No one likes getting phone calls from debt collectors. Many people feel anxiety or even have panic attacks when debt collectors call repeatedly or leave voicemails. But if debt collectors are leaving you voicemail at work you could be entitled to damages because that is a violation of the FDCPA, which protects people from unethical collection practices that are designed to intimidate or threaten people into paying debts.
What Is The FDCPA?
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is also referred to as the FDCPA and it was created specifically to shield consumers from being threatened and harassed by debt collection agents. The FDCPA lists all the things that debt collectors cannot do when they’re trying to collect a debt. This law is why you don’t get collection calls at midnight or have debt collectors calling your boss demanding that you pay a debt. All collection companies must abide by the rules in the FDCPA. If they break the FDCPA by doing things like repeatedly or leaving you voicemails at work you can file a claim for damages.
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Why Debt Collectors Can’t Leave Voicemails At Work
If you have received voicemails from debt collectors on your personal phone that isn’t a violation of the FDCPA as long as they identified themselves as a debt collector. However, if they left a voicemail on your work phone that is a violation of the FDCPA. That’s because your work voicemail can be listened to by your boss or your HR staff.
The FDCPA states specifically that debt collectors can’t discuss your debt with a third party. If they identify themselves as debt collectors or talk about your debt on your work voicemail, which your boss or HR department staff can hear, they are discussing your debt with a third party and that’s a violation nof the FDCPA. Just by identifying themselves as a debt collector, which they must do, they are violating the FDCPA.
Threats And Harassment From Debt Collectors
Sometimes debt collectors will leave intimidating or threatening messages on your voicemail saying that you’ll be arrested or taken to jail or that some other terrible thing will happen if you don’t pay the debt. They’re not allowed to do that and every time they threaten you it’s a violation of the FDCPA that could cost them thousands of dollars if you decide to file a claim for damages.
An FDCPA Attorney Can Help
If you’re received voicemails at work from a debt collector or if you’ve been threatened by a debt collector you should talk with an attorney that has experience dealing with FDCPA violations. An attorney can help you figure out which rules of the FDCPA were violated and how to prove those violations. The attorney can also then represent you in court when you file a claim against the debt collector.
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 National Recoveries, Inc. or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to any compensation.