Debt Collection Practices
If you are being constantly harassed by phone calls and letters from creditors and debt collection agencies, you have a right to make them stop. In addition to the bankruptcy laws that provide strong protections to debtors, Congress has adopted laws to support fair debt collection practices.
At John T. Turco & Associates in Omaha, we help people in Nebraska and Iowa understand their rights to be free of harassment by debt collectors, and we help them decide whether bankruptcy is the best solution for their financial problems.
Explaining Your Legal Rights to Fair Debt Collection
Under a federal law called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, there are limits to what debt collectors can do to get you to repay your debts. They are not supposed to disclose any of your private information to anyone other than you, and they are only supposed to call within certain hours.
If you ask debt collectors in writing not to contact you anymore, they must stop all harassment such as phone calls and letters.
If you can prove that debt collection agencies are not being fair and violating the law, you may be able to sue them. In Nebraska, it is legal to record telephone conversations, so if you live in that state, you may want to record any calls you receive from debt collectors.
Helping You Stop Creditor Harassment
The services our attorneys at John T. Turco & Associates can provide in the area of fair debt collection practices depend on whether you decide to file for bankruptcy.
If you consult with us and choose not to file for bankruptcy, we can provide you with a letter to send to collection agencies to stop the phone calls and letters. Sending a letter will not stop lawsuits, foreclosure, repossession, or wage garnishment; only bankruptcy can do that.
If you do decide to retain us as your lawyers for the purpose of filing for bankruptcy, and if you have a particularly urgent situation, we can immediately contact your creditors to notify them that we represent you, and then they may not legally contact you directly. This will give you some relief even before your bankruptcy filing.
You don’t have to put up with being harassed by debt collectors. Our attorneys can help you understand and assert your rights.
We can help. Contact us to speak to one of our experienced bankruptcy lawyers or to arrange a free initial consultation. If you cannot come to our Omaha offices, we can consult with you by telephone.