The family is gathered around the dinner table for a laid back meal. Things suddenly turn more stressful when one of your parents informs you that a debt collection agency contacted the home line in regards to an outstanding debt you owe. The anxiety you feel because of the embarrassment of owing money on a credit card or a personal loan account spills over into your professional life. You start missing workdays and your performance diminishes significantly.
What can you do to stop the harassment conducted by a third party debt collector like Medicredit?
The answer is to invoke the legal powers granted to consumers by a historic consumer protection law. Enacted on September 20, 1977 by the United States Congress, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits dozens of previously acceptable debt collection practices. For example, the FDCPA outlaws the once common practice of implementing deceptive debt collection techniques, such as impersonating the IRS and law enforcement officials. If you have been harassed by Medicredit, you should speak with a licensed consumer protection lawyer to determine the best course of legal action.
The FDCPA Encourages Reporting Violations
Congress wrote legal language into the FDCPA that extends well beyond listing illegal debt collection practices. The federal consumer protection law also encourages consumers to report the illegal actions committed by bill collectors. One powerful government agency you should contact if your state has a law similar to the FDCPA is your state’s Attorney General Office. Your Attorney General will thoroughly review your complaint and if enough similar complaints are received, the Attorney General Office might take legal action against Medicredit. Legal action can include fines or threats to shut the third party debt collector down.
Report FDCPA Violations to the Leading Consumer Advocacy Organization
If you are like many consumers, you may have at some point referenced the website operated by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to perform research. The BBB presents a detailed analysis of every registered business in the United States. By reporting Medicredit to the BBB, you create a black mark against the debt collection agency. A large number of complaints filed against Medicredit might prompt original creditors like Visa and Wells Fargo to take their debt collection efforts elsewhere.
![Where to Report an FDCPA Violation by Medicredit*]()
File a Claim against Medicredit
Your FDCPA attorney will thoroughly review your case to determine whether you have enough evidence to file a claim against Medicredit. You have the option to seek statutory damages, which is a one-time penalty for every FDCPA violation committed by the third party debt collector. Your FDCPA attorney might also ask the court to make Medicredit handle all of your legal expenses. In addition to awarding money, the judge presiding over your FDCPA case might approve an order for injunctive relief. Such an order can include language demanding a bill collector stop communicating with you in any form. Filing a claim against Medicredit will require you to present compelling evidence. In the case of a relative being contacted by the debt collection agency, you can have the relative testify during the civil court hearing.
Schedule a free initial consultation with an FDCPA attorney to report the illegal debt collection practices used by Medicredit.
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 Medicredit or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.