If you are behind on your bills, you understand the stress that quickly follows can reach a level that it adversely impacts your personal and professional lives. To make matters worse, a debt collection agency such as Harris & Harris Ltd. continues to harass you by making phone calls at all times during the day.
Some of the phone calls lately have included threats to make you pay off a delinquent credit card or personal loan balance. Fortunately, a consumer protection law prohibits third party debt collectors from issuing threats of any kind.
About Harris & Harris
With two principal partners, Harris & Harris, Ltd. is a bill collector that specializes in accounts receivable management services for the healthcare and utility industries. The Chicago-based debt collection agency also works with the federal government to persuade contractors to take care of outstanding credit accounts.
With more than 50 years in business, Harris & Harris has compiled a poor consumer review rating on the Better Business Bureau website of just one and a half stars out of a possible five stars.
How Consumer Protection Law Defines Threats
Passed by the United States Congress on September 20, 1977, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) outlaws a long list of previously legal debt collection tactics. For example, the FDCPA makes it illegal for third party debt collectors to call consumers between the hours of 9 pm and 8 am.
The landmark consumer protection law also forbids bill collectors from issuing threats of any kind, including veiled threats that many consumers pass off as harmless banter. Under the FDCPA, Harris & Harris, Ltd. cannot threaten to harm you physically.
Surprisingly, some companies resort to mob-like extortion practices when they are unable to collect delinquent credit card and personal loan balances.
Although Harris & Harris is allowed to ask for a judgment from a civil court to garnish your wages, the debt collection agency cannot threaten to take money out of your paychecks. In addition, the third party debt collector is banned from threatening to arrest you for unpaid bills.
![Did Harris & Harris, LTD. Threaten You?*]()
Legal Remedies for FDCPA Violations
If Harris & Harris, Ltd. threatened you in any way, you might be entitled to just compensation that is rewarded by a civil court judge. The FDCPA grants consumers the right to seek monetary damages for the pain and suffering caused by physical and emotional distress.
You have to present hard evidence that the bill collector violated the FDCPA, as well as link your physical and emotional duress symptoms to the illegal tactics used by Harris & Harris, Ltd.
Put an end to the Threats
The FDCPA makes one thing perfectly clear: You do not have to tolerate the overly aggressive debt collection techniques of a bill collector threatening to take away your property or threatening to call the IRS to come after you hard.
With a licensed FDCPA lawyer in your legal corner, you will let Harris & Harris know you are serious about defending the rights given to consumers by the federal consumer protection law. Your FDCPA attorney will build a strong case to end every type of threat made by the third party debt collector.
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 Harris & Harris, Ltd., or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.