When you owe money to an individual or a business, they may hire a debt collection service or agency like Ad Astra Recovery Services, Inc. to recover the debt. Some debt collection services use aggressive tactics to try and get you to pay the debt off, many of which are illegal under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
The FDCPA restricts how often a debt collector is allowed to contact you and when it can contact you. If you believe that the debt collector has acted in violation of the FDCPA, then you have the right to report the collector to a state or federal agency as well as pursue a lawsuit against the collector with the help of a lawyer.
How to Report a FDCPA Violation by Ad Astra Recovery Services, Inc
In the event that Ad Astra Recovery Services Inc. is engaging in illegal behavior under the FDCPA, you have a number of options available to curtail the violation of the law. The first steps could involve either filing a complaint with your state’s Attorney General or a federal agency that can handle the complaint on your behalf.
If you decide to report the behavior of Ad Astra Recovery Services for harassing you, the two main avenues available are as follows:
- Contact your state’s Attorney General as long as you know that the state has laws about fair debt collection standards. Most states have laws which are similar to, but are independent of, the FDCPA. The Attorney General’s office can initiate legal action against the collector on your behalf and issue fines or redirect fees back to you.
- Contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This is a federal agency that acts to protect consumers and enforce laws that protect consumers from illegal practices in the financial industry. The CFPB can act against Ad Astra Recovery Services if it believes that a violation of the FDCPA has taken place or refer the matter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for further action against the collector on your behalf.
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How the Better Business Bureau Can Help in Negotiations Over Disputes
In addition to the action you can take described above, you can approach the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB cannot take legal action against the debt collector in the same way as the state or federal agencies already mentioned, but it can act as a mediator between you and Ad Astra Recovery Services in the event of a dispute over the collector’s practices.
Although this may not help you directly, the BBB does have wider influence and will act to alert other consumers and the industry if it believes that a debt collector has been acting unfairly or illegally.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Ad Astra Recovery Services, Inc.
The last resort is to file a lawsuit against the debt collector through either a state or federal civil court. The lawsuit must be backed up by sufficient evidence showing that the collector has been violating the FDCPA. Evidence may be in the form of dates and times of contact and a description of behavior that showed violation of the Act.
Even if a lawsuit succeeds, it doesn’t absolve you from paying the original debt. You are given a year to file the lawsuit from the date of the violation and the maximum recoverable amount is capped at $1,000.
How a Lawyer Can Help With a Claim for a FDCPA Violation
It can be hard dealing with an over-persistent and possibly threatening debt collector. If you are considering taking action against a collector because of a violation of the FDCPA, you are advised to get help from a lawyer.
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 Ad Astra Recovery Services, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.