Lehighton & Carbon County Debt Collection Attorney
Stop the harassment of creditors and illegal tactics of unscrupulous bill collectors
Owing money is no fun when you’re financially strapped and finding it difficult to make payments on time every month. It’s bad enough having to deal with late fees, penalties, interest, and constant threatening letters from unsympathetic creditors, but the situation gets even worse when the professional bill collectors move in. It seems like collection agencies will stop at nothing to get you to pay, including harassing you, threatening you and embarrassing you in front of your friends, family, co-workers and the general public. Many of these activities are actually illegal and can be stopped. See below for information on how to deal with stressful debt collection practices, and contact the Lehighton Law Office of Adam R. Weaver, Esq. for strong, effective representation in Lehigh & Carbon County debt collection matters.
Dispute the debt
Sometimes it’s confusing when you receive a notice about an unpaid bill that you didn’t even know was out there. As far as you know, you already paid the bill, or you may not even recognize it all. There are steps you can take, and you need to be proactive in taking those steps to avoid further penalties or damage to your credit report. If you dispute the amount of the debt or the validity of the debt itself, call the Law Office of Adam R. Weaver, Esq. for advice on how best to proceed. We’ll take steps to settle the debt or mediate, arbitrate or litigate the matter as needed.
The debt may be time-barred. Pennsylvania law has a four-year statute of limitations on debt collection. This time runs from the date of your last default, so making even a partial payment can reset the clock, as can admitting that you owe the debt. This statute of limitations doesn’t apply to all debts, and the laws of Pennsylvania may not even govern this particular situation. Also, the statute of limitations can be tolled, or paused, for certain reasons. It’s a good idea to contact a debt collection lawyer to understand your rights. Collection agencies buy old debts from creditors and then use a variety of methods to get you to pay, hoping you don’t know your rights and don’t have a lawyer.
Keep in mind that the debt might not even be real. Signs that you the bill collector may be running a scam on you include:
- You don’t recognize the debt
- You can’t get contact information from the caller
- You’re being asked for personal information that is not relevant to the debt or is information that they should already have
- You are being threatened or pressured
Unfair debt collection happens every day. It can be hard to know if you are dealing with a con artist or simply an unscrupulous debt collector. Unfair debt collection practices can be dealt with, including suing the bill collectors and collecting money damages for their unlawful activity under laws such as the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) or Pennsylvania’s Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act.
FCRA Dispute Letters
One of the more distressing aspects of owing money is having a debt show up on your credit report as late, delinquent or unpaid. These black marks can tank your credit and blemish your credit score for years. Credit reporting companies don’t always get it right, though, and you may have black marks on your credit report that don’t belong there. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a process in place for you to dispute errors on your credit report. We can help you through this process expertly and efficiently, drafting appropriately-worded FCRA dispute letters supported by documentation that explain the errors on your credit report. We’ll work promptly and diligently to get these errors fixed, and we can discuss civil lawsuits for money damages if you’ve been harmed by FCRA violations.
Help Dealing with Debt Collectors in Lehighton is a Phone Call Away
The Law Office of Adam R. Weaver, Esq. offers a number of solutions to deal with debt collection matters, up to and including filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy to rid yourself of burdensome debt you can’t afford to pay back. Call Lehighton & Carbon County debt collection attorney Adam Weaver to discuss your options today, in Lehighton at 570-818-4888.
