It is easy to feel powerless when dealing with a debt collector. There are various dirty tactics that they try on uneducated consumers. It is important to remember that such tactics protect you by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Even in debt, the government has given you rights. Debt collectors have a reputation for being rude and can even be scary when they meet you in person. However, there is a limit to what they can and cannot do. Knowing your rights can help you stand up for yourself with confidence. If your rights have been violated, speak to a debt collection defense attorney in Chicago today.
Your rights under the FDCPA
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The right to stay at work peacefully.
According to the law, debt collectors cannot call you or come to meet you in person at your workplace. The Act makes it illegal to publicize your debt and shame you in public. Therefore, they cannot show up at your work and tell people that they are debt collectors and you owe money to them.
However, they can contact your employer or co-workers to ask about your location or contact number while hiding their identity. If they must contact your workplace, they must do so in a way that does not publicize your debt. If you wish for this to stop as well, you can request and ban it.
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The right to know the identity of the debt collector.
A consumer in Chicago has the right to know when a debt collector calls them. It is unlawful for the collector to call you and hide their identity or disguise themselves as someone else. If you receive a call from a debt collector pretending to be someone else, you can legally sue them for misrepresentation. Many collectors pretend they work for a government agency.
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The right to personal time.
Just because you owe money does not mean debt collectors can call you at any time during the day. There are specific hours in the day when a person is at work, with their family, or is sleeping. These are times nobody would want to be disturbed with calls asking for money.
It is illegal for debt collectors to call you before 8 am or after 9 pm. If they must call you, they must only do so between 8 am and 9 pm. And, if you wish for the collector to stop calling you, you can make a request for it in writing. However, your obligation to pay the debt remains.
