, third party debt collectors ran roughshod over consumers by using overly aggressive debt collection tactics.
The United States Congress wrote the FDCPA into law with the primary intent of ending the practice of harassing consumers over the phone.
At the core of the FDCPA is the prohibition of bill collectors placing repeated phone calls to consumers. If you come home from work one day and discover dozens of phone messages from the same debt collection agency, then you have a clear case of a FDCPA violation.
The FDCPA also addresses the phone calls made by third party debt collectors to consumers in the workplace. Called the “Right to know” provision of the Federal consumer protection law, bill collectors must end all phone calls to consumers at work, if they are informed such calls are forbidden by the employer.
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How to Prevent Acceptance Now, LLC. From Calling You
If you believe Acceptance Now, LLC. has crossed the legal line by harassing you over the phone, you should immediately contact a licensed consumer protection attorney who specializes in FDCPA cases. You lawyer might discover that Acceptance Now, LLC. committed one or more violations of the FDCPA.
In response to the violations, your attorney might recommend taking the debt collection agency to court. Some common violations of the FDCPA include using abusive language and issuing threats over the phone. Once you file a claim against Acceptance Now, LLC. the third party debt collector should stop contacting you over the phone.
Financial Remedies for FDCPA Violations
The FDCPA does much more than outlaw previously acceptable debt collection practices. It also gives consumers the right to seek monetary damages for FDCPA violations. Statutory damages represent a one-time financial penalty that can reach as high as $1,000.
Remember statutory damages cover every FDCPA violation, not $1,000 for each violation. All your attorney needs to do for winning statutory damages is prove Acceptance Now, LLC. violated one or more provisions of the FDCPA. You also might be eligible to receive compensation to cover legal fees.
Speak with an experienced consumer protection attorney today to learn more about how the FDCPA gives you the right to stop harassing phone calls from Acceptance Now, LLC.
Additional Resources
*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 Acceptance Now, LLC. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.