Why do far too many debt collection agencies continue to violate a prominent federal consumer protection law? The answer is the incredible amount of money made convincing consumers to take care of outstanding credit card and personal loan accounts. An original creditor such as Best Buy or American Express can either sell a delinquent consumer debt for a fraction of what was initially owed or pay a bill collector like Hunter Warfield, Inc. to wipe the debt slate clean. In both cases, deception is a common tactic used to trick consumers into paying off debts. Fortunately, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) outlaws the use of deception when a company tries to collect an outstanding consumer debt.
About Hunter Warfield, Inc.
With a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Hunter Warfield, Inc. appears to fall short in compliance with the FDCPA. The most frequent consumer complaints against the third party debt collector include harassment and the deceptive debt collection tactic of forging consumer credit documents. Without accreditation from the BBB, Tamp Bay, Florida based Hunter Warfield, Inc. has operated as a corporation since 2004.
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How the FDCPA Defines Misrepresentation
Passed by the United States Congress on September 20, 1977, the FDCPA makes dozens of previously legal debt collection practices against the law. For example, a representative from Hunter Warfield, Inc. cannot call you between the hours of 9 pm and 8 am. The debt collection agency is also barred from calling you repeatedly throughout the day on your cell phone, as well as calling the main phone number at work. In addition to banning overly aggressive debt collection techniques, the FDCPA also prohibits the implementation of deceptive debt collection tactics.
Deception can come in many forms for unethical third party debt collectors. One of the most effective deceptive techniques involves a bill collector informing a consumer that the company has contacted a third party regarding a delinquent debt. Although a third party was not contacted, just the mention of contacting a third party to deceive a consumer represents a highly effective debt collection tactic. Not only has a bill collector violated the FDCPA because the company used deception, the third party debt collector also violated the FDCPA provision that outlaws contacting third parties regarding consumer debts.
Do You Have Enough Evidence to File a Claim?
Congress did much more than outlaw numerous debt collection tactics. The FDCPA also contains a provision that grants consumers the right to file claims seeking monetary damages for one or more violations of the FDCPA. As the most common type of monetary damage awarded for FDCPA cases, statutory damages represent a one-time financial award for every violation of the landmark federal consumer protection law. Capped at $1,000, statutory damages are the easiest type of just compensation to obtain, as your FDCPA lawyer only has to prove Hunter Warfield, Inc. broke the federal consumer protection law.
Work with a Licensed FDCPA Attorney
Fighting back against Hunter Warfield, Inc. by yourself or with the legal advice of a novice lawyer is a surefire recipe for failure. Schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced FDCPA lawyer to even the legal playing field with Hunter Warfield, Inc.
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 Hunter Warfield, Inc., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.