Year: 2012

The Fair Credit Reporting Act was enacted to protect consumers from having inaccurate information spread about them on a credit report.  However, the FCRA provides many other rights to consumers.  Here are some: 1. The Right to View Your Own Credit Report The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides that each person is entitled to one […]

Does a debt collector that calls a third party in order to seek location information of the consumer violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act when it reveals to the person called that they were listed as a reference?  When I first heard the recording of a collector making contact with a relative of the […]

A consumer receives a call on their phone, and from the caller ID they cannot recognize the number.  They answer, and the caller states that they are looking for the consumer – that is, they give the name (let’s say John Doe).  John Doe says that this is him.  The caller goes on to say […]

Many consumers are facing lawsuits from debt collectors.  The collection courts are filled with consumers being sued  by creditors and companies that have bought the debt.  Many times, these lawsuits ask for attorney fees to be paid as part of the lawsuit.  This leads consumers to ask us:  Can we be held responsible for the […]

A story we have heard a few times recently regarding collector threats deals with them advising the consumer that they are going to mark down that the consumer is refusing to pay the debt.  The story usually starts with the collector calling and attempting to procure payment of the entire debt.  Most consumers in the […]

We hear many complaints from consumers concerned that a debt collector has gained access to their credit report.  Given that the consumer originally dealt with a creditor, and did not ever deal with the collector directly, they wonder why it is that the collector can dig into your personal, private credit report.  Pursuant to the […]

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is loaded with instructions on how collectors must act, and the dos and don’ts of how to collect a debt.  While many collection agencies do take steps to assure that they do not violate the law,  a very large amount willingly violate the law.  There are also parts of […]

For many consumers, buying a new car is no longer realistic as new cars have gotten more and more expensive. Purchasing a used car allows a consumer to buy the make and model of car they want that they may not have been able to have afford as a new car. Used cars can be […]

Debt Collectors like to contact a debtor’s employer because they know how much that worries the debtor and forces them into a payment agreement.  Once someone at work finds out about a debt, it can be quite embarrassing.  The boss and co-workers know about private information that is quite sensitive.  One may fear the employer […]

When a debt collector sues a consumer, the consumer has to answer that lawsuit by following the instructions on the Summons that is served. But here are some pitfalls and pointers: Make sure the case is handled.  It is one thing to settle the debt, but there is still a lawsuit out there with your name […]